Learn How to Make a Lilac Bush Grow Taller by following these easy tips and encourage healthy, vigorous growth.
How to Make a Lilac Bush Grow Taller
1. Prune It
Pruning is the key to making your lilac bush grow taller. Prune the plant when it finishes flowering during late spring or early summer. Check the plant and discard any weak, dead or damaged branches, cut back the old wood. This will boost new growth and assist in the bush growing tall with time.
Prune the branches to thin out the growth; it will maintain the height of the shrub and air circulation. Cut back the old branches not more than a third of the total branches.
NOTE: Avoid overpruning, as it can result in the loss of flowers.
2. Choose a Taller Specimen
Buy a taller variety, and you won’t need to wait long to make it taller. Variety such as ‘Madame Lemoine’ (Syringa vulgaris) produces white double flowers that reach up to 15 tall and 12 feet wide. USDA zone 3-8.
Another tall variety is ‘Primrose’ (Syringa vulgaris), which is a standard size and can grow up to 10-15 feet tall and 6-10 feet wide. It offers yellow blooms. USDA zone 3-7.
3. Right Location
For a taller growth of the lilac bush, grow it in a location with full sun. The planting area must get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Though lilac can handle some shade but in such case it fail to produce more blooms.
4. Provide Support
Help your lilac grow taller by providing it a sturdy support, it will prevent branches from breaking or bending. Use a strong trellis or stakes to train the lilac to grow upward. Gently tie the branches without damaging them.
5. Use Right Soil
Planting lilac in the right soil also helps in encouraging its growth. Use loamy, rich, well-draining soil with a neutral pH. Lilacs can tolerate clay soil, but it may hinder their growth. You can add compost during spring to balance soil that lacks nutrients.
6. Don’t Overwater
This shrub prefers moderate soil moisture; soggy soil can cause root rot and lead to poor flowering. Young plants are used frequently to keep the soil lightly moist. Established plants usually require watering in droughts.
7. Feed Lilac Carefully
Fertilize your lilac bush in spring, primarily if you have poor soil. Avoid using fertilizer that is high in nitrogen as it affects the flowering. On the contrary, apply a balanced fertilizer and follow the instructions on the label.
8. Be Patient
Lilac grows slowly and take a few years to attain a full height. Provide the plant with the right conditions and care so that it gradually grows tall and offers you pretty blooms each spring.
