I put too much acid on my lilac and it didn't bloom at all this spring. How can I bring it back to life?

Question

Thin, sparse, only leaves and not very many of those came out this year. No flowers at all for two years. How can I fix it?

Answer 1

Do not use acid fertilizer, I don't know how that information got started. You should be able to save it.

Lilac prefer alkaline soil, not acid. I would water it thoroughly and use a standard fertilizer to stabilize it. I would just use miracle grow for now. Don't  use anything else until fall. Then follow the instructions below. In spring a 5-10-5 would be best.

First link information

Lilacs prefer a sweet soil and a handful of lime spread around the base of the plant every year or two is recommended.

You should be able to get lime at any garden center

A few inches of mulch placed around the base of the plant helps to conserve moisture, control weeds, and keeps the roots cooler. Always be sure to keep the mulch away from the trunk of the plant so that air can circulate around the base of the stem.

Second link information.

Lilacs love a sweet  soil. If your soil is acidic, adding horticultural lime in the fall will help the soil stay alkaline.

Answer 2

If the problem is too much acid, I wouldn't think you'd use O.J.  I'd think about using mile lime solution but I'd be very careful that I didn't use too  much.  I'd spray a little on the plant and then the ground around the plant.  Maybe work it in a little

Answer 3

I think lots of orange juice is the standard if it's been awhile since you used the acid.