Crate Myrtle

[zachary]

Now is the time to trim, but hearing lots of cross paths about how to trim.

Some say cur if less than width of pencil, some say do not cut at all, some say cut all the way back.

What is your guys experience and suggestions.

[Txstang1]

Now is the time to trim, but hearing lots of cross paths about how to trim.

Some say cur if less than width of pencil, some say do not cut at all, some say cut all the way back.

What is your guys experience and suggestions.

Cut them how ever you think looks good. You CAN NOT kill them. You can cut them down to stumps and they be 6ft tall by June.

[centexchick]

do not trim them like you see everywhere. That is not the way it should be done. Look up Neil Sperry online. He is a great source of info on the Crepe Mrytle. They need to have the "suckers" removed from down low. Do not trim the tops back to those balls that people do. They are meant to be long. If you trim them back on top like you see you will be creating top heavy flowering areas that will droop.

[dsrtuckteezy]

what's a crate myrtle?

[BERNIE MOSFET]

what's a crate myrtle?

It's like a crape myrtle, but more box-like.

[yellowstang]

^^ wait, that's a pancake isn't it, made by Myrtle???

Pour gas on the fuckers, I hate those trees!

[BERNIE MOSFET]

^^ wait, that's a pancake isn't it, made by Myrtle???

Pour gas on the fuckers, I hate those trees!

Damnit, I knew one of you fuckers would say something about me spelling it crepe, so I changed it to crape. Not fast enough.

[yellowstang]

Damnit, I knew one of you fuckers would say something about me spelling it crepe, so I changed it to crape. Not fast enough.

LOL, I've seen it spelled both ways, even on the same website that talks about trees!

[zemog]

Cut them how ever you think looks good. You CAN NOT kill them. You can cut them down to stumps and they be 6ft tall by June.

heres your answer........oh and its crepe ... or crape

[zemog]

do not trim them like you see everywhere. That is not the way it should be done. Look up Neil Sperry online. He is a great source of info on the Crepe Mrytle. They need to have the "suckers" removed from down low. Do not trim the tops back to those balls that people do. They are meant to be long. If you trim them back on top like you see you will be creating top heavy flowering areas that will droop.

do not listen to this......no offense.......but you can trim them to suit your eyes and it will not hurt them, and if you dont like the way they turn out this year, you can fix it the next

[Shorty]

Crape myrtle?

Oh, you mean lagerstroemia

[Gtracer]

do not trim them like you see everywhere. That is not the way it should be done. Look up Neil Sperry online. He is a great source of info on the Crepe Mrytle. They need to have the "suckers" removed from down low. Do not trim the tops back to those balls that people do. They are meant to be long. If you trim them back on top like you see you will be creating top heavy flowering areas that will droop.

Traditionally they are trimmed with a bonsai tree style approach. Trim the suckers from around the bottom for sure no matter what. Then you can really trim the top to how you see fit. Traditionally you only trim the branches that actually protrude from the side of the tree. IF this is done properly then you should have only branches that point upwards; when they flower they will hang down as you normally see in the Summer/Spring

Also, as someone else mentioned, you can just chop the whole top off to where there is only a foot or two of branch left...whatever floats your boat

[Saleen781]

I just planted one in November and it's about 10-12' tall. should I wait to trim it next season after it takes root?

[centexchick]

I realize some of you on this board do the landscaping thing for a living but I am sorry. You are not trimming these trees correctly. Say what you will....that I am wrong or whatever...but the major players in the landscaping world will disagree with you.

http://www.neilsperry.com/maq/shrubs/how-much-do-i-prune-my-crape-myrtles-and-when-is-the-best-time-to-do-it.html

Question: How much do I prune my crape myrtles, and when is the best time to do it?

Answer: Most crape myrtle pruning is done improperly or it wasn't needed in the first place. First thing to note: never use pruning as a means of controlling height with your crape myrtle. If it is too tall, move it to another location where it can grow to its full genetic potential. Never "top" any crape myrtle at any time for any reason. Topping is the quickest and surest way to ruin an otherwise lovely crape myrtle. You can remove internal shoots and unwanted branches, but never leave stubs. All cuts should be flush with a remaining trunk or branch. You do not have to remove seed pods in the winter, although you can trim them away following each round of summer bloom to encourage new growth and additional flowering. Those cuts should be made right at the bases of the spent flower clusters so that the seed pods are all that you're removing.

[Gtracer]

I realize some of you on this board do the landscaping thing for a living but I am sorry. You are not trimming these trees correctly. Say what you will....that I am wrong or whatever...but the major players in the landscaping world will disagree with you.

http://www.neilsperry.com/maq/shrubs/how-much-do-i-prune-my-crape-myrtles-and-when-is-the-best-time-to-do-it.html

Question: How much do I prune my crape myrtles, and when is the best time to do it?

Answer: Most crape myrtle pruning is done improperly or it wasn't needed in the first place. First thing to note: never use pruning as a means of controlling height with your crape myrtle. If it is too tall, move it to another location where it can grow to its full genetic potential. Never "top" any crape myrtle at any time for any reason. Topping is the quickest and surest way to ruin an otherwise lovely crape myrtle. You can remove internal shoots and unwanted branches, but never leave stubs. All cuts should be flush with a remaining trunk or branch. You do not have to remove seed pods in the winter, although you can trim them away following each round of summer bloom to encourage new growth and additional flowering. Those cuts should be made right at the bases of the spent flower clusters so that the seed pods are all that you're removing.

Same article I read...good stuff as I thought originally I needed to cut like everyone else around me..Google is your friend lol