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Article: Lilacs need careful pruning to keep looking lovely.(Home & Garden)
- Article from:
- Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)
- Article date:
- May 14, 2000
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2000 Paddock Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The lilac, one of the Midwest's favorite flowering shrubs, is usually easy to grow in our region.
Nevertheless, lilacs have their share of problems.
If new shoots turn black, blame bacterial blight. When this happens, the best thing to do is prune out any of the affected parts. Be sure to sterilize your pruners between cuts by dipping the blades in a 10 percent chlorine bleach solution or in rubbing alcohol.
Open wounds provide easy access for disease, so take care not to bump into your lilac with the mower or otherwise injure lilac stems.
Don't neglect regular pruning. Thinning out excess branches provides the good air circulation ...