Lilac trouble?

[chickensandagarden]

Honestly, I am a bit unsure that lilacs fit into the 'tree & shrub' category, but I have had an awful time with mine. I have planted two in my backyard and they have grown extremely slow and constantly look like they're dead. The only reason I know they're not is because every spring they do perk up a bit. I do have dogs that tend to pee on them if I don't watch, and they are in an area that gets full sun, but they also get watered everyday. I don't know a whole lot about lilacs, but I'm stumped on getting them to grow. Can anyone help?

 

[thistlebloom]

Hi Chickensandgarden, welcome!

Lilacs are not fast growers to start with and full sun is a good place for them. Dog urine is not a good thing, but your problem may lie in the daily watering. Sounds like too much to me.

What kind of soil do you have? Are they competing with lawn grass around them? If in a lawn do you use weed and feed?
Also what general area are you gardening in?
Sorry for so many questions but it will help uncover the reason they are not thriving.
Thanks for joining us!

Oh! Oops, I see you are in central Arkansas.

 

[Nyboy]

welcome!! My lilacs are from suckers my grandmother planted over 50 years ago. They can be very long lived. After about 10 years of not flowering I was about to rip them out. I decided to give them 1 more spring. Lucky I did they flowered that spring. Like Thislte said they can be very slow growing.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I planted some in the winter of 2008. I got my first bloom this spring.

I have noticed that deer like to nibble on them but they haven't eaten mine to the ground yet.

 

[thistlebloom]

I planted some in the winter of 2008. I got my first bloom this spring.

I have noticed that deer like to nibble on them but they haven't eaten mine to the ground yet.[/QUOTE ]

Aren't deer odd? Around here they are one of the landscape plants that are almost deer proof.

 

[Nyboy]

I have hosta planted under mine. The deer will munch on hosta, never touched lilacs.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Like I said, they only nibble. Some things they eat to the ground.

 

[thistlebloom]

Yeah, it's the young ones that always have to try the stuff that their mamas tell them doesn't taste good. Those are the "deer resistant" plants that I find nibble marks on in the gardens. They have to find out for themselves I guess.
Kids!

 

[Nyboy]

Many years ago I was in London when the lilacs where blooming everwhere. I was in a taxi with a old man driver and said something about the lilacs. He told me there was a old wisetail that if you bring lilac blooms inside, someone in the house will die that year. Don't really believe but never used them for cut flower.

 

[thistlebloom]

That's a silly superstition! Probably originated by someone who didn't want passersby to help themselves to their lilac blooms.

My family would be decimated by now! They are sort of a nuisance to bring in because you have to slit each stem before you put it in a vase, and the blooms are short lived as cut flowers.
But they have a wonderful fragrance indoors.