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ladymetivier
Major lilac trauma! please help!
A stolen car was crashed into my 10 foot tall lilac tree just over 2 weeks ago. It was mostly uprooted. We got it back into the ground, and I've kept the ground well watered in hope of encouraging roots to branch back out and find water. The entire tree had turned brown and all the leaves shriveled. However, after 2 days of watering I've got a lot of green back, but also some significantly dead looking branches. I believe the tree to be very old, there are a few large wood trunks inside the tree that are just dead wood. I desperatly want to save the tree, its absolutely beautiful when it blooms! I'm trying to decide if I should cut it all the way down, use the 3 year pruning cycle, or if perhaps anyone has a better suggestion for me. I would be happy to email pictures. Thanks so much -J
Hi Ladymetivier,
Gosh, that's awful!! I would suggest that you cut any wood that you know is dead flush to the ground and wait and see which trunks may die because of the trauma before removing them in the same manner. Here's some links that should be helpful.
https://www.arborday.org/media/stormindex.cfm
https://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1993/2-10-1993/lilac.html
https://www.gardenersnet.com/lilac/lilac02.htm
Best of luck,
Newt
Gosh, that's awful!! I would suggest that you cut any wood that you know is dead flush to the ground and wait and see which trunks may die because of the trauma before removing them in the same manner. Here's some links that should be helpful.
https://www.arborday.org/media/stormindex.cfm
https://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1993/2-10-1993/lilac.html
https://www.gardenersnet.com/lilac/lilac02.htm
Best of luck,
Newt
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The Helpful Gardener
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Hi Lady,
My sympathy for your trauma, and my assurance that this too shall pass and the lilac will bounce back just fine. I like Newt's advice and think that's the best tactic to take; I'd also recommend rock phosphate scratched in around the recovering root ball to help with rooting, and mycorrhizal supplements would be a big assist in the rooting process as well. But fear not! Lilacs are as tough a plant as there is out there and it will bounce back...
Scott
My sympathy for your trauma, and my assurance that this too shall pass and the lilac will bounce back just fine. I like Newt's advice and think that's the best tactic to take; I'd also recommend rock phosphate scratched in around the recovering root ball to help with rooting, and mycorrhizal supplements would be a big assist in the rooting process as well. But fear not! Lilacs are as tough a plant as there is out there and it will bounce back...
Scott