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Find a Sunny Location. Decide where in your garden the crape myrtle should go. Choose a Variety. Choose a variety that won’t outgrow its space or need to be constantly pruned. Dig a Hole. Dig a hole three to four times as wide as the container. Plant the Tree. Water Gently. Mulch with Pine Straw.
When should crepe myrtles be planted?
Late fall to early spring is the best time to plant. But a lot of folks buy and plant their crepe myrtle in summer because they select it while it is blooming. That works too, but watering well during the summer months is crucial to transitioning it into your garden.
How deep should you plant a crape myrtle?
The common crape myrtle grows to a height of 15–25′ and a spread of 6–15′ at maturity. Start by digging your planting hole at least three times as wide and as deep or not much deeper than the root ball of your crape myrtle. The wider the hole the better.
How fast does a crape myrtle tree grow?
Growth Rate This shrub grows at a fast rate, with height increases of more than 24″ per year.
Can I plant a crepe myrtle next to my house?
You can plant crape myrtle near the foundation as they have non-invasive roots, according to Dayton Nursery. However, be sure to plant them far enough away from the foundation and the building so the shrub can grow to its full size without being blocked by the building.
How do you take care of a crape myrtle tree?
How to Care for Crape Myrtle Find Full Sunlight. Crape myrtle needs full sun (6 or more hours per day) to thrive. Use Suitable Soil. Fertilize Lightly. Treat Fungus Before It Starts. Prune Sparingly in Winter or Early Spring. Expose the Trunk for More Beauty. Deadhead for Even More Flowers.
How often do you water a crape myrtle tree?
Water For Crape Myrtle To prevent the plant from dying, it must be watered once a week. Be sure to soak the entire root system deeply, this will take about 45-60 minutes. For best growth and production, crape myrtles should receive at least one inch of water a week.
Where is the best place to plant crepe myrtles?
Crape Myrtle Trees need plenty of sun, so choose a bright sunny spot for your planting. They are idea for those hot, dry places where other plants do not thrive, so take advantage of that and use them in places that can be hard to fill.
What is the best fertilizer for crape myrtles?
Then, to maximize spring growth and summer bloom, fertilize crape myrtles in early spring just prior to new growth. Fertilizers including 8-8-8, 10-10-10, 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 will work fine and are ideal for crape myrtles, but don’t go overboard.
Are coffee grounds good for crepe myrtle?
The answer is yes! Coffee grounds make an excellent ground mulch, especially for acid-loving plants.
What happens if you dont trim crepe myrtle?
Leaving it alone will result in a pretty raggedy-looking tree, and it won’t grow as quickly either. The new growth will emerge on its own from the fresh cuts, and if you trim at just the right point, you’ll encourage way more blooms to appear.
Do crepe myrtles need a lot of water?
Crepe myrtle likes a medium amount of water and prefers consistently moist soils where it can get it. However, once established, it is quite drought-tolerant and will subsist on a deep watering – to a depth of 6 inches or so – once or twice per month, reports Wilson Brothers Gardens.
Can you overwater a crape myrtle?
Watering Issues Crape myrtle trees need the most moisture in the soil profile when they are actively growing — when the plant displays leaves. Overwatering crape myrtles in spring and summer can diminish flowering, since overly moist soil promotes leafy growth, not flower production.
What is the lifespan of a crape myrtle?
Lifespan – When planted in full sun and fertile soil, Crepe Myrtles can live well beyond 50 years. In fact, dotted along the southeastern landscape, it is common to come across specimens over 100 years old.
What is the difference between a crepe myrtle bush and a crepe myrtle tree?
The difference between the crape myrtle bush and the crape myrtle tree is that the tree is taller than crape myrtle bush. Crape myrtle bushes have multiple stems and their height is between 2 and 15 ft. Crape myrtle trees can be as much as 20 ft. (6 m) taller than the bushes.
Do deer eat Crepe Myrtles?
From the article at the link – Crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica) come in a variety of different hybrids with bright, lacy flower clusters in the summer. Though the hungriest deer will eat plants not characteristic of its regular diet, deer will seldom eat any variety of crape myrtle.
What can you plant under a crape myrtle?
The 6 Best Plants to Plant under Crepe Myrtle Trees Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) The Rose of Sharon bush perfectly compliments a crepe myrtle tree. Creeping lilyturf (Liriope spicata) The roots of your crepe myrtle tree are very shallow. Lantana. Hibiscus. Rain Lily (Zephyranthes grandiflora) Coreopsis.
How deep do crepe myrtle roots go?
The root system of the Crepe Myrtle tree is shallow and fibrous. The roots of this plant do not grow deep in a taproot system but in fact, these roots are weak and dense and only thrive near the surface. They extend up to three times the distance than the area covered by the plant canopy.
