Treating Common Lilac Problems What To Do For Pests And Diseases Of Lilac

Pruning away the diseased material and thinning the inside of the shrub is the best way to control this disease, but if the infection is widespread, a copper fungicide will help kill it quickly. Powdery mildew – Powdery mildew is probably the most common problem in lilacs.

How do you treat lilac disease?
How do you bring a lilac bush back to life?
What insect kills lilac bushes?
How do you keep lilacs healthy?
What is wrong with lilacs?
How do you get rid of lilac fungus?
What do you do with a dying lilac bush?
How often should lilacs be watered?
What is the best fertilizer for lilacs?
Do you deadhead lilac bushes?
What do lilacs attract?
How do you treat lilac scales?

How do you treat lilac disease?

If your lilac bush does have infection, prune and burn all infected parts as soon as you notice them. Spray copper sulfate during the early spring. The disease starts as brown spots on stems and leaves of young shoots as they develop in early spring. A yellow halo may also be around the spot.

How do you bring a lilac bush back to life?

One way to renew a large, overgrown lilac is to cut the entire plant back to within 6 to 8 inches of the ground in late winter (March or early April). This severe pruning will induce a large number of shoots to develop during the growing season.

What insect kills lilac bushes?

Lilac borer and ash borer. The lilac borer, Podosesia syringae, can be a serious pest of lilacs, privet, and other members of the olive family. It also attacks ash trees, Fraxinus spp., where it is then known as the ash borer. Another similar appearing borer is the banded ash clearwing, P.

How do you keep lilacs healthy?

Trimming lilacs is best accomplished using clippers. Remove spent blooms all the way to the stems to prevent seeding and encourage more blooms later on. Cut back about a third of the branches. Cut away shoots growing near the ground that may be sprouting from the main trunk.

What is wrong with lilacs?

Common Diseases of Lilacs

Bacterial blight – The bacteria Pseudomonas syringae causes early shoot and branch dieback, distorted leaves and leaf spots that start out olive green, but soon develop water soaked areas. ... Powdery mildew – Powdery mildew is probably the most common problem in lilacs.

How do you get rid of lilac fungus?

Powdery Mildew

Prune the lilac in spring immediately after blooming to remove old, dead branches and increase air circulation. ...
Spray lilac bushes with a fungicide labeled for treating mildew as soon as symptoms appear.
Repeat the fungicide application in two weeks, or as directed by the manufacturer.

What do you do with a dying lilac bush?

Cut them down to just above the level of the soil. As you do, allow a new shoot to grow, to replace each old one you remove. By the end of three years, the entire shrub will have been replaced, and you will not go without lilacs for that period of time.

How often should lilacs be watered?

How to Water Lilacs. After planting, check plants often and water whenever the top inch of soil becomes dry, usually once or twice per week. Count to 10 while you water to make sure you're giving each lilac plant enough moisture. (Leaves will begin to droop if the plant is getting too dry.)

What is the best fertilizer for lilacs?

Best Fertilizer For Lilacs

We recommend a 10-10-10 fertilizer mix applied annually in the early spring. (The numbers 10-10-10 represent the amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium – or as they are commonly known, NPK – in the formula).

Do you deadhead lilac bushes?

Tips for Pruning Lilacs

With some plants, this helps to stimulate continuing blooms. But with lilacs, the only time deadheading seems to help them bloom better is during the first few years of growth. ... While the plants are young, deadheading the spent flowers helps to direct the plant's energy into setting more buds.

What do lilacs attract?

Lilacs attract birds to the landscape by providing them with nesting habitat and protection from predators. Birds keep garden pests down when they feed on insects as an act of natural pest control. Butterflies are also attracted to lilac bushes and help pollinate other garden plants.

How do you treat lilac scales?

The best way to control oystershell scale is to apply an insecticide when the crawlers are present. Effective insecticides include insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, Sevin, permethrin, and others. The insecticide must be applied before the tiny insects develop their protective, waxy coverings.