Pruning a lilac bush

[longdogs]

Hi

We have a mature lilac bush in the garden which has grown into a bit of a monster. It's about 12ft high and about 10 ft wide. I would love to just lop the top off and shape the sides but I understand that this shouldn't be done as the leaves do not grow back. I have read that it should be pruned from the bottom of the stems but I don't quite understand how I can reduce the height.

Any comments would be appreciated

Ta!

 

[Deleted2797112]

Lilac will tolerate a hard prune to re-shape it but I wouldn't do it now. It's a bit early - wait until late winter/ early spring. If it needs a big re-shape follow the rule of thirds and take out only one third of the branches each year for three years. If you prune the ends of branches off, you're likely to lose flowers next year but they will come back. If you get inside the tree, you may be able to remove the tallest and widest branches at their base without taking off too much of the outer 'skin'. It's also good to take out weak, crossing and congested branches to keep the tree healthy. After pruning, watch out for suckers developing at the base of the tree next year and snap them off.

 

[longdogs]

Thanks ceres, that sounds a bit clearer. I will start it in early spring as suggested.