Ciscoe Morris: How to trim your lilac for big blooms next year

If you’re worried about clipping those intoxicating lilacs
and ruining your chances for big, beautiful blooms next
year, don’t fear. Master gardener Ciscoe Morris has a few
tips for properly trimming up your lilac bushes to ensure
a successful return.

Morris says he prunes them as soon as they’re done
blooming.

“That really helps them bloom better next year because
they don’t waste energy making seeds.”

He cuts them down one or two nodes where the little
branches sprout out. He says to be careful not to cut too
much off this year’s growth because that’s where next
year’s blooms will bud.

“If you do that every year, you can pretty much keep
your lilac a decent size and you still get plenty of
blooms.”

Aphids might also be an issue in the garden this time of
year. For those, Ciscoe says you can skip the poisons and
opt for the hose.

Put your hand behind whatever you’re blasting (to support
it), turn your nozzle to the shower setting, start gentle
and up the ante, and you can blast the aphids off the
plant.

“Because they’re soft bodied, it almost always kills
them,” says Ciscoe.

While it’s a safe and effective way to rid your plants of
the pests, you have to do it often because they reproduce
so quickly.

If you’re looking for a little morbid fun, Ciscoe suggests
just picking them off and squeezing them between your
thumb and finger.