Ok, so we have two lilacs- one in the front yard which is a pink mid year bloom and one in the back which is a dark purple spring bloom.
They're both wilting. The stems are strong, the trunk is strong but the leaves are droopy. They haven't fallen but they're not happy.
Is this too much water? I live north of Boston and we've been getting a lot of rain, so short of wrapping them in plastic like a cast you can't get wet I don't know what to do. They get similar light during the day so I don't know if this is a sun problem or not.
Help!!! (please I don't want them to die...)
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- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 824
- Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:31 am
- Location: Hurst, TX USA Zone 7b/8a
Yes, that can cause wilting just as you see when they do not get enough moisture. Lilcas like well draining soil and the soil may be staying wet for too long of a period. In the case of getting too much water, the lilac tree's roots are not able to absorb enough oxygen and the leaves wilt.
To help alleviate this, try something unusual: do not water and remove the mulch to allow the moisture to escape more easily. Then use the finger method to determine when to add the mulch back and resume regular waterings: insert a finger to a depth of 4" and water then soil feels dry or almost dry.
If you ALSO notice these symptoms listed next, check for verticillium wilt: small yellow leaves, leaf browning, slow/stunted growth and dieback
If you ALSO notice these symptoms listed next, check for bacterial blight: black areas on the foliage and blossoms.
To help alleviate this, try something unusual: do not water and remove the mulch to allow the moisture to escape more easily. Then use the finger method to determine when to add the mulch back and resume regular waterings: insert a finger to a depth of 4" and water then soil feels dry or almost dry.
If you ALSO notice these symptoms listed next, check for verticillium wilt: small yellow leaves, leaf browning, slow/stunted growth and dieback
If you ALSO notice these symptoms listed next, check for bacterial blight: black areas on the foliage and blossoms.
- rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
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- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
I went through a similar problem with a 25 foot 20 year old white Lilac. One year it bloomed spectacularly. The next it was droopy and did not bloom. It had good drainage and wasn't heavily mulched. The next year droopy again, no flowers again. I was using mulch, ash, there were no pests or deceases. Finally on the advice of a Lilac grower I met at a plant sale, I cut the plant back by one third, both in trunks and size. Again the next year it didn't bloom, but I'd pruned it at the wrong time (I knew it but sacrificed bloom for health).
Finally this year it is taller, full of foliage and covered with buds. Whew.
Finally this year it is taller, full of foliage and covered with buds. Whew.
- rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
Do you know to deadhead your lilacs? Once the blooms are spent, but before they set seed, trim all the blossoms off. If you do not do this and allow it to set seed, it is likely to bloom very sparsely the next year (but not to be wilty/ droopy, that is something else). Lilac seeds are big and heavy (relative to other kinds of seeds) and don't have any transport mechanism. So they tend not to fall far from the tree. So the alternating years is an adaptation, to keep this year's seedlings from competing so much with last year's.
Deadheading I get, but taking a chainsaw and lopping off the top 6"? I don't think that's a great idea.
It's obviously in too wet a spot, and it might be dead now, but I'm moving it to the opposite side of the yard, where the drainage is better. We'll see how it does there.
The one in the back is doing great though!!
It's obviously in too wet a spot, and it might be dead now, but I'm moving it to the opposite side of the yard, where the drainage is better. We'll see how it does there.
The one in the back is doing great though!!