Lilac isn't normally pruned until it is about 2 metres in height, given that it wants to be a big shrub it is never going to be happy in a pot, is there somewhere in the garden you can plant and let grow as it wants to?

I do not want it in the garden,have had it years and it was lovely,but now ,as you can see, it has gone rather straggly.
Would pruning it right done be ,perhaps,a good idea and see what happens.?

Hi

I would give it a very light trim all over now, as the flowers are just finishing with lilacs they make the flowers buds for next year from now until end of June so if you leave and prune too heavily it wont flower much next year.
Feeding and watering every week which will improve its appearance (use slow release fertilser which makes it easier for you ) ... agree with Moon grower it wont be happy staying in a pot forever as its letting you know.

This looks like one oof the dwarf ones so if its been in the same pot for several years I would try repotting it into a bigger container with some John Innes 2 or 3 compost and see if that perks it up a bit.

I was just thinking the same Stera. Its one of the new dwarf lilacs. They respond well to pruning, but you need to do it straight away or it may not flower next year. Just give it a nice hair cut and think about planting it out in the soil where it will be much happier. ;0)

Thank you all for advise...so tomorrow I am going to give it a bit of pruning.I meant to replant into a bigger pot this year but just did not get around to it....is it too late????

Hi

No not too late as you are not disturbing the roots

a good feed, water everyweek and it will repay you next spring

Thank you Gnarly,so you are saying to just prune it etc...NOT transplanting to another pot...when can I do that?

Hi

You can do both, a LIGHT prune all over taking off the old flower heads etc also re pot into a larger pot , just make sure you give it a good soaking once a week, twice if its been hot ie hopefully July and August lol and feed it ...

Thank you all so much for your advice...