Blue Skies Lilac Not Blooming

Q: Four years ago I planted a “Blue Skies” lilac in our yard. It gets plenty of sun and water. Every spring it sprouts lots of leaves but has yet to provide a bloom. Is there some kind of fertilizer I should be using to help it bloom? 

A: There is no fertilizer that will make it bloom. The fact that it has lots of leaves makes me hopeful that it will bloom when it gets the conditions it likes. Some lilacs absolutely require cold winter weather in order to bloom. ‘Blue Skies’ has supposedly been bred to make flowers in warmer climates. If it doesn’t bloom this spring, contact Monrovia Nursery, the company which patented the plant. Ask them how many years of temperature data they used to declare this lilac to be warm weather tolerant. There are several lilacs that do well in middle Georgia and northward. Get the details at bit.ly/GAlilac.