Question
I live in Northern VA - near DC. Every spring my lilacs get leaves, but no blosooms. My landscape company cuts the crepe myrtle and wiegla back in the spring - now I am not getting any blossoms. Any ideas. The lilacs are 5+ yrs. old and the others 3 yrs. old. Thanks for your help.

Answer
The timing of the pruning I think is your problem--The crape myrtle flowers at the ends of its shoots, so one must take care with pruning if flowering is desired. The safest method is to prune only in autumn, and in any case, a good autumn pruning will stimulate bud production for next year.
Lilacs form flower buds at the tips of branches during the previous growing season. This means that it is important to prune just under the panicles a week or two after the plant has finished blooming. If you prune the branch tips heavily or after the flower buds have formed, you will have fewer blooms next year.Weigelas should be pruned just after flowering in late summer. I would also fertilize the plants with a good slow release fertilizer--check with a nursery for the fertilizer best for these plants.