Lilacs in Arkansas

[tfloria]

I am originally from Michigan, had great Lilacs up there when I was a kid. Now I live in Arkansas, we've had a lilac in our yard for 10 plus years. It never gets over 3 feet tall. Always seem stressed, leaves curl, I've had a little mildew on it, but when I sprayed it the leaves died. It is a brave thing, keeps trying to come back but I have not been able to help it. It does receive sun in the morning until about 2 PM, but it is hot and dry. We've had temps in the high nineties for much of a month. Yet I read it want full sun, I almost feel like the sun burns it up. Any suggestions or thoughts.

[opabinia51]

I would offer you this advice:

Dig a trench around the plant (just beyond the root zone of the plant) and fill the trench with mulched up leaves (apple and maple are best but, whatever you have) and some manure or grass clippings and top off with soil. Then, put a layer of grass clippings around the plant (not actually touching the plant itself but, right up close to the plant) and cover that with a layer of mulched up leaves and finally, put a layer of manure on the leaves.

This will give your plant a very healthy soil to grow in with lots of nutrients. The soil will have a high water holding capacity for those hot summers that you have.

When you water the plant, give it a deep watering (for about an hour) and then, just leave it for a week or so. You can check to soil to see if it is damp before watering again.

Also, a weekly dose of liquid seaweed fertilizer won't hurt.

[grandpasrose]

Opa is right. Even though lilacs do prefer to be in the sun, they do not handle prolonged extreme heat well.
It sounds to me that your lilac needs a bit of perked up soil, as Opa suggests, although I would add some wood ash to this as lilacs like wood ash. And make sure that they do get very deep watering in the really intense time of your season.
A good dose of compost tea every once in a while certainly wouldn't hurt it either.
Lilacs are a very forgiving plant, which is why yours has been hanging in there. You just need to give it that little bit extra it needs to climb over the top!
Good Luck!!!
VAL

[opabinia51]

HOW TO MAKE COMPOST TEA:

When making compost tea, the goal is to make an aerobic compost tea. Take a few shovel fulls of compost and place them in a burlap sac or onion bag and place the bag in a barrel (or garbage can) filled with water. Stir the can vigorously at least every other day. Preferably every day or even twice a day. You can also invest in a little aquarim air pump.

Let the tea steap for at leat one week and then poor the tea (diluted) over the soil and over the the foliage of plants.

[grandpasrose]

Thanks for adding that Opa!
VAL

[opabinia51]

No worries

[The Helpful Gardener]

Good stuff, guys, but I think as long as you have that deep trench, finish it and move the lilac to the east side of the house so the afternoon sun is off it. Keep it near a window so you can smell it, and THEN add all that good stuff. Do it when it gets cooler so the hot drys don't get your transplant, and I think that the plant will do famously. But let's find a way to get that nasty afternoon sun off of it...

Scott

[Guest]

Lilacs are cold weather shrubs that need a cold spell for dormancy and to form flowers. Lilacs won't flower or thrive in Florida, the gulf coast or warm southern states. Would your area of Arkansas be considered a warm southern state? Lilace hardiness zones are listed to 7 or 8 but having no prolonged cold spell might be a problem for you. Does your plant produce blooms?

Lilacs need good air circulation to stave off mildew. That usually means an open and sunny space. Check with the U of A extension service on lilace stability for your area as well as their recommendation on feeding a sickly plant. Use google to find your closest office.

[The Helpful Gardener]

Guest makes a good point; I was recently in Virginia and was amazed at how small and dwarfed the Chinese dogwoods were. Still listed as zonally ok for the area but certainly not as healthy and thriving as they are up here. Could just be too hot for them...

Scott