Lilac...suckers or seedlings

lostinrates

I have a beautiful white lilac inmy new garden (we saw it when we viewed last year, that was may/june.

Its very old, and there is another even older looking one underneath some fruit tress which didn't flower, my guess is its too shaded. But, underneath both the ground is CARPETED in seedlings or suckers of lilac and plum. we moved some of the plums last autumn and they are happily budding now. what about the lilacs...would they pot on and be suitable for gate sales and use elsewhere in the garden? And is now when I should be doing it, before they get too much happening? If so what should I pot them into...would multi purpose compost be ok?

sirbrainy

I have propagated several hundred lilacs from suckers and have had 100% success so far plus they come true. From seeds I don't think you can rely on them to come true.

The other good thing about suckers is that the root system is already halfway established if you cut in the right place.

sirbrainy

Add: lilacs are so tough that you can propagate them any time of year provided you water them, any garden soil will do, you will need to feed them if you use multipurpose compost

lostinrates

sirbrainy wrote: »

I have propagated several hundred lilacs from suckers and have had 100% success so far plus they come true. From seeds I don't think you can rely on them to come true.

The other good thing about suckers is that the root system is already halfway established if you cut in the right place.

Hurrah....what do you pot them into please?

The one that flowers is white.....I can only suppose the other to be white as well. I'm guessing they are far more likely to be suckers?

lostinrates

sirbrainy wrote: »

Add: lilacs are so tough that you can propagate them any time of year provided you water them, any garden soil will do, you will need to feed them if you use multipurpose compost

Great, that answers my question. Seived garden soil then. Even better.

sirbrainy

We have a superb double mauve/purple one with the best scent in the garden, that's the one I dig up every sucker and spread it round the garden as much as possible.

We also have a lot of burgundies, pinks, whites which I used to propagate a lot to make informal hedges etc but nowadays they have grown up, we've got more privacy and I can concentrate on the best examples!

sirbrainy

BTW thinking about your white lilac - lilacs are one of those plants that you can rejuvenate/ invigorate by hard pruning. The idea is to cut back about one third of the old growth in each of 3 successive years, which means the whole plant renews itself.

It works.

However, I could quite see how you might not like this idea - we have one old girl that is huge like a small tree (also white) and I just like it the way it is, screening a neighbour's garden and heavy with flowers every spring.

lostinrates

sirbrainy wrote: »

BTW thinking about your white lilac - lilacs are one of those plants that you can rejuvenate/ invigorate by hard pruning. The idea is to cut back about one third of the old growth in each of 3 successive years, which means the whole plant renews itself.

It works.

However, I could quite see how you might not like this idea - we have one old girl that is huge like a small tree (also white) and I just like it the way it is, screening a neighbour's garden and heavy with flowers every spring.

Very, very sadly, they might have to go. If they do I'm going to have a go at moving them dormant with a digger (they really are VERY old and big based) and re-siting them, cutting down that year. It seems worth a shot, although it will feel like a crime to move it also seems like a crime not to try again with these old plants. (as well as having the virtue of adding some age to a raw newly gardened ''garden'').

Thank you for all the advice.

sirbrainy

I moved 2 big whites with a digger. We used to get fed up with people stealing great big branches of flowers every year - they were outside the front gate, one each side.

Took a big rootball and stuck them well inside the garden.

They sulked for a couple of years (despite feeding) but after that turned vigorous again. I think I could have speeded this up by pruning them harder.

lostinrates

sirbrainy wrote: »

I moved 2 big whites with a digger. We used to get fed up with people stealing great big branches of flowers every year - they were outside the front gate, one each side.

Took a big rootball and stuck them well inside the garden.

They sulked for a couple of years (despite feeding) but after that turned vigorous again. I think I could have speeded this up by pruning them harder.

wow, that's SO encouraging! Thank you. I love lilac and I'd like some more, but its not the same as retaining the old. Now I know how easy they are I'm going to keep eyes peeled for others I like this season and ask for some softwood cuttings too. see if I can get a lilac hedge maybe.

hostie

What are suckers?

I have two huge lilacs in my garden. I absolutely love them and would love to know how to generate more from them.

I´m a total novice so don´t know how to take cuttings or propagate. Is there something underneath them I should look for?