Lilac bushes

Hi Anne,

I have 6 lilac bushes. They are called "little kim". How is the best way to grow them, I put firewood ashes around them, like it said. I also fertilized once a month, with peter's plant and bush fertilizer. Please help.

Thank you,
Sharon

Anne's response:

Fertilizing a lilac once a month during the heat and drought may cause problems. Most shrubs are much happier with an application of fertilizer just before new growth begins in the spring. The lilac “Miss Kim” is a cultivar recommended for southern gardens but I do not know the growth habits of one called little kim. Miss Kim does need a more neutral soil than the acid soils in the Carolinas so the application of wood ashes does help that. The application of lime will serve the same purpose. Lilacs do not like the hot afternoon sun so they should be planted in an area that geets good morning sun and protection from afternoon heat.