How to kill or move lilac

[mom2caina]

Hi, I've just purchased a new home that is completely hidden behind three huge lilac bushes. I'd like to move them to the back of my property if possible, but need them away from my front door in any case as they're overpowering. My mother tells me it's almost impossible to move or kill a lilac as the root systems just continue to spead and propagate. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Daytons]

It is quite hard to move a Lilac but if you do, be sure not to cut it back because you will lose all of your flower buds for next season. It will be very, very difficult to dig out. You could try spraying with Round-up a few times and waiting at least 3 weeks and then digging them out... it will be easier that way because the roots will be almost dead.

[mla2ofus]

We had so many huge overgrown lilacs in our back yard when we bought our house. A 25 foot long by 12 wide hedge along the property edge and three at right angles to those-cut the yard right in half. We cut the hedge down to the ground in the spring and covered the whole area with black plastic. We haven't have any suckers come up from them. My hubby pulled one of the last 3 up with a 6000 pound winch-no suckers there either. The last 2 we trimmed all the bottom growth out and they are beautiful multi-stemmed trees. The trunks are all nobby and twisted. Very ornamental. We get complements constantly on them. We have to keep after them to keep the suckers and new growth thinned out but it isn't anymore of a chore than weeding a flower bed. Wished I could post a pic. to show you. We built our patio right in front of them and I planted hosta,jacobs ladder and beacon silver lamium underneath.