How to Start a French Lilac

From Seed

• 1

  Obtain lilac seeds from dried flowers cut off the plant. Store the seeds in a warm, dry spot for four to five weeks. Afterward, store the seeds in a cool location for another four weeks. Ideally, place the seeds for cold storage in the end of December so they are ready for planting in spring.

• 2

  Dig a 2-inch-deep hole in the yard for planting each seed. Space the holes 2 to 4 inches apart. Ensure the desired planting site has well-draining soil and six hours of sunlight exposure daily. Plant one seed in each hole and cover it with soil. Tamp the soil to remove trapped pockets of air.

• 3

  Plant two to four seeds in a 4- to 5-inch pot filled with quality potting soil as an alternative to outdoor planting. Place the pot near a warm, sunny window with full sunlight exposure.

• 4

  Irrigate the planting site to a depth of 4 inches. Alternatively, irrigate the pot until excess water seeps out through the drainage holes. Keep the soil evenly moist but not drenched until the seedlings sprout, usually within 30 to 60 days.

• 5

  Transplant the seedling to larger pots or permanent outdoor location when they develop two sets of leaves.

From Cuttings

• 6

  Fill the cells of a planting tray with a growing mixture of equal amounts potting soil and coarse sand.

• 7

  Snip off 6 to 8 inches from the ends of active terminal stems using a sterilized razor knife, in mid- to late summer after the lilac finishes blooming. Ensure the stem has two nodes and some foliage.

• 8

  Wet the cut end of each stem with water and dip it in rooting hormone to coat it completely. Insert the coated end of each cutting into the growing medium in the planting tray. Firm the medium at the end of the cutting so it stands on its own.

• 9

  Irrigate the planting tray until the medium is moist. Slide the tray in a clear, large plastic bag. Poke holes through the bag to provide ventilation. Seal the opening of the bag with rubber band and set the tray in a warm spot with indirect sunlight.

• 10

  Open the bag and mist the medium daily to keep it from drying out. The cuttings root in six to eight weeks. Transplant individual cuttings to 4-inch pots filled with quality potting soil. Allow the cuttings to grow 10 to 12 inches tall before transplanting these outdoors.