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Lilac tree pruning

james-HYumfQsjames-HYumfQs Posts: 68
in Plants
Good morning everyone, I've already asked this question on here but just wanted to put some photos up and enquire again. So we have a very large lilac tree, not shrub but tree. It's many many years old and probably 20 ft or just under. I'm sure before in the winter dormant months I have trimmed back a few limbs to keep the shape as it's spreading quite far over cars and towards the back door. Is currently budding and I'm sure I've cut back this time of year before. I was told on here on my previous post to wait until after they have bloomed but as it is essentially a tree, I always thought cutting tree limbs off in warm summer months would make them susceptible to disease. Can I just double check when the best time would be to cut a few limbs off of this tree? They are about 2 to 3 in diameter and I only want to reduce 2 or 3 limbs around 5 to 6 ft in length. The worst I can see happening now is I just lose the blooms and flowers from those limbs that I remove. The rest should be fine as they are on other limbs of the tree. I just thought whilst it is still pretty cold and relatively dormant maybe now is the better time. Thanks in advance

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Cutting limbs is best done in winter when the tree is dormant and the sap won't bleed.  It's a bit late for that now as the sap will already be rising so now you need to wait at least a few months.  There are exceptions to the winter pruning rule as certain groups can suffer from a disease called silver leaf if pruned in winter. Lilac is not one of them - https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/silver-leaf 

    For general pruning of lilacs, it is best done after flowering finishes.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
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  • thevictorianthevictorian Posts: 1,279
    Your logic is sound, winter (febuary ish) is a good time for branches to be pruned. I would just wait for a dry, preferably not frosty, few days to be on the horizon before the work.  
  • james-HYumfQsjames-HYumfQs Posts: 68
    Thanks for the advice. I was going to do it in Feb but then thought I better check before doing it as a few people said to leave it until after flowering. We have a few warmer days ahead of us after about Tuesday in the South here at least above 1° at night. So maybe Wednesday or Thursday? I will take a couple of limbs off as Thursday and Friday or sunny warm dry days. I just wanted to get them off before they flower, but if it were to be left I would be inclined to trim next Jan or Feb when it is more dormant as I don't think trimming a tree in the summer months would be the best option
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