I am in zone 5 and just cut down my lilac that was infested with black ants and old. It looks so bare where it was. I want to know if we can plant something right away or should we wait till spring?

Part of me says since it was infested we should wait but then once the old branches and trunk were removed, it eliminated the ants.

So, what's your take on it? I was planning to visit Winding Creek tomorrow and look at some bushes. I'd like one that grows tall and flowers. Rose of Sharon is my choice but I hear they can be testy.

I also want to know if I should plant in the same hole? We cleaned it out pretty good but of course we couldn't get all the root but did manage to pull the ball out.

Thanks!

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf16317624.tip.html

from what i read spring or fall

I just planted 4 Rose of Sharon in the landscape project I did last week. They are hardy in Zone 5 and are blooming right now. They are large, beautiful, do well in full sun, handle heavy pruning very well, transplant very well (I have moved mine at least 3 times), have little to no bug problems, are drought tolerant, come a wide variety of colors and do very well as screening plants.

They do sucker some what but if you plan to use them as a large shrub then they are just the right plant. You can limb them up as a multi-stemmed small tree (I have seem them done that way and they are quite attractive).

The new blue and violet satin colors are wonderful. Check out Monrovia's website for some of the colors. www.monrovia.com and search for rose of sharon or hibiscus syriacus. They look like a Hibiscus but are cold hardy.

I would make sure you add a good soil amendment where you removed the lilac something such as mushroom compost and topsoil. Mix it up good to make sure you've gotten rid of any ant residue. Next spring, fertilize the plant and make sure it has good water.

Thanks Frank and Cheryl! Jim and I plan to ride over to Winding Creek and pick something out then. I wasn't sure what to do and if I could plant in the same hole. I did notice a few grubs too but I think that's normal in plant areas. I haven't seen any in the grass but may ask the lawn guy to go ahead and spray for them. I'll talk to him later on about it.

I knew this was the right place to ask!

Probably the same for you Cheryl, but almost certainly in Ill like it is in Ohio...

I do okay planting shrubs in the fall as long as I water a lot. We have a serious lack of rain in the average fall. As long as you water regularly, it actually seems like the best thing for them. Spring, they try so hard to grow leaves that the roots take longer to set.

I figure, everybody else waits till Sept or Oct to plant trees, and everybody can't be wrong. lol