Lilac Syringa 'Carpe Diem'

Planting Advice for your Lilac 'Carpe Diem':

• Like many garden plants, lilac prefers soil that is well drained so that it doesn't sit in water as this will reduce the blooms, and is not particularly happy in long, dry spells so does need regular watering.
• Water your potted plant well.
• Dig a hole a little deeper and 3 x wider than the nursery pot.
• Add a soil conditioner such as well-rotted manure to the earth removed from the hole if necessary.
• Remove the plant from its pot and tease out a few of the roots.
• Place your plant in the hole at the same level at the pot.
• Refill the hole with the earth removed (backfilling).
• Firm in the soil with your heel, avoiding the root ball.
• Water well and mulch around the base of the plant with a collar, compost, gravel, bark etc.

Aftercare Advice for Syringa Carpe Diem:

• Plants bloom best in full sun and prefer well-drained, alkaline soil.
• Each spring, apply a layer of compost under the plant, followed by mulch to retain moisture and control weeds.
  Water during the summer if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week.
• Lilacs won’t bloom if they’re overfertilized. They can handle a handful of 10-10-10 in late winter, but no more.
• After your lilac bush has finished blooming, spread some lime and well-rotted manure around the base. Trim the bush to shape it and remove suckers at the same time.

Pruning Advice for Lilac:

• Routine pruning is not needed, although plants can be kept in shape by shortening overlong shoots after flowering.
• Lilac flowers on old wood so bear this in mind if cutting back.