Hi Caroline, I would not recommend using any type of chemical herbicide in general, but also it might affect your raspberries. And if they did grow, you probably wouldn’t want to eat them. I usually cut the shoots at the soil line with pruners. That might be quicker than pulling them all out. Unfortunately lilacs do throw up suckers as they continue to grow.

Any suggestions to deal with the shoots?
Would round up kill the trees and perhaps the raspberries too?
Thank you for any advice you may be able to provide

Sounds like witches broom. Are the branches long with all the new growth bunched together at the top? If so, it is an incurable bacterial disease and needs to be removed before it spreads to surrounding plants.

Hi Sherry, The best time to apply a fertilizer (10-10-10) would be early spring when there are signs of fresh growth.

We have a lilac hedge that is about 50 years old. We trimmed it to within 6″-8″ of the ground last week (after blooms dried up). It’s the second time we have taken it to the ground in 30 years because it grows 15′ high! How/when do I fertilise it to encourage healthy growth next year?

Hi Jusi, There are a few reasons why a lilac may not flower. There could be too much shade, too much nitrogen in the soil, a sudden freeze in the spring, etc. If it’s an immature bush, it could also take awhile to bloom. I would assess the planting site and soil to see if any of the above issues could be the cause.

Hi Dan, If you prune your lilac now, you risk cutting off any spring blooms that have formed. I would wait until after it has bloomed to do your next trim.

Hi Ken,
I’m sure the pruning saw should be okay if it makes clean cuts. If you do this in late winter, you may be cutting off the blooms that formed over the summer. I would wait until after the shrub has bloomed, removing old stems that no longer produce leaves as part of the process.