Daniel Ryniec, curator of the lilac collection at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and lilac expert at Skylands, the New Jersey Botanical Gardens, conducted an in-service training program for volunteers at Laurelwood Arboretum.

“Lilacs like naturally sweet or ‘limey’ soil—soil that is not too acidic with a pH of 6 to 6.5,” Ryniec said. “If lilacs do not flower, it may be that the soil is too wet or that they are not getting enough sun.” Six to eight hours of sunshine a day is best for lilac flower formation.

Another reason lilacs may fail to flower is if they are pruned in winter. “The best time to prune lilacs is AFTER they bloom, since these plants form their flower buds in the summer,” Ryniec said.

“Lilacs typically bloom around Mothers’ Day, and Laurelwood Arboretum is a great place to visit to see what is in bloom that time of year or to attend the annual plant sale the day before Mothers’ Day,” said Elaine Fogerty, Executive Director for Laurelwood Arboretum.

The plant sale will be on Saturday, April 7 from 9:30 am to 2 pm at 725 Pines Lake Drive West in Wayne.