How
to Transplant Lilacs
by LeAnn R. Ralph
Lilacs
are exceptionally easy to transplant. I have transplanted many
lilac bushes from the original bushes that my grandmother planted
on our Wisconsin dairy farm 70 years ago. Early spring until late
spring, from when the lilacs develop buds until they actually
have small leaves, is the best time to transplant. If you have
lilacs growing in your yard -- or if you have a friend who has
lilacs -- and you would like to start some new lilac bushes, here's
how:
1. Decide where you want to transplant the lilac
bush or bushes.
2.
Dig a hole that's about one foot deep by one foot across for each
bush you want to transplant.
3.
Dig up a lilac shoot from somewhere around the main bush. Lilacs
spread by runners. Use a shovel to dig up the shoot because you
are going to have to cut off the runner, and a trowel will not
be tough enough to do the job. Choose a shoot that is approximately
8 to 14 inches high. Smaller shoots that are only a few inches
high will take a very long time to mature to the point where they
will have flowers. Larger shoots seem to take a longer time to
recover from being transplanted before they start to grow well.
Do not worry about how much root you are getting with the shoot.
You will not be able to take all of the root since the roots are
all connected.
4.
Put the shoot in a bucket of water if you are not going to transplant
it immediately so that it will not dry out. If you are going to
transplant it immediately, carry it to the hole you have dug and
set it in the hole.
5.
Center the shoot in the hole and fill in with dirt. Leave a three
or four inch depression around the shoot so you will have a reservoir
for water.
6.
Water your new lilac bush with a couple of gallons of water. Continue
watering the bush several times a week for the rest of the season
to ensure that it has a good start. From what I have observed,
lilacs seem to be quite drought resistant, although like any plant,
tree or bush, they will grow more if they have plenty of water.
In subsequent years, water your new lilac bush from time to time,
especially if rain is in short supply.
Note:
I have noticed that it takes 4 or 5 years for the new bushes to
grow enough to start producing flowers, although bushes that I
transplanted from small shoots only a few inches high are taking
longer than that.
© LeAnn R. Ralph
Are you looking for a good book to read? LeAnn R. Ralph is the
author of the books "Christmas in Dairyland (True Stories
from a Wisconsin Farm" (trade paperback 2003); "Give
Me a Home Where the Dairy Cows Roam" (trade paperback 2004);
"Preserve Your Family History (A Step-by-Step Guide for Interviewing
Family
Members and Writing Oral Histories" (e-book 2004). You are
invited to read sample chapters and to sign up for the free monthly
newsletter, Rural
Route 2 News.