Instead of fall, many gardeners recommend pruning lilacs in late spring or early summer. "Always cut them back after they are done blooming in the spring," suggests horticulture educator Irish-Hanson.

Lilacs should be pruned annually as part of your spring/summer garden maintenance checklist. If your lilac bush is overgrown, it can withstand more rigorous pruning for rejuvenation. Lilac growth is ...

The last thing you want to do when pruning a plant is to remove its buds, which, Hancock notes, are formed nearly a year ...