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Pruning Crepe Myrtles
Posted on 10/9/19 at 1:05 pm
Posted on 10/9/19 at 1:05 pm
I have a few Crepe Myrtles in my back yard that I have ashamedly let get out of control.
When is the best time to prune them back and what is the proper technique?
TIA
When is the best time to prune them back and what is the proper technique?
TIA
13
Posted on 10/9/19 at 1:14 pm to ThatsAFactJack
quote:
When is the best time to prune them back and what is the proper technique?
Purists will tell you it is never. You can trim them after they have dropped their flowers, but still during the growing season. I usually just clean mine out from the middle.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 1:17 pm to ThatsAFactJack
Prune for desired shape. They absolutely DO NOT need to be pruned to flower, nor is the horrible, cut-off-the-entire-crown pruning a very good idea. It leads to a weak tree that tends to split.
So look at what shape the tree is now, and think about what shape you want to achieve. Some thoughtful consideration from different viewpoints will tell you what you need to remove.
So look at what shape the tree is now, and think about what shape you want to achieve. Some thoughtful consideration from different viewpoints will tell you what you need to remove.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 1:20 pm to ThatsAFactJack
After they've bloomed. I'd wait till late winter/early spring. Prune any crossing branches, random branches that look like they don't belong and clean the middle out some and just maintain good shape. That's it.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 1:23 pm to ThatsAFactJack
Dont dead head them whatever you do.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 1:24 pm to hungryone
quote:
They absolutely DO NOT need to be pruned to flower
Question... I didn't touch any of mine this year. They didn't bloom for crap. Barely at all. None of them. They HAD crepe myrtle bark scale, but I got a systemic and some dormant oil that took quick care of that. But still... no blooms. Did they just take the year off?
Posted on 10/9/19 at 1:39 pm to SSpaniel
quote:
They HAD crepe myrtle bark scale, but I got a systemic and some dormant oil that took quick care of that. But still... no blooms. Did they just take the year off?
they certainly could have been still stressed. Give them a couple of years to recover.
Selective pruning of Crapes is fine. But please dont "Crape Murder"!
Posted on 10/9/19 at 1:43 pm to ThatsAFactJack
I usually just trim them when I hit my head on the branches as I walk under and sometimes not even then.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 1:48 pm to ThatsAFactJack
I've always been told February here in AR and that's when I do it. Have had neighbors do it when they start losing leaves and their CM always look good too.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 2:03 pm to Zappas Stache
quote:
But please dont "Crape Murder"!
If you do that, you don't get the cool bark. Plus, they just look ugly. Branches grow that can't support the weight of the blooms. Just an awful practice all around. If you are going to do that, might as well prune them the same way you should prune a Bradford Pear. One single pruning cut horizontal to the ground as close to the ground as you can get it.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 2:08 pm to CAT
I think early spring is the recommended time. So around end of February sounds right.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 3:08 pm to NATidefan
quote:
I think early spring is the recommended time.
Late Winter is the best time. Blooms occur on new growth so you want to prune before the spring growth.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 3:09 pm to Zappas Stache
quote:
please dont "Crape Murder"
I want to crape murder the one in front of my house. It's dropped a shite ton of detritus onto the walkway leading to the front landing.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 3:22 pm to Saskwatch
quote:
I want to crape murder the one in front of my house. It's dropped a shite ton of detritus onto the walkway leading to the front landing.
You didn't realize that this would happen when you planted it?
Posted on 10/9/19 at 4:30 pm to SSpaniel
quote:
You didn't realize that this would happen when you planted it?
Came with the house I bought. I didn't know they did this.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 5:12 pm to ThatsAFactJack
you can prune those things any time. I've got numerous crepe myrtles and have pruned at all times of the year for many years.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 5:40 pm to ThatsAFactJack
The way it was explained to me was the easiest. Prune the Crepe in such a way as you can see "through" it...I guess what others are meaning when they say "the middle". Leave the tops alone. I hate when I see someone crop tops Crepe Myrtles...just cut them down completely if you are going to do that.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 6:56 pm to ThatsAFactJack
I have a beautiful crape myrtle that I've never pruned. It's about 20 feet tall, 15 foot span or so. Blooms nicely.
Posted on 10/9/19 at 7:46 pm to ThatsAFactJack
Nice short article from Dr. Allen Owings landscape horticulturist Prune Crape Myrtles Properly
Posted on 10/10/19 at 10:28 am to ThatsAFactJack
quote:
When is the best time to prune them back and what is the proper technique?
whenever you have time.
Take a chainsaw and cut at the base of the tree a few inches above the ground. Drill holes into stump. Pour grass/weed killer in it. Do this for a week. Stump dies. remove rotten stump a few months later. Your welcome.
Crepe Myrtles are the devil.
This post was edited on 10/10/19 at 10:31 am
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