Lilacgro or how we grow our lilacs at
the Flowering Shrub Farm in Voorheesville, NY 12186
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I purchase rooted cuttings of many varieties of lilac every year (selling some mail order) and pot them in a three gallon pot using a soiless potting mix (sometimes the mix will have a slow release fertilizer included but that will be depleted within 90 days). All first year lilacs are grouped by variety, pots touching, in a training area where they will develop multiple upright stems. Root hardiness of plants is generally fourty degrees less hardy than stem hardiness but as most lilacs are hardy to zone 3 and we are in zone 5 its usually not a factor (a zone 5 plant would have to have its roots buried in soil but zone 3 can be grown in pots where I am). A sign is placed with each variety that shows the variety name, crop number and when the crop was started (later, when they begin to flower the sign will show how many are available for sale).
As I walk around the nursery I examine plants closely looking for insects that have to be removed, or plants that have to be watered. I take closeup pictures of the signs and wide angle shots of the plants so that customers can monitor growth (later when they flower I will take close ups of the flower). Once they have developed multiple stems and have grown large enough so the pots have to be spread further apart we move plants into the upper field under drip line. Each row in the upper field is actually 4 driplines 18 inches apart with newspaper spread beneath them to kill weeds.
In March, as soon as we can work the ground, I fertilize each lilac in spring before lilac flowering time with Espoma Plant Tone. On first year plants in three gallon pots we only need a handful in each but as they get larger they need more.
Any plants that flowered in the previous year (usually more than 3 years old) were labeled and in March they are dug up and transported to the plant sale location. They are repotted into 7 gallon pots to be sold for $30 each at the plant sale.
Any lilacs that previously flowered and been labeled that have fewer than 3 stems are cut back to 10 inches or 4 inches.
This lilac has 2 labels in the pot. The early one shows when it was cut back to 10 inches. The most recent one shows when this picture was taken. When it flowers again in a couple years we will transplant it into a 15 gallon pot for $50. The name of the variety (I label each by identifying the flower) noted on the pot with a paint pen and on a label that I attach once it flowers. We dont sell Lilacs until they flower.
We mow the areas between lilac rows.
People subscribe to my picture-newsletter.
They tell me what Lilacs they are interested in.
I order a minimum number wholesale.
When they arrive I announce it in my newsletter.
Subscribers interested in ordering cuttings email me (I am 80% or more sure of the variety).
They send me half my cost for all my cuttings (helping me pay for them) + the cost of sending 3 rooted cuttings in a priority mail fixed rate package to them (the post office is just across the street from me). That usually is 15 to 25 plus 10. You can negotiate the price if you like. I'll probably settle for $20.
'Ludwig Spaeth' (purple), 'Aucubaefolia' (blue), 'Edward J Gardner' (pink), 'Krasavitsa moskvy' (white flowers from pink buds), 'Miss Canada' (pink), 'Sensation' (purple edged with white), over 40 varieties.