Can i prune crepe myrtles in summer

So once new growth starts in the spring, flower buds for the summer will begin to form on current new growth. When it comes to how to prune crape myrtles, many are not pruned properly. Often you see the tops of crape myrtles cut off so that there are a few large branches left. This type of pruning is not recommended because it destroys the natural form and shape of the plant.

Some do this type of pruning with the idea that it promotes flowering, however, branches that grow from these drastic cuts are weak and poorly attached to the main branches.

Not only will these weak branches be easily damaged in wind and ice, but they will not be strong enough to hold up flowers during the summer causing the weak branches to sag from the weight of the flowers.

Crape myrtles are actually low-maintenance when it comes to pruning. Usually crape myrtles only need light pruning once the shape of the plant is established. When pruning, remember that new growth will emerge 3 to 4 inches below where the limb is cut. Avoid cutting back large limbs and leaving stubs, because an abundance of new growth will emerge near the cut, looking like pom-poms on stalks and is not the natural habit of a crape myrtle.

When you first begin to prune a crape myrtle, you want to select three to five of the strongest and healthiest trunks and cut the other trunks out at ground level. Remove water sprouts that you see come up from the ground any time of the year. As the crape myrtle grows, you can remove lower branches from the main trunks to raise the canopy of the tree.

When pruning, thin out areas with many branches by cutting selected branches or limbs back to where it meets another branch. At that time they can be cut to the ground if you wish. What should you not cut back in the winter? We avoid winter pruning of spring-flowering plants because they already have their buds that will be become blooms and to trim them away means missing out on a flowering season. But, most trees and shrubs are suitable for late winter pruning including apple trees, butterfly bush, tulip trees, and viburnum.

How tall should crepe myrtles be? Crepe myrtles range in size from dwarf selections that grow less than 3 feet tall to several that reach upwards of 30 feet.

Knowing the mature height of a plant before you buy it and planting the proper size for the site will save you much heartache and backache in the future. How long do crepe myrtles bloom? Most years, crape myrtles start blooming between mid-May and early June.

Flowering continues for days depending on the variety. How much do crepe myrtles cost? Crepe myrtles are available at nurseries. How do you know when a crepe myrtle is dying? One way to check is to use your fingernail and scratch off a small section of bark. You should see some green just under the surface. If you do, this means the tree is still alive.

Do crape myrtle trees have invasive roots? Are Crepe Myrtle Roots Invasive? In fact, the entire crepe myrtle root system is shallow and fibrous, spreading out horizontally up to three times as far as the canopy is wide.

On the other hand, it is wise to keep all trees at least 5 to 10 feet away from walkways and foundations. Isn't it purty? The crepe myrtle is still a little denser than I would like, but I can prune it again next winter. Every year, the job gets easier. It's the high crime of horticulture—the senseless, annual chopping back of beautiful crepe myrtles.

Drive through any Southern neighborhood in early spring and, before long, you'll encounter a spiritually fulfilled suburbanite, pruning saw in hand and a pile of crepe myrtle branches on the ground. Why do well-intentioned gardeners keep repeating this crime? Some people think they need to prune off old seed heads to have blooms the following year. This is absolutely false. Others hack back these plants to keep them from getting too big. These folks need to remember that crepe myrtles are small trees, not foundation shrubs.

If the plants seem to need pruning every other week to keep them from covering the windows or walk, they're planted in the wrong place. Finally, crepe murder is a copycat crime. A lot of people engage in it because they see their neighbors doing it.

People shorten crepe myrtles by six feet or more, turning beautiful trunks into thick, ugly stubs. Repeated pruning to the same point creates gnarled, knobby "knuckles" on the ends of the trunks. A thicket of long, weak, whiplike branches then sprouts from each knuckle. These whips are too weak to support the flowers and hang straight down like cooked spaghetti.

Find out the mature height of a selection before planting it. If your crepe myrtle grows too big for its spot, move it to where it has more room. Or replace it with a dwarf or semidwarf selection.

Prune only to maintain natural form. Select four or five well-spaced main trunks; remove any others at ground level. Train these trunks to grow upward and outward from the base of the plant. As they grow taller, gradually remove all side branches up to a height of four to five feet. This exposes the smooth, handsome bark. Early each spring, remove weak, spindly growth and all the branches that are growing in toward the center of the plant.

Prune large branches back to a crotch. Never leave thick stubs. Remove branches that are too close together or that cross or rub each other. It is important not to prune the tops of crepe myrtle trees to make them bloom. Topping may yield larger flowers but does not increase the overall volume of blooms.

Extreme topping often results in weak growth that tends to bend of break in summer rains. Houseflies are the dumbest living things on Earth, literally incapable of learning anything, which makes me wonder sometimes if houseflies equipped with pruners have been savaging our neighborhood's crepe myrtles.

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. But perhaps "crepe murder" is a matter of taste, not intelligence. If so, here is a pruning task everyone can agree on. You know how a crepe myrtle typically sprouts a thicket of suckers at the base each spring?

Reach down now, and pull them off at ground level. That will keep your crepe myrtle from turning into a thick, unkempt shrub. It will also prove to the world that you're not a housefly. For most of us, that's a good thing. Select these trees while they are in bloom. Remember, they can vary greatly in size and bloom colors. Choose the right size for your landscape to help avoid the ultimate Southern gardening sin, "crepe murder" severely pruning your tree to just a few sticks and ruining its natural form.

Large selections more than 20 feet tall include 'Natchez' white and 'Miami' pink. Medium selections less than 20 feet tall include 'Near East' pink and 'Regal Red' deep red. Dwarf forms less than 3 feet tall include 'Centennial' purple and 'Chickasaw' pink.

Select a sunny location, and remember to mulch and water well to ease your tree into the landscape. Container-grown trees are easy to transport and transition into the garden well. When people think of crepe myrtles, they envision warm summer days and pink, red, lavender, and white flower clusters sagging in the sun. But look at these classic trees in fall, and you might be surprised.

Brilliant blooms will be replaced by orange, red, and yellow foliage for an outstanding autumn show.