Expert: nick mccann - 3/7/2009

Question
I would like to know what kind of mixture I would need to grow my lilac in a container and what size of container.
I do have it in a container now and used miracle grow potting soil. It is outside on the patio and has lived through the cold winter and now has buds .. I want this lilac to be a success and i want it to make blooms.  This lilac is about 12-14 inches high.

Answer
Hi Shirley, I must be honest with you, Lilacs are not a container plant, they grow upwards of 5-6 feet, which would preclude them being happy in any but the large commercial type of containers, like you see in shopping malls. There are dwarf varieties, but even these grow a bit too large for containers. It will grow, don't get me wrong, but it will develop problems as it matures, and the root system is going become stressed as it begins to stretch out. I would suggest you find a nice spot in the garden for it, in the ground. Nick