Lilac needs some love

[Lynn248]

hi,
I'm a new gardener and im not sure If this is a tree or bush. This tree / bush needs serious love as its been neglected for years.
In the spring I spend 3 hours cutting out hundreds of sucker branches that were growing directly out of the ground. It currently only blooms at the very top and I think your suppose to prune or cut them as soon as they stop blooming, should I just take a few feet right off the top? I'd like it to have a shape as well as blooms all over. How do I know what and where to prune??
Thanks in advance

 

[Durgan]

Lilacs have a personality of their own. I have learned to not touch them. My experience with them has been iffy. Pruning usually leads to not blooming at all for several years. Generally tidy up a few canes and let them do their thing. Even the dark green vegetation is attractive even without blooms.

 

[Lynn248]

Lilacs have a personality of their own. I have learned to not touch them. My experience with them has been iffy. Pruning usually leads to not blooming at all for several years. Generally tidy up a few canes and let them do their thing. Even the dark green vegetation is attractive even without blooms.

Thank you

 

[Esther Knapicius]

I agree with @Durgan . Taking the suckers out was good. the only other pruning I will do for them, if they have a wayward branch that is reaching for God (straight up) rather that following the natural look of the shrub, I will nick that one. I have three varieties, in general they are not touched. Actually one of them is a lilac tree, its blooming today. Has a story to it, used to be somewhere else on the property, then a limb from another three fell on it, split the main truck in two. I pull it together, wrapped it with plant bandage, and transplanted it. Today the part that is split grew together, and its happy.

 

[Lynn248]

I agree with @Durgan . Taking the suckers out was good. the only other pruning I will do for them, if they have a wayward branch that is reaching for God (straight up) rather that following the natural look of the shrub, I will nick that one. I have three varieties, in general they are not touched. Actually one of them is a lilac tree, its blooming today. Has a story to it, used to be somewhere else on the property, then a limb from another three fell on it, split the main truck in two. I pull it together, wrapped it with plant bandage, and transplanted it. Today the part that is split grew together, and its happy.

Wow that's amazing about your lilac , looks like you have the magic touch

 

[Esther Knapicius]

Thank you. It did take about 2 years for it to grow back together, both sides were healthy looking. So I let it be.