Good Morning Everyone! I have a friend who is moving from the house her grandmother lived in before her so there's lots of family history there. She would like to take a cutting of her grandmother's lilac bush to her new house. Do you have any suggestions on the best way to do this?
Tiffany -- if she can get a sucker that will work great. Try to go down under the ground a little to see if you can get some roots. If not, then a little rooting hormone, stick in a pot with some potting soil, and wait for it to root. Lilacs are pretty sturdy. I'd take about 3 cuts in case some don't root. The cutting should be kept in a pot for a couple of years until it gets established then can be planted in the ground. After that it will take 3 to 5 years to get any blooms. Hope this helps.
Tiffany, Kay is right. If your friend can get one of the suckers that would be the best way. My favorite lilac is the one I got from my great-grandmothers homeplace. Mine is huge now and everyone is getting suckers from it. Just keep it watered and give it a little transplant solution. You don't have to worry too much about hurting it. Take care, Angel