Cutting lilac back to ground

[Tetters]

I so agree with your comments @Mr_Yan. If only more gardeners would be brave enough to use this corrective pruning for their overgrown and untidy shrubs they would see the benefits for themselves.
@Esther Knapicius 6 inches from the ground is easy, get a ruler and look for the 6 - put one end on the ground and cut the plant where the 6 comes to

One plant I grow a lot of is Mahonia, which gets very leggy and tall, losing sight of the flowers altogether. These definitely benefit from the 6 inch chop every few years - that way you don`t need binoculars to see those lovely yellow flowers during the winter months.
Generally though, people just refuse to do this job

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Was only clarifying as to, was that measurement accidently incorrect. I would never ever cut any lilac shrub 6 inches from the ground. So sad to hear that. SIX INCHES, sad. 6 inches , is not even knee high. Sad. Never. Never. ever.

 

[Mr_Yan]

Back story here - Around May 2009 I planted a purple or double purple lilac for my soon to be wife. When we planted it it was a multi stem shrub about the size of a basket ball. Within 6 years that tiny bush was 12 feet across and 12 feet tall and being a real estate hog in the backyard. We then had 3 kids trying to use the back yard and the lilac was blocking part of the gate into the back yard.

Yes I cut one third of the large branches back to about 6 inches.

• This leaves plenty of leaf area still up there to support the plant
• This brings down the height of the bush
• This keeps some new growth down low and inside the structure of the bush
• You don't really notice the removal after about a week
• Lilacs, privet, redtwig dogwood, forsythia, spiria will all readily coppice and bounce right back after this level of pruning.

A lilac's growth this year is what flowers next year. Lilacs flush new growth just after flowering. In a perfect world I will prune out the bush when the flowers are still on it but looking like skeletons. This ensures new growth all through the plant avoiding @Tetters "second story plant" problem.

 

[Tetters]

When it comes to shrub renovation, many gardeners are shocked at the idea of hard pruning @Esther Knapicius .
Here is a link to some general advice from our Royal Horticultural Society. I hope it will be of interest

Shrubs: renovation / RHS Gardening

Overgrown, old deciduous shrubs and some evergreens can be easily renovated by drastic pruning. After this, annual pruning will stop them getting out of hand again.

www.rhs.org.uk

 

[Esther Knapicius]

When it comes to shrub renovation, many gardeners are shocked at the idea of hard pruning @Esther Knapicius .
Here is a link to some general advice from our Royal Horticultural Society. I hope it will be of interest

Shrubs: renovation / RHS Gardening

Overgrown, old deciduous shrubs and some evergreens can be easily renovated by drastic pruning. After this, annual pruning will stop them getting out of hand again.

www.rhs.org.uk

I have no issues with hard pruning. but SIX inches from the ground it, in my estimation too much. the lowest I cut my Annabells is to my knee height, and that is half the shrub. I will be cutting this week some wild Azaleas to about waist height, they are over my head now. but never 6 inches from the grown. If I do prune Miss Kim lilac shrub, it will be to my shoulder. I have also mini lilac shrubs could use three inches around pruning. I hard pruned my honeysuckle on our deck last year, its a happy person this season. but never 6 inches from the ground ever. I shudder to think when I am gone from my garden what havoc some person will to prune the naturally short hydrangea, that stays at a nice 4 foot, and needs nothing done to it but minor, very minor shaping. Or the hydrangea from Japan, also not needing anything major.

 

[Tetters]

Oh dear Esther, maybe you should write to the Royal Horticultural Society and let them know where they are going wrong

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Oh dear Esther, maybe you should write to the Royal Horticultural Society and let them know where they are going wrong

I certainly will. guess you don't know me well. have confronted many a medical doctor when he did wrong. Moving on. I will not in any life time chop down a lilac shrub to 6 inches from the ground. NO Way IN ever. done.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I certainly will. guess you don't know me well. have confronted many a medical doctor when he did wrong. Moving on. I will not in any life time chop down a lilac shrub to 6 inches from the ground. NO Way IN ever. done.

and HA< HA to you also.

 

[Mike Allen]

So many things in life might be considered the norm. However, and perhaps in the horticultural world, so much is cosmetic. What looks good to me, may be an eyesore to someone else. So much becomes a personal choice. In relation to this thread. I wouldn't literally cut my lilac down to the extremes mentioned. As I say. It is a personal thing.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

So many things in life might be considered the norm. However, and perhaps in the horticultural world, so much is cosmetic. What looks good to me, may be an eyesore to someone else. So much becomes a personal choice. In relation to this thread. I wouldn't literally cut my lilac down to the extremes mentioned. As I say. It is a personal thing.

Thank you.