Often asked: When To Trim Crepe Myrtle In Texas?

What month do you prune crepe myrtles?

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.

How do you trim crepe myrtles in Texas?

Framework Your Crepe Myrtles

1. Trimming suckers and any additional trunks as close to the soil line as possible.
2. This will avoid leaving a dead stub, which is unsightly and a potential entry for insects and diseases.
3. Remove low branches – It is recommended branching to begin 6 to 8 feet off the ground.

What happens if you don’t prune crepe myrtles?

Flowers are not the only virtue of this tree. Many varieties have beautiful bark and growth habits that can be enjoyed all year if trees are not heavily pruned. This unsightly, ugly pruning known as crape murder is not recommended. Once it’s done, it ruins the tree’s graceful natural shape for the rest of its life.

Can I prune crepe myrtle in the fall?

Crape myrtles bloom on new growth, so prune them in early spring before they break dormancy. Fall pruning not only creates an unattractive look for winter but also removes the current year’s growth as a buffer against any potential winter damage.

How do you shape a crepe myrtle tree?

Cut off suckers from the bottom, rubbing and cross growing branches and branches growing inward. Gradually cut off all side branches from the main base as the tree gets taller. Never leave lone or clustered stubs. Be sure to remove unwanted branches before they get too thick (thickness of a pencil).

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.

Is it too late to trim crepe myrtle?

It’s not too late to prune your crape myrtles now. 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 I cut my crepe myrtle to the ground?

One would be to do as you ask, and start over by cutting the plant to the ground. This will take time to restructure the tree. If you do this, choose three to five sprouts that appear, and prune out everything else. Pruning of crape myrtles should be done in late February to early March.

Should you trim crepe myrtles every year?

Also, crepe myrtles need minimal pruning. Some gardeners top them annually, but this ruins their natural shape and beauty. Only prune to shape trees or to take out any cross branching. In the winter, you can remove old seedpods by clipping the tips of branches.

Should I deadhead crepe myrtle?

Q: Do you have to deadhead crape myrtle trees to get more flowers? A: No, you do not have to deadhead the Southern lilac (crepe or crape myrtle, depending on what source you consult), but it does help to stimulate more flowers when you do — if you can reach them.

Why is my crepe myrtle not flowering?

If there are no flowers on crepe myrtle, it could be that the tree was pruned late in the season, causing the new wood to be mistakenly removed, which causes the buds for the flowers to never really develop. Never prune a crepe myrtle before it blooms. Crepe myrtle bloom time is just after the other flowering trees.

When should hydrangeas be cut back?

Prune in late winter and early spring. Prune as far back as you want right above the first leaf joints. It will grow from that point onward, getting larger each year. Read more about pruning hydrangeas, and learn whether your shrub blooms on old or new growth in “Pruning Hydrangeas” by Janet Carson.

What is the difference between a crepe myrtle bush and a crepe myrtle tree?

What’s the difference between a crape myrtle tree and a crape myrtle bush? The only difference is the mature size. The best way to identify a specific variety or species of crepe myrtle is to note all its characteristics, including mature size, flower color, fall color, growth habit (tree or shrub) and bark color.

What kind of fertilizer do crepe myrtles need?

To maximize spring growth and summer bloom, gardeners should fertilize their crape myrtles in early spring just prior to new growth. Fertilizers like 8-8-8, 10-10-10, 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 will work fine and are ideal for crape myrtles but you shouldn’t go over board.