Using a pair of sharp bypass or lopper pruners make a cut about 6 to 12 inches or so above the intersection never below the intersection. Planting, pruning and caring for it contributes to the beautiful blooming of crepe myrtle. It is best to make clean pruning cuts using sharp hand shears or long handled loppers and avoid chainsaws whenever possible. We are looking for a good photo illustrating a crape myrtle that was wacked. Hard pruning topping and pollarding stimulates crapemyrtle sprouting from roots, upper stems, or the base of main stems. They are native to eastern asia and are hardy in most parts of australia. No worries, this is a common question we get and by the end of this article youll understand how to prune your crepe myrtle trees without making the same mistakes youve seen your neighbors make. Pruning crapemyrtle gardening solutions university of. There are, however, times that heavy pruning is helpful for the longterm growth of a crape myrtle. Like many plants, a crepe myrtle tree can be encouraged to put forth a second round of blossoms through a practice called deadheading. A common and devastating mistake made while pruning crapemyrtles is the practice of topping off the beautiful plant. When a crape myrtle is pruned properly, it has 2 positive affects. Topping may yield larger flowers but does not increase the overall volume of blooms.
It is important not to prune the tops of crepe myrtle trees to make them bloom. The best time to prune crape myrtles is in late winter, before they start growing. Dont let peer pressure by neighbors and commercial gardening crews get to you. The arrow that says 6 stub indicates where to make cuts when pruning your crape myrtle tree. Crepe myrtles provide something beautiful to look at in all seasons. How to prune crape myrtles without totally destroying them. He will explain how to enhance the trees beautiful natural shape through pruning. See more ideas about myrtle tree, myrtle and outdoor gardens. Pruning crape myrtles south carolina department of. I found your link on crape myrtles very helpful, but i am interested in doing some major pruning.
To ensure that the crepe myrtles bloom and thrive from year to year, it is essential to not only prune them correctly, but at the right time as well. February is a great time to prune the crape myrtle tree. Crepe myrtle pruning how to trim crepe myrtles youtube. Aug 29, 2010 lopper pruners for up to 112 branch diameter see the lopper pruners i use for pruning crape myrtle here. When to prune crepe myrtle is something that every crepe myrtle owner should know if they plan on taking the time to prune a crepe myrtle tree. Crape myrtle trees flowering trees fast growing trees. Watch as our own david mcninch prunes a crape myrtle that we have growing here at wingards. Jan 14, 2012 to further clean up your crape myrtle tree, you can prune suckers that grew from the trunk base, and twiggy growth that emerged up and along the main trunks. Like gardenality on facebook gardenality on twitter gardenality on youtube gardenality on myspace. Crape myrtles must be properly pruned on an annual basis in order to achieve the following benefits.
How to prune a crape myrtle a step by step guide on vimeo. Unlike some other flowering plants, crapes will develop their flower buds on new growthas long as you dont miss too much of the early growing season youll hardly notice a difference in bloom time. Apr 16, 2020 crepe myrtles are sunloving ornamental trees and shrubs found throughout the southeastern united states and are beloved by everyone. Every time the roots are disturbed, there will be a flush of suckers. I want to help people develop a healthy case of pruneophobia. An improperly pruned crape myrtle produces a proliferation of thin stems that are weakly attached to the tree. Annette shrader demonstrates how to prune a crape myrtle to showcase the handsome bark. How to prune crape myrtles in the winter the masters. Dont murder the crape myrtles when pruning houston. To prune a crepe myrtle, youll need some pruning equipment, like a hand pruner for smaller branches and a pruning saw for larger branches. Why and when to prune learn the reasons for pruning and the best time to do this important gardening task. How to prune crape myrtles in the winter the masters lawn care. While we consider late winter to be the ideal time to prune crape myrtles, now early spring is also ok for pruning them.
Its only going to grow eight to ten feet tall, so its not going to be one youre going to have to chop the top out of every year. If you have a group of plants in a line along a driveway this method makes the plants very uniform in height. Southern living celebrates the best of life in the south, both in our content and through publications and programs that enrich the lives of more than 15 million devoted readers. For gardeners anywhere, the advice is to do it in early spring before they break dormancy. You might be wondering how should i prune my crape myrtles like the pros do.
How to plant a crape myrtle planting root bound trees. How to prune crepe myrtles southern living youtube. Jan 10, 2018 pruning not murdering crape myrtle family plot. When i first read your post, i got the impression you wanted them to look like trees, but with the way those start branching so heavily, so close to the ground, im not sure im clear yet about what your goal is for these plants. Plan to prune your myrtle in late winter or early spring, when it is best for the plant. Pruning crape myrtles south carolina department of agriculture. Cutting your crape myrtles improperly will not only be unsightly, but it will also damage the trees and make them unhealthy. Cut off all but the 4 to 6 strongest branches that you chose with lopping sheers, hedge trimmers, or other tools, and admire. A hand pruner, for pruning small twigs and thin branches. So, now that youve bought this crepe myrtle, let me show you how to do the initial pruning so that it will grow into the beautiful plant that you want. Crepe myrtle pruning i know this isnt the ideal way to do it but when the crepe myrtles are close to a. Toppingcommonly called crape murdercan be very damaging to the tree. Crape murder is a term used to describe the horrific pruning that many unfortunate crapes must endure and it isnt far off the mark. However, they are easily pruned into trees by removing the lower branches to form a main leader trunk as they grow.
Socongratulations to everyone who forgot to prune their plants last fall. Loppers, which are used to cut thicker branches that are higher up. At this time of year, the plants are surging with nutrients that are rushing to fuel growth and blooms. Jun 05, 2016 it might be helpful if you could find a pic of what you dream yours look like in a few yrs, and ask for advice for working toward that goal.
It leads to numerous problems and can actually ruin or even endanger your plant. Always cut above or toward the tip of branches, without leaving a lot of bare. Wrongseason pruning would mean november and december. Improper shaping is prohibited of a silver buttonwood. In truth, a crape myrtle will forgive almost any pruning method. Theres a lot of disagreement out there on the proper way to prune a crape myrtle, including whether to prune them at all. The crepe myrtle is still a little denser than i would like, but i can prune it again next winter. Unlike height pruning or whacking, natural pruning focuses on creating a crepe myrtle composed of only the strongest branches, thus giving it a less complex and more simple look. Aug 29, 2010 gardenality is a gardeningcentric site made by gardeners for gardeners with tools that enhance any gardening for the expert to the weekend gardener. How and when to prune crape myrtles todays homeowner. Many people prefer this way and think its the way a crape myrtle should be pruned. I want to help people develop a healthy case of prune ophobia. I hope it helps you a lot on how to prune crepe myrtle. Figure b below indicates where to make cuts when pruning your crape myrtle tree.
Crepe myrtles are among the worlds best flowering trees. To prune a mature crepe myrtle, youre going to need a few different types of pruning tools. Planting indica crepe myrtle in fall is recommended to encourage root formation, but you can still plant over the winter until spring, even though you must absolutely avoid any period of freezing. I am here with isa certified arborist jeff lange who will show us how to prune this unique tress. Its how to properly prune their crepe myrtles heres a stepbystep guide showing how the grumps prunes his. Remove branches that are too close together or that cross or rub each other. November pruning of a crape myrtle or other trees might not be a big problem if the trees were already in dormancy. The basic care of these trees is not complicated, but when it comes to pruning, people often find themselves confused. Unfortunately, many homeowners and landscape professionals prune crapemyrtle trees too severely see an example of this in the photograph. We are the original inventors of miniature crape myrtles. Unfortunately, the proper pruning of crepe myrtles is seen less and less. Avoid pruning in the fall, since pruning can stimulate the growth of sprouts that may be killed by the coming cold weather. There are two schools of thought when it comes to pruning crepe myrtle trees. Jim robbins shows the proper techniques for pruning your landscape crapemyrtle in the video below.
However, many people are unsure on how to prune their crape myrtle correctly. It is best to make clean pruning cuts using sharp hand. Though some pruning may be beneficial, there is a definite right way and a definite wrong way to prune these plants, with the wrong way often referred to as crape murder. When to prune the crepe myrtle tree in this case is shortly after the trees first round of.
Make clean cuts at the branch collar with sharp tools. Don looked at an exciting new range of crepe myrtle hybrids which reach different heights and spreads, and so reduce the need for pruning. What concerns people most in the country right now. Many people prune their crape myrtles improperly thinking it will improve the shape and appearance of the tree or lead to more flowers. When a crape myrtle has reached 5 to 8 years in age andor has developed a nice, full canopy, i usually discontinue pruning them. How to properly prune crapemyrtles how to prune crape. Gather the following supplies from your garage or a hardware store before you get started. Here in the southern states, late january and early february is the time of year where you may notice your neighbors and other landscape companies starting to prune crape myrtles and were wondering if you should prune back yours.
The rule of thumb is to trace down from the top of a stem from the seedpods if the tree bloomed, to where that stem meets a branch. All you do is prune every limb back to a point where it becomes larger than a pencil. Whether it is the stunning crepe paper like flowers, wonderful foliage or the interesting bark patterns. It might be helpful if you could find a pic of what you dream yours look like in a few yrs, and ask for advice for working toward that goal. After a couple of years youll get a feel for whether a few larger limbs should be reomoved to open up the top of the treeshrub after completing the pencil pruning. Introduction description planting watering light requirements pruning fertilizing propagating diseases and. Before you start lopping off branches from your crape myrtle, let mark show you how to properly prune it to encourage more growth and flowers. Pruning at this time will maximize the trees natural immunities, protecting it from disease. If you do this, you can direct its growth over time to begin meeting your objectives. Thats why i have provided the things needed, the steps to follow and the relevant facts associated with pruning crepe myrtle.
Learn how to grow and take care of crepe myrtles so you can enjoy them in your own yard and garden. Keep in mind that some crapemyrtle varieties will grow into trees and some varieties will only be manybranched shrubs. Sep 27, 2010 annette shrader demonstrates how to prune a crape myrtle to showcase the handsome bark. There is an art to pruning a crape myrtle and its important, so important, the wrongful pruning of a crape myrtle can result in what is known as. To begin pruning, decide what size and shape youd like your myrtle to be. This practice results in a witchs broom appearance and a tree that is no longer in proportion. Pruning is a daunting task that simply needs to be done. One is a natural style and the other is a formal style. Pruning tools and techniques special gardening tasks require special tools. Make the right cuts on your crape myrtle trees for elegant structure, abundant summer flowers, and good health.
How to prune a crape myrtle a step by step guide youtube. The video advises pruning crape myrtles in midfebruary. Plants related to how to prune a crape myrtle tree. Crepe myrtles are sunloving ornamental trees and shrubs found throughout the southeastern united states and are beloved by everyone. Its not too late to prune crape myrtles new garden.
Lopper pruners for up to 112 branch diameter see the lopper pruners i use for pruning crape myrtle here. Crepe myrtle trees are some of the hardiest and lowmaintenance flowering trees around. Nevertheless, if you are guided through the right steps along with the right pruning tools, everything will be done with ease. The fact that crapemyrtles have the potential for a long flowering period up to 120 days in the summer has given rise to the popularity of this plant in our state.
The plants do not seem to mind particularly, as they are actually stimulated by extreme pruning. Crape myrtles flower on new wood so plant a prune in late winter when the tree is dormant, late february is ideal. Enter coupon code bestdeal at checkout and the price drops to. Most people dislike the appearance of sprouts on treeform crapemyrtle, and these sprouts typically are removed one or more times during the growing season. My preference for homeowners is called pencil pruning. Prune crepe myrtle trees when you wish to shape them or if you find the branches are too close together for your taste, but for the most part, you do not need to prune crepe myrtle trees.
All crape myrtles would look likebe trees if not pollarded or trimmed into shrubs, as long as they are grown where fully hardy idk where the cutoff for that is for this kind of plant, theyre deciduous here, but hardy. Crape murder is improper pruning by cutting the tops out of your crapes. Always cut above or toward the tip of branches, without leaving a lot of bare stem between a leaf or branch node and the cut. Jim robbins shows the proper techniques for pruning your landscape crapemyrtle. How to plant in clay, poorly draining, and compact soils. Jeff wilson is a horticulture specialist with the msu extension service. Crape myrtles left to their own devices are more likely to form a shrub shape.
We need to allow the crape myrtle to become the tree without cutting them. However, severe pruning leads to lush and rampant growth, which can exacerbate disease and insect problems. Pruning code violations palm beach gardens, fl official website. Its time to prune your crape myrtles to ensure a good bloom this summer. The only problem is that i have searched all over the internet and cannot find any information on what time of the year is. Heres a guide on how to properly prune crape myrtles. Cut at a 45degree angle, not straight across the branch. Pruning basics following these simple guidelines for pruning trees and shrubs will help remove the mystery of pruning and give you the confidence to get started. Article how to prune a crepe myrtle crepe myrtles are beautiful flowering trees that can add an adornment of flowers to your yard every year. Because a lot of you take guidance from your ignorant.