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Can someone tell me when's it's best to hard prune a lilac?

Got an overgrown lilac & it looks a bit tired, I went onto rhs homepage & it doesn't say when it can be hard pruned, I thought it was after it had flowered etc but also wondered if it could be done now as winter approaches etc Thanks

Posts

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    I'd do it in late march/april when the weather begins to improve. If it's cut back hard you'll get new growth pretty quickly. This coming winter is forecast as being very cold, so pruning now would cause more damage and risk losing it.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138

    The people opposite are having their big one cut back as I type (well, actually the chap is having a mug of coffee at the moment, but he's done most of it). 

    We shall see what transpires ....


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,064

    Pruning to shape is done immediately after flowering as spring flowering plants do it on last year's wood an dthis gives them time to grow new stems and flower buds.

    If you are doing a drastic prune and can't wait till they've flowered again then you could do it now, or as soon as the leaves have fallen and the plant is dormant, but you will have no flowers next spring.

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Ok thanks everyone, it can wait until next spring as I think having flowers is more important image
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039

    Paul, in order to get next years flowers, you must wait until after flowering to prune.

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Will do thanks
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