In order to benefit from the beautiful flowers of the lilac, proper care is necessary. You can find out when, how and with what to fertilize lilacs here.
Numerous varieties of lilac (Syringa), mostly common lilac (Syringa vulgaris hybrid), exude from mid-May to June in beautiful colors a typical heavy floral fragrance in many gardens. A mature lilac does not necessarily have to be fertilized, because lilacs are very easy to care for. But so that the flowers form in particularly large numbers and the early summer garden attracts colorful butterflies, the plants, which sometimes get very old, need phosphorus-rich fertilization and, of course, love.
In order to keep the flowering power of your lilac youthful and fresh in the same location for years, nothing beats a balanced supply of nutrients from trustworthy sources. Your lilac should be fertilized regularly. But which fertilizer is the right one for lilacs? And when do you have to fertilize your lilacs so that they bloom particularly well?
The right time to fertilize lilacs
Even when planting, the right care is essential for a good start to the day or, in the case of lilacs, for successful rooting. Mix a good amount of mature compost into the excavation of the planting hole or an organic long-term fertilizer such as our Plantura organic flower fertilizer. The following applies to established plants: In order to strengthen the future foliage of the garden season and to promote flowering in the following year, fertilizer is applied in spring, just before budding. If you rely on an organic fertilizer, the nutrients are released slowly and should be available in good doses all year round. In the case of nutrient-poor soil and a lilac that has been established in one location for several years, you can fertilize again in June.
Summary: When to fertilize lilacs?
- When planting, put compost or organic long-term fertilizer in the planting holemix
- Fertilize existing plants in spring just before they sprout
- In nutrient-poor soils, fertilizer should be added again in June
Fertilize lilacs: the right fertilizer and the right approach
With the right amount of fertilizer, your flowering shrub will live up to its name. Make sure you use a fertilizer that is not too nitrogenous, as this would promote sprouting too much. This may sound counterintuitive at first, but this way your lilacs will have more energy for flowering next year. However, the fertilizer should contain a high proportion of potassium for increased frost tolerance and phosphorus, which promotes flowering. Using an organic fertilizer provides you with a slow and gentle nutrient release. In comparison to mineral variants, the plant does not show signs of over-fertilization as often. Due to the slow release, soil life is also promoted and less fertilizer is washed out of the soil, which then gets into the groundwater. Our Plantura organic flower fertilizer offers you all these advantages in organic quality, excluding the use of animal products.
Fertilize lilacs organically
In order for you to know that your lilacs are well cared for and last for a long time, the pretty shrub also needs enough nutrients. Organic fertilizers provide your lilacs with the right nutrients over the long term with minimal impact on the environment. This is because these fertilizers are produced using fewer resources and end up in the groundwater to a lesser extent. Unlike mineral variants, the nutrients are stored in the soil in complex form. In this way, the fertilizer components are gently released into the root environment by the natural soil life. However, there are also alternatives to buying in a shop.
Tip from the pro: With the exception of the Preston lilac, all lilacs are lime tolerant and do well in a soil pH between 5.5 and 7. If your soil is more acidic than 5.5, you should provide the plant with a calcareous fertilizer.
Organic long-term fertilization: instructions and dosage amounts for lilacs
With organic fertilizer variants, you don't need to have a guilty conscience if you use the purchased variant if the dosage is correct. Especially when these - like oursPlantura organic flower fertilizer with organic long-term effect - can still score with organic quality. An important keyword, however, is the correct dosage. As with other flowering plants, lilacs not only need the right ratio of nutrients and minerals, but also the right amount. That's why we have the following instructions for the correct application of our Plantura organic flower fertilizer:
- Before planting, work 100 - 150 g/m² (well-filled 0.2 liter glass) of our Plantura organic flower fertilizer into the top layer of soil
- Water the soil and freshly planted lilacs well so that the granules can be easily loosened
- For maintenance fertilization in spring, you should fertilize another 80 - 120 g/m² (0.2 liter glass) per plant
Fertilize lilacs with minerals
Mineral fertilizers such as blue grain and conventional liquid fertilizers are sometimes suitable for lilacs that are cultivated in pots. If it is not repotted in new substrate every two years, it should be fertilized every two weeks from April to September with flowering plant fertilizer in the irrigation water. In pot culture as well as in beds, mineral fertilizers should be dosed rather low (if at all). Here you should not only pay meticulous attention to the dosage information for the well-being of your lilac, but also to only minimally interfere with nature. Otherwise, you prefer to use the organic variant. The risk of over-fertilization is lower here and fewer fertilizer components are washed into the groundwater.
Fertilize lilacs with home remedies
Even good old household remedies manage to take care of your lilacs year after year and blossom after blossom. For example, make a broth of nettles or field horsetail and water your lilacs with it. You can also mix in coffee grounds for fertilization, or chopped up banana peels. However, when using coffee grounds there is a risk that the soil will become acidic. This is critical for lime-tolerant plants such as lilacs. But there is also an alternative from the kitchen waste for the lilac's love of lime. Simply mix crushed eggshells into the soil. This is not only recommended when fertilizing with coffee grounds, but also when watering with soft rainwater.
In order for your lilacs to keep their beautiful shape, they should be trimmed regularly. This article will tell you when and how to prune lilacs.