SvetSad
Senior Member
Posts: 134
Joined: Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:57 pm
Location: Indianapolis IN

Lilac bush wilting from hot weather and drought

I live in Indianapolis, where the drought is really bad, we are currently -10 inches of rain fall for the year. Last time we had GOOD rain was in May. and only a few small rainfalls in the last 2 months. Everyone's lawns are dead, there are mandatory watering restrictions all over almost the entire state so everything is suffering. I water young trees in the front yard about once a week. I've been watering the lilac bush, but it's just looking more wilted as days go on.

What can I do?

Would trimming it help out? or stress it out further? I'd like to try and keep it alive, but it's really sad to see all around there are so many dead or dying trees and bushes.

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rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

I would leave it alone. Water, but be sure you water infrequently but very deeply. If you do shallow watering, you encourage the growth of shallow roots which then just dry out faster. I would put a drip hose on it and let it run all day and then not do it again unless two more weeks go by without rain. Do NOT fertilize it, that does just stress it more.



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