hgunder
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Location: central MA

OK to transplant lilacs now?

I'm in zone 5, it's October 3rd. I want to get some of my aunt's dark purple lilacs. Is it okay to transplant lilacs now? Any tips for protection since it is so close to frost time (like in a week)? If I just wait until spring should I do it before or after they bloom? Thanks!

Janet W
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Location: Ottawa Carleton Region Canada

Yes you can plant the lilac's now. I too am in zone 5. Even though frost may come anytime now, it does take some time for the ground to freeze. Get them in now and water them in well. They will have a better chance of establishing in the spring if transplanted now. You mentioned they are the purple lilacs, is it the Common Lilac Syringa vulgaris? These can be very invasive with suckers poping up everywhere all summer (no matter how much you prune them out) they keep coming back. If you want them as a hedge and have lots of room, great. We had a large beautiful Lilac on my parents property when I was growing up. I have a fondness for the scent, reminds me of less hectic times as a child.

Here are a couple of sites that may help you in growing your lilac to its potential.

www.aboutlilacs.com/transplanting_lilac_bushes.shtml extension.usu.edu/files/publications/Lilacs.pdf

Janet W

mrs_fetters
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Location: Pennsylvania

We're living in the Pennsylvania mountains (Zone 5?) temporarily (through mid-to-late summer). We needed to stay here until we got my elderly mother established in the area back here. We managed to get into a short-term cottage where the yard needs lots and LOTS of TLC.

There are several old Lilac bushes on the edge of the yard. They are twiggy and in terrible shape and one old trunk is growing horiziontaly and looks like it has some green mold or moss on it (I will post a photo of this in the Lilac Forum in the future).

The bushes have many shoots, we also uncovered numerous shoots after removing layers and layers of years and years of fallen leaves. The owner has given us carte blanche to do what we will here, and we want to remove some of the lilac shoots to plant elsewhere on the property and also give a number of them to my mother to plant in several places at her new home (close to here, same zone).

We have a number of smaller shoots (6 to 12-inches high) and also a great number of 2 to 3-feet shoots as well. My mother has great soil and full sun areas to take the plantings. We plan on waiting until the lilac bushes bloom before digging the shoots for transplant.

Does anyone have any special tips for getting the larger shoots for transplant? They will be planted either the "same day" or "next day" of removal. I have transplanted smaller shoots before (years ago in this same zone) and they did beautifully in full-sun areas, however I have never attempted to transplant the larger shoots.

Many thanks in advance for any help!

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Jewell
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Location: South Puget Sound

Mrs. Fetters

Did you attempt to transplant those starts? I am going to be attempting to move some lilac shoots also, and maybe pot some up for friends. Wondering what worked best for you. :?: Last time I had to grow them out on the North side of the house for a season to baby them along to root.

Jewell

The Helpful Gardener
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Autumn digs would be better bets; give them some time without leaves to support to develop roots, which happens in autumn anyway. If you HAD to do it now I would try containers of potting soil get a start established you can keep watered, and plant it when the heat breaks (if it gets here to begin with...)

HG

Green Mantis
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Location: Alberta, Canada zone 1a

Hi, I'm wondering if it's too late to plant lilac bushes now too?--I have a chance to get a bunch fairly resonable at the garden center. They are clearing everything out. These ones are the double flowering ones? I guess they flower twice a year?-- Would these live? What would I put in the hole dug for them? I haven't got compost yet, but do have leaves, straw ( not rotted) and fresh horse manure.---- Any ideas on whether I should buy them or not? Thanks everyone. :D

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rainbowgardener
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Double flowered does not mean it blooms twice; it means when it blooms the flowers have more petals. This link has pictures of single and double flowered lilac blooms:

https://www.conifer.com.au/syringa_list

Whether it is too late to plant depends on how much time you have before the ground freezes -- which is different from first frost. Around my area we can have a number of frosts before it is consistently cold enough for the ground to freeze. You want your plant to have time before ground freeze to establish good roots.

The Helpful Gardener
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These are Zone Three plants, but you are Zone Three, right?

Still I think you are okay. the soil amendments you are using will create a little heat of their own. I think RBG is spot on about the ground freezing being your biggest concern and you are more of an expert there than we are (Alberta, I mean...).

HG

Green Mantis
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Not an expert in gardening in Alberta!! :wink: That's why I asked, we haven't had a real hard frost yet. But I'm sure we'll get something soon, there's a big ring around the moon. Always means storms are coming. So not sure whether to buy them or not. I don't want to waste money on plants that will just freeze.---If I did buy them, could I put some horse manure and straw in each hole for the bushes? Would that help the roots at all? Thanks for your answers much appreciatted. I'll have to think about this.

The Helpful Gardener
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Yes, that would help keep roots warm but I would add some soil from the hole to that mix, not just poop and straw.

There was an old technique called hotbedding that used a manure pile covered in soil to heel in plants for planting next year (used for some tender crops too). Maybe an extra deep hole, poop and straw covered with soil, and the plant planted on top of that. Or just heeled in in a trench on top of the poop mix, to be planted permanantly in spring. Is the deal worth it? It's always gambling with weather, especially lately...

HG

Green Mantis
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No, decided it isn't the right time now, it's started freezing. So wouldn't be a good deal, right now. Think I'd rather pay more in the spring, and know they will grow. So no, not such a good deal this time of the year. Thanks for the info. :D



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