Lilac species are among the most popular ornamental trees in Germany. They not only enchant with their beguiling scent and attractive flowers, but also with their durability and numerous uses in the garden. But the plant is not always in the right place, for example if you are moving and the Syringa does not fit into your own garden planning. Sometimes the location has to be changed due to defects. You can find out how to transplant lilacs here.
Transplant Syringa
No matter what the reason for the desired move of your lilac is, not every specimen can be transplanted easily. Lilacs are plants that sprout more and more with increasing age and whose root system spreads so far that it is hardly possible to transplant the olive tree plant (bot. Oleaceae). You should no longer plant the following lilac specimens, or only with extreme caution, in another place in the garden:
- Age: over ten years
- Specimens whose age you do not know
- weakened specimens
Especially when they are young, the plants can easily recover and thrive successfully in their new place. But this becomes more difficult every year and if the plant also has to recover from an illness, it can quickly become too much. It becomes particularly problematic for older specimens due to the roots, which are damaged in most cases and therefore lead to the death of the lilac in the new location. Due to the damaged root network and their growth size, these can no longer recover or establish themselves.
time
One of the most important points when implementing a lilac is the right time, because not every season is suitable for this project. In any case, you must not transplant the plant from mid-spring to late summer, as this is when it is in full bloom and is in the growing season. If you were to move the plant during this period, it would have to put all its energy into developing new roots in order to be able to establish itself at the new location. The above-ground parts of the plant would wither or weaken. When determining the timing, keep the following points in mind:
- before new sprouting
- frost-free time
- after rainy days
Autumn has proven to be particularly good for this project, as this is when the flowering period is over and the plant is preparing for winter. Since no new plant parts are formed during this period, you can transplant the lilacs without any problems. Transplanting in spring is also possible, but must be done before April so as not to interrupt the plant's budding. In autumn, also make sure not to transplant the plant on days that are too cold.
location and soil
The right location is important so that the plant can establish itself in a relaxed manner after the move. If you choose a new place with the same favorable characteristics as before, that is of course desirable. If you want to move your Syringa due to an unsuitable location, the new place in the garden should have the following characteristics:
- Light requirement: sunny to shady
- Hours of sunshine per day: at least six
- airy
Be sure to keep the planting distance of 150 to 500 centimeters to buildings and other plants. The strong roots can injure masonry and other root systems. Important for the soil composition of the site is permeable soil that is not compacted. It should be fresh, a little drier and have a pH of 5.0 to 7.0. The floor of the new site will be prepared about four weeks earlier. For this purpose, the soil there is enriched with nutrient-rich material:
- horn shavings
- mature compost
The long preparation time ensures an effective supply of nutrients to the lilac after transplanting.
tip: If you want to plant a windbreak hedge made of lilac, the noble lilac (bot. Syringa vulgaris hybrid) is particularly good for this. This tolerates high wind speeds and requires the same properties from the stand in the garden as other taxa of the genus.
materials and utensils
Once the date for the transplant has been set, all you need is the right equipment. The following list gives you an overview of these:
- pruning saw
- wheelbarrow
- digging fork
- spade
- gloves
tip: If your lilac has particularly thick branches, use a chainsaw. That makes the work a lot easier.
Implementing lilacs: instructions
When the time is right to transplant, follow these guidelines to effectively and successfully transplant your specimen:
1. Cut lilac
At the beginning the wood has to be cut. The reason for this is the nutrient supply, which is particularly important after transplanting so that the plant can establish itself without major problems. In addition, the lilac loses weight and volume, which makes moving it much easier. Disinfect and sharpen the saws so that they do not damage the wood.
Now shorten the entire example by a third. If it is a bit older, you can remove a little more, as lilacs like this can be extremely sprawling plants. Make sure that the Syringa is more compact afterwards than it was before and that the crown is well thinned out. This makes the establishment much easier.
2. Cut out the growth
Remove the clippings and begin spading the soil around the growth with the spade to allow for the move. The radius is measured at the original width of the lilac before pruning, as the roots in most cases reach as far as the plant's girth.
The spade is sunk into the ground with the entire blade in this step, since lilacs usually do not reach deeper in the moveable old. At this point in the plant's life it is still purely a shallow rooter, allowing for ease of relocation. Be careful not to cut too many roots, as some can get caught under the blade of the spade.
3. Loosen up
Once the area has been marked out, take the digging fork and thoroughly loosen the entire area. Do this carefully and thoroughly, as this will make it easier and safer for the crop to extract the plant from the soil.
4. Loosen root ball
Lift the root ball with the digging fork and carefully loosen it from the ground. Never tear the crop, otherwise the roots may be damaged, which will negatively affect growth after transplanting. Feel free to leave as much soil in the root ball as possible as this will help with establishment.
5. Dig a planting hole
Dig the planting hole at the lilac’s new location. To do this, measure the root ball and use this value as a guide. The planting hole should be about twice the diameter and twice the height so that the lilacs can relax and settle down.
6. drainage
A drainage made of the following materials is now distributed in a thickness of about five centimeters at the bottom of the planting hole:
- gravel
- stones
- potsherds
7. Insert lilacs
Fill the planting hole with fresh water up to the brim and wait until this has drained away. Now you can put the plant in the hole and fill it with the excavated earth. Press the substrate down sufficiently.
8. Care
The lilac has now moved and can nestle in its new place. Water the plant regularly over the next few days.
Don't be surprised if they don't flower in the year of transplanting and the following year. It is normal for lilacs not to flower during this period as they need at least a season to establish themselves in the new location. The older the specimen is, the longer it takes to get used to it and for that long you have to go without flowering.
tip: The larger your lilacs are, the more complicated the project will be to implement as the plant can become very expansive in growth and heavy in weight. In this case, you should definitely carry out the transplanting in pairs, as a helping hand can never hurt here.