While lilacs are relatively easy to grow, you might be wondering whether or not these fragrant shrubs need deadheading after the flowers begin to fade and fall during spring.
In my experience, while deadheading won’t encourage a profusion of summer blooms (they flower on old wood from the year previous), it can help keep your plants looking neat and tidy. It also prevents the plant from expending energy on seed production, allowing it to focus on healthy growth for the growing season ahead. That being said, with larger, mature specimens, deadheading often isn’t possible or practical.
