Lilac
Syringa vulgaris
An ornamental plant, planted September to March.
In September: nothing to do. It can be planted now.
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Lilac, month by month
Bar: the usual months. Sprout: this month.
| Sowing, planting or job | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | 2027Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant a pot-grown lilac. | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none |
| Plant a bare-root lilac. | none | none | usual | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none | none | none | none |
| Mulch the lilac. | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual | none | none | none |
| Prune the lilac. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | usual | usual |
| Deadhead the lilac. | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | none | usual | none |
What to do, and when
The usual months for a UK garden. Your own plan gives the week.
Planting
Plant a pot-grown lilac September to March, 1.5 to 3m apart. Moderate sources: RHS and Bowhayes Trees.
Plant a bare-root lilac November to February. Moderate source: RHS.
Mulch the lilac
Spread well-rotted garden compost around the plant, leaving a gap around the stem.
Usually March to May. Moderate source: Gardeners’ World.
Prune the lilac
Cut off the faded flowers with their young, bendy stem, avoiding cutting into old wood. From Gardeners’ World.
Usually June to August. Moderate source: RHS.
Deadhead the lilac
Usually July. Moderate source: Gardeners’ World.
What the source words mean
Moderate: another trusted UK source, or the RHS on its group.
What not to do
Don’t prune it hard
Hard pruning gives lots of leaves and few flowers.
Moderate source: RHS.
Every line above names the page it comes from. Where we found no good source for a job, we left it out. Where the name “Lilac” comes from.