Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Prune a Dwarf Lilac Tree
How to Prune a Dwarf Lilac Tree. Pruning a lilac tree gives it a shape that can help it to look like an ornamental tree even after the blooming season. Lilacs trees are similar to lilac bushes but have a thicker trunk and can grow up to 30 feet tall. Pruning a lilac tree should span a few years because the trees have a long recovery time. The...
Pruning a lilac tree gives it a shape that can help it to look like an ornamental tree even after the blooming season. Lilacs trees are similar to lilac bushes but have a thicker trunk and can grow up to 30 feet tall. Pruning a lilac tree should span a few years because the trees have a long recovery time. The amount of pruning should be limited to only a few branches a year because over-pruning will stop the tree from blooming for a few seasons. Prune lilacs right after the blooming season in summer.
Things You'll Need
Pruning shears
Bleach
Bucket
Disinfect your pruning shears. Pour 1 part water and 1 part bleach into a bucket. Set the blades of your pruning shears into the bleach solution for five minutes. Remove the shears from the bleach solution and let them air dry.
Identify branches that are at least 3 years old. Lilacs bloom from new branches, so removing new branches will limit the amount of blooms or stop blooming altogether. Branches at least 3 years old will be hard and woody.
Select two or three branches that are at least 3 years old to remove. Stand back and imagine the shape of the tree without those branches. Make your final decision on which branches would give the tree the best shape when removed.
Wrap the blades of the pruning shears around the branch right under a leaf node. Cut the branch off with a straight cut. Stand back and look at the tree. Decide to remove up to two more branches or leave the tree as it is. Repeat if you want one or two more branches removed.
Place the blades of your pruning shears in the bleach and water solution to disinfect the blades. Let the blades soak for five minutes then remove to air dry. Disinfect the pruning shears after every pruning project to prevent the spread of disease.
