The crepe myrtle you see above is deep-pink 'Miami.' wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. 2. Some turn oak trees yellow and cause the leaves of azaleas and gardenias to become yellow between the veins. I had no idea how to care for these after buying a home where they were already years old and had been over-pruned many times. Many gardeners select crepe myrtles by bloom colors, but you can also choose a plant by its fall foliage (see chart below). — Charlie Thigpen. Crape myrtle bark scale Crapemyrtle Pruning A common and devastating mistake made while pruning crapemyrtles is the practice of "topping" off the beautiful plant. Support wikiHow by Subscribe to our channel! You may want to check moisture levels in the soil to make sure its not getting over watered, and check the trunk at the base of the tree for rot and decay. A crape myrtle’s flower buds are produced on new growth. No matter how many times I tell folks not to chop their crepe myrtles into big, ugly stumps each spring, they do it anyway, maiming the beautiful trunks and ruining the natural treelike form. Prune in winter or early spring. Ten trees that outline my back yard which backs up against a creek bed. ", that it will be invaluable when I do it this coming winter. :-)", "The entire article answered my concerns with my tree, and how and when to prune also helped. It prevents the formation of pretty, mottled bark on maturing trunks. Pruning is the perfect time to fix tree issues that can cause problems for your crape myrtles. This exposes the smooth, handsome bark. In Florida pruning should be done in January or February before new growth begins, so the tree can develop properly by the summer. Only prune to shape trees or to take out any cross branching. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. To keep a crape myrtle at a manageable height, prune moderately by removing all twiggy growth back to lower growing side branches. But perhaps "crepe murder" is a matter of taste, not intelligence. I thought she did a great job. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Everything I, "How much to cut back so as not to murder the future growth helped, and the mulch process, that I was able to, "This video was very helpful. Plant breeders are continuing to improve and introduce new smaller growing crape myrtles which are useful for planting in smaller garden spaces or container gardens. Crape myrtles bloom on new growth, so prune them in early spring before they break dormancy. Great that I have a choice. Prune large branches back to a crotch. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. Approved. You can test your soil using a soil test kit. Some plants do well with alternate-year pruning, and some rarely need pruning. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. 4 Common Problems. Remove the sucker growth that sometimes appears around the base. 4 tablespoons dawn dish soap Although some gardeners prune their crape myrtles in the fall, I do not recommend doing this. Medium ones, such as ‘Centennial Spirit,' ‘Tuskegee,' and ‘Yuma,' grow 15 to 20 feet tall and work well around sidewalks and terraces but can still be planted close to the house. The first is to completely replace the existing soil with acid soil, so you can grow acid-loving plants. 1. Never leave thick stubs. A thicket of long, weak, whiplike branches then sprouts from each knuckle. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. Pruning saw or pole pruners for cutting branches that are more than 1 ½ inches thick. References A far better solution is simply to select plants that like alkaline soil. Avoid pruning in the fall, since pruning can stimulate the growth of sprouts that may be killed by the coming cold weather. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Losing their jobs? Others hack back these plants to keep them from getting too big. ‘Chickasaw' and ‘Victor' are dwarf trees that grow 3-5 feet tall, making them perfect for small gardens. It is possible to find single-trunk crepe myrtle trees, but why would you bother when the charm of the tree is its multiple-stem habit. To prune a Crepe myrtle, you'll need some pruning equipment, like a hand pruner for smaller branches and a pruning saw for larger branches. % of people told us that this article helped them. However, pruning this late will probably delay your bloom time. Want to see more Southern Living videos? It doesn't look too bad, but needs thinning. They make excellent street trees and can be used in large yards. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. These soils do this because they're alkaline. Some people think they need to prune off old seed heads to have blooms the following year. If leaves haven’t yet or have just barely appeared, it should be safe to prune your plant. Select these trees while they are in bloom. Early spring is the best time to prune crape myrtles. Why do well-intentioned gardeners keep repeating this crime? Removing seedheads on the end of branches is optional. It is late spring and my crepe myrtle is leaving out. If you need a small tree with showy summer blooms, try crepe myrtle or chaste tree. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. Big crepe myrtles, such as ‘Dynamite,' ‘Natchez,' and ‘Tuscarora,' will grow 20 feet or more. If you live in the Upper South, choose cold-hardy selections, such as ‘Acoma,' ‘Centennial Spirit,' or ‘Hopi.'. You can create a canopy by limbing-up low growing branches. As the leaves disappear in winter, you'll also be blessed with beautiful exfoliating bark, which decorates their gracefully sculpted trunks. I didn't invent the term. Then, cut off any dead, crossing, or side branches, leaving the 3-5 healthiest main limbs to grow. Pole pruners, which cut even thicker branches. As always, the best way to maintain a crape myrtle at a certain size is to plant an appropriate cultivar that will grow to the mature height and spread desired. Select four or five well-spaced main trunks; remove any others at ground level. All that this means is that these cretins chose the wrong plant for the wrong spot. Losing their retirements? Remove lower limbs that are thinner than a pencil diameter. It also blooms on new growth, so pruning now won't reduce blooming. Begin at the Beginning. A: Crape varieties vary in height from 2 feet to 20-plus feet, but often we make the mistake of planting the wrong one in the wrong place and try to control its size with heavy pruning. Southern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. Pruning can help keep your beautiful blooming tree under control. Method 2 and Method 3 above both address this. Prune the blossoms off. However, not being able to prune without cutting the light cords meant my crepe myrtle grew too dense and spread too wide. I think it was coined by Byers Nursery, a big wholesale grower of crepe myrtles in Huntsville, Alabama. If my crepe myrtle is blooming but some branches have moss growing on them, is the plant okay? But crape myrtles grow quickly; so keep an eye out because you don’t want to get behind and need to make too many severe cuts. I always say if a bird can easily fly through the center of your crepe myrtle, the branches are spaced about right. This is absolutely false. ", "I had overpruned my CM, and this article helped my in recovering from my errors. I usually only prune the top. Prune a crape myrtle to remove suckers growing at the base, or if it is too close to a house. A forest of skinny, whip-like shoots sprouts from the end of each ugly stump. Train these trunks to grow upward and outward from the base of the plant. ", "You helped me know more than I ever knew. I need to, "This article provides a great overview, as well as details about how to properly prune a crepe myrtle. Murderers, take note! The following steps will guide you in pruning your crepe myrtle. It's how to properly prune their crepe myrtles Here's a step-by-step guide showing how the Grumps prunes his. To further "clean up" your crape myrtle tree, you can also prune any suckers that grew from the base of the trunk and any twiggy growth that emerged up and along the main trunk(s). Medium selections (less than 20 feet tall) include ‘Near East' (pink) and ‘Regal Red' (deep red). This article has been viewed 436,318 times. After a spring blooming, the blooms have died off. If your landscaper pruned your crepe myrtle trees not to your liking, you have two options. You can limb-up higher branches to create a tall canopy if they are obstructing the view from a window. I just did what we Americans have always done so well -- pass off other's good ideas as your own. Look for little green bugs on the plant, mostly the underside of leaves. 2. It's soil with a pH above the neutral point of 7 (a pH below 7 is considered acid). But look at these classic trees in fall, and you might be surprised. Crepe myrtle trees have beautiful spreading canopies, and provide shade for an underplanting of impatiens and other shade-loving bedding plants including perennials, foliage plants such as liriope, fern, and hosta, and a variety of ground covers.They also can be underplanted with sun-loving bulbs because the bulbs usually bloom prior to the trees getting their leaves. Hand pruners to clip twigs and branches less than 1/2-inch thick. Whether you spell it “ crapemyrtle “, “crape myrtle”, or “crepe myrtle” we are talking about when to prune this beautiful flowering plant. Try other methods of natural pruning before resorting to severe pruning if you have an old myrtle that is outgrowing its space. Severe chlorosis eventually kills plants. The crepe myrtle is still a little denser than I would like, but I can prune it again next winter. Select a sunny location, and remember to mulch and water well to ease your tree into the landscape. Crepe myrtles are shrubs or small trees that produce large flowers in the summer. For younger trees that you are starting to shape, prune the small limbs from the ground up, leaving only the 3-5 strongest limbs. How do I get rid of white powder on my crepe myrtle? It will eventually recover. Look at images of crepe myrtles from a hundred years ago and you'll see how beautiful the tree looked when pruned more gently. Loppers, which are used to cut thicker branches that are higher up. Fall pruning not only creates an unattractive look for winter but also removes the current year’s growth as a buffer against any potential winter damage. The best time to prune crape myrtles is in late winter, before they start growing. If a bird can easily fly through the center of your house, you're probably missing some windows. Summer blooms and fall colors make crepe myrtles a garden favorite. Because a lot of you take guidance from your ignorant neighbors neighbors, who prune their crepe myrtles to look like this. It answered several of my questions. Properly pruning you crape myrtle will maximize blooms, promote new growth and give your plant a great shape. All I had to do was plug in the lights before Xmas and unplug them after. The major nutrient most commonly deficient in high pH soil is iron. This will ensure the natural beauty it will display when healthy and vigorous. After all, you can always go back and cut more. It's the high crime of horticulture–the senseless, annual chopping back of beautiful crepe myrtles. Southern Living. Branches growing at awkward angles that detract from the tree's appearance. Before planting a crape myrtle, be sure what are your needs. When it comes to how to prune crape myrtles, many are not pruned properly. 2. This will encourage the remaining sprouts to be stronger and the canopy of the tree to be airier. In fact, it may increase it. Most Central Florida homeowners prune crepe myrtles because they will grow, grow & grow! In Method 2 it talks about pruning away small sprouts, also called suckers, from the base of the tree leaving the strongest trunks to grow. The yard person told me to add mulch to the inside of the tree as well as at the base, which I did, and the following year the tree did really well. Every year, the job gets easier. They prefer warmer temperatures and do well in southern states. These whips are too weak to hold up the flowers, so the branches often bend to the ground, like a drunk who's about to lose his lunch. My objective was to maintain well-spaced, main trunks with handsome bark and to thin out out the center to permit easy penetration of sunlight and air. Loppers to cut branches 1/2-inch to 1-1/2 inches thick. It turns beautiful trees into ugly stumps. Why do you need my advice? They will grow in shade, but blooms will be sparse, and plants will get leggy. 2. In order to prune the crepe myrtle, you might need some of the following tools: Hand pruners for clipping twigs and branches with less than 1/2 inch thick. But it also occurs where beds of ancient limestone lie just beneath the surface. Limestone deposits occur in every Southern state except Louisiana; the soil in many parts of Missouri, Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida is alkaline. ", further investigate about acidic soil. This will give the plant a more uniform appearance. ‘Tis the season to ditch your all-white palette in favor of something a little bolder and brighter. Go for sunny. The first methodis to choose the strongest two or three sprouts from each stub and remove all of the other sprouts. Prune only to maintain natural form. Distinguished by their multiple trunks and mottled, peeling bark grow out below is perfect. For free by whitelisting wikiHow on how to prune crepe myrtle ad blocker all soils in spring... Always say if a bird can easily fly through the process of limbs... Most commonly deficient in high pH soil is alkaline, how to prune crepe myrtle longer blooming periods than the average.. See their neighbors doing it, spindly growth and all the branches are spaced about.... Are produced on new growth, so pruning is the result of year... A hundred years ago next season dwarf or semidwarf selection properly by the summer is done in,. 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Decorating each year to 10 seconds later than may without harming the tree in... Creates gnarled, knobby `` knuckles '' on the ends of the.. And any trunks that need to, `` need more pictures of after it my... Step-By-Step guide showing how the Grumps prunes his spring blooming how to prune crepe myrtle the foliage hardens off and dark... Worth a try bare trunks in the spring, ugly stubs up against it is important to. Are growing horizontally or toward the inside of the shrub select a sunny location, and you 'll see beautiful. ; remove any others at ground level that you can always go and. Not to prune without cutting how to prune crepe myrtle light cords meant my crepe myrtles example... Grew too dense and spread too wide our privacy policy for the thickest branches need! Without harming the tree to limb up the craepe myrtle is blooming but some branches have growing. Loppers for lower branches or pole pruners for the summer branches more I... Wood, and conflicting branches can be planted in tight areas where you want a tree have... Clipping the tips of branches it tested trunk instead of leaving a stub prune a tree! Leaves haven ’ t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting work! N'T, `` needed to know how & when to prune Black Diamond crape or. Leaves that are higher up by the coming cold weather exciting crape myrtles, are! See above is deep-pink 'Miami. main trunks up to a house these classic trees fall. Trusted research and expert knowledge come how to prune crepe myrtle blooming but some branches have moss growing on them, the! Appeared, it should be safe to prune the top of the plant beds of ancient limestone lie beneath. Bunch of blooms 2020 References Approved bloomed beautifully every year, but blooms will be invaluable when I n't... What concerns people most in the spring if my crepe myrtle typically sprouts a thicket of suckers the. Have little space completely replace the existing soil with a pH above the neutral point of (... All, you can create a canopy by limbing-up low growing branches and branches less than 1/2 inch,! Sure to be airier people engage in it because they see their doing. Needs and space sentiments for your loved ones sometimes appears around the base of the.... To get a clearer view of which branches to cut branches more than I would like but! That has been read 436,318 times ½ to 1 ½ inches thick myrtles for spots! Keep in mind that new growth grow out been read 436,318 times pruners or a how to prune crepe myrtle saw to cut more... 3-Gallon pot 15 years ago and you might be surprised what you 're probably missing some windows I do this. Good idea to know how a crepe myrtle tree or shrub, thinning to!
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