Lilac - one of the types of flowering shrubs that can be found in almost every household plot. In addition, the plant is planted in squares, parks, on the streets of cities and towns. Prolong the flowering period will help proper care of lilacs. In spring and in the first half of summer, the plant will delight with unusually beautiful flowers and their delicate aroma.
Shrub growing conditions
There are certain favorable conditions for the growth and full development of the plant. Every grower who decides to start growing lilacs should know about them.
Firstly, the shrub is photophilous. It will also grow in the shade, but under such conditions it will not be possible to achieve a violent flowering of the plant. However, it must be remembered that lilacs also do not like the hot midday rays.
Secondly, it is necessary to pay attention to the composition of the soil of the site where the bush is supposed to be planted. Lilac does not tolerate only heavy types of soils with an acidic reaction and those areas wherestagnant water.
Unpretentiousness to the conditions of existence facilitates the care of lilacs. In the spring, the grower needs to make sure that melted and surface groundwater leaves the area where the shrub grows as quickly as possible.
Lilac planting
Due to the fact that the plant starts growing very early in spring, it is recommended to plant it in the fall. The best time is September. Compliance with this condition will greatly simplify the care of lilacs in the spring.
However, planting lilacs in the spring is also not excluded. It is only necessary to remember that this must be done even before the start of sap flow. An earthen lump on the roots of seedlings does not need to be removed. Its preservation will help the plant to take root faster and transfer the transplant painlessly.
It is also possible to propagate lilacs by cuttings. The method is laborious, but quite effective. Most often, it is used by specialists involved in landscaping large areas.
Shrub feeding
There is a whole range of work that can be described as caring for lilacs in the spring. Shrub dressing is one such activity. If fertilizer was applied at the time of planting, the plant will not need to be fed for the next few years of its life.
The pit for planting lilacs should be at least 70-80 cm wide, and its depth is about 60 cm. When planting, the pit must be filled with soil, mixed with well-decomposed manure or compost. ATbone meal can be used as an organic fertilizer - up to 2 kg per plant. The subsequent introduction of organic matter can be carried out only in the fourth year of shrub growth.
As a top dressing containing minerals, ash is used. In ten liters of water, 250 g of fertilizer is diluted. The resulting mixture is applied to the root system of the shrub.
Pruning lilacs in spring
This type of shrub care, like pruning, creates conditions for abundant flowering of lilacs, helps to form a bush of the desired shape and size. All this is very important in decorative gardening.
Lilac pruning in spring should be done before bud break. This type of shrub care is aimed at removing weak, dry, damaged shoots. In addition, branches are cut that thicken the bush. Old shoots make the plant look worse, so they should also be removed with a hacksaw or garden shears.
Pruning will also help to create a spectacular crown of the bush. It must be carried out regularly and must be included in the complex of works that ensure proper care for lilacs. In the spring, pruning, carried out in order to form a crown, is most acceptable. With proper work, by autumn the lilac bush will have the shape and size that the gardener needs.
Compliance with some rules will help even a beginner grower:
- after planting lilacs in the spring, the young shoot must immediately remove the first pair of buds;
- A three-year-old bush after pruning should have no more than tenthe strongest, well-located shoots, while the main one is necessarily shortened;
- the resulting shoots require constant removal, otherwise the crown will thicken.
If you want to grow lilac in the form of a tree, you need to leave only one main shoot, and at a height of about 80 cm on it - no more than six pairs of buds. The rest of the branch is removed with a pruner.
Protection from pests and diseases
Quality care for lilacs in early spring involves taking measures to destroy harmful insects and prevent the development of plant diseases.
Pests of many horticultural and horticultural crops can also harm lilac bushes. The most common and dangerous are the moth, hawk caterpillar, moth moth. To combat them, such means as the Decis or Fufanon solution are considered effective. The mixture prepared according to the instructions is sprayed with a sprayer. If necessary, the procedure is repeated after about a week.
Bordeaux liquid is the most popular remedy in the treatment of diseases that can affect lilacs. For the most severe cases, it is best to consult a specialist who can recommend other drugs.
Shrub care in other seasons
Proper care of lilacs in spring ensures the growth of a beautiful he althy plant. But do not forget that the shrub requires attention throughout the growing season.period. Loosening the soil under the bush, removing weeds and young shoots are the types of work that should be carried out from early spring to late autumn. During the period of active flowering, abundant watering of lilac bushes will be useful.
Following the simple recommendations listed in the article, you can grow lilacs that will delight others not only in spring during the flowering period, but also until autumn.
