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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.
What month do you trim crepe myrtles?
When to Prune? If you do choose to prune your crepe myrtles, pruning should take place in mid-February to avoid winter injury. Pruning should be done only to shape the tree; not to severely control plant height. Pruning is also not necessary for blooming.
Should crepe myrtle trees be cut back?
Though many people plant crape myrtles, few people prune them correctly. Correct pruning yields gracefully shaped trees with more blooms that are held upright on strong stems. Crape myrtles bloom on new growth, so prune them in early spring before they break dormancy.
What happens if you don’t trim crepe myrtles?
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.
How far do you cut back crepe myrtles?
As your Crape myrtle grows, it will be necessary to remove low branches to raise the canopy. Do this by pruning out the side branches on the main trunks – do this up to a height of about four to six feet, but not up to a height of more than half of the total tree height.
Can you cut back a crepe myrtle in the summer?
Pruning crepe myrtles in summer is not the optimal time of year to trim your trees, unless you wait until after they bloom. Floridata notes that some cultivars continue to bloom for as long as 120 days, making this tree or large shrub a popular landscape plant.
Should crepe myrtles be topped?
Topping a crape myrtle destroys the natural balance and beauty of the tree. Improperly trimmed multi-trunk crape myrtles have weakend immune responses and cannot fight off disease and insects as well. As the topping continues, the crape myrtles can respond by growing more trunks, worsening the problem.
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.
Should I cut the seed pods off crepe myrtle?
The balls at the end of crape myrtle branches are seed pods that formed from the flowers last summer. They do not hurt the tree and will not affect flowering this summer. You do not need to cut off the balls at the end of the branches. These are seed pods that formed from the flowers last summer.
Can I cut my crepe myrtle to the ground?
Crepe myrtles will grow back when cut, although it isn’t necessary to prune them all the way down to the ground.
Why are my crepe myrtles not blooming?
If no flowers appear, it can be because the tree was pruned late in the season, mistakenly removing the new wood which causes the buds for the flowers to never really develop. Never prune a crape myrtle BEFORE it blooms.
When should you cut back crepe myrtles in Florida?
In north Florida, mid-to-late winter is the best time to prune your crepe myrtles, so you’ll likely want to wait until February, while the plant is still dormant from the winter and hasn’t added any new growth.
Can you prune crepe myrtles in April?
Generally, Crape Myrtles in the fall should be left to grow. A rule of green thumb: The ideal time to prune will be late winter, February or March, however you can wait until April to prune your Crape Myrtle if you live in milder growing zones.
What month is late winter?
When is Late Winter? Late winter is 4 to 6 weeks before spring thaw begins. This could be any time in January to May, depending on your climate.
Is it too late to trim crepe myrtles?
If leaves have not yet or have just barely appeared, you’re safe to prune with little effect. Pruning as late as May will likely cause some delay in bloom time, and pruning later than May may delay bloom noticeably but will not harm the tree.
Can you trim the tops of crepe myrtles?
Quick Pruning Tip For Crepe Myrtles 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.
How tall should a crepe myrtle be?
The common crapemyrtle grows to a height of 15–25′ and a spread of 6–15′ at maturity.
What is the best fertilizer for crepe myrtle trees?
Use 8-8-8, 10-10-10, 12-4-8, or 16-4-8 fertilizer. A granular product works well for crape myrtle. Take care not to overfertilize. Too much food for crape myrtles makes them grow more foliage and fewer flowers.
Why are the leaves on my crepe myrtle turning yellow?
Bacterial leaf scorch is a big bad problem that causes leaves on crepe myrtle to turn yellow. If your crepe myrtle has bacterial leaf scorch, remove the tree. You should burn it or otherwise dispose of it to prevent the spread of this fatal disease to healthy plants.
