How should you prune back crepe myrtles this year? Are you considering shaping them this year? Look no further, this article is just for you!
If you own crepe myrtles, then you know how beautiful this tree looks in your yard or flower bed. You are also aware of how tall and wild they can sometimes grow. Insert pruning. Pruning is basically trimming your tree to grow into the desired shape. Let’s walk through the pruning process for crepe myrtles!
A Bit About Crepe Myrtles
Crepe myrtles come in different shapes and sizes. There are three basic categories.
- A dwarf crepe myrtle may grow 6-12 inches in a season. It is ideal in front of a window or in a flower bed.
- A mid-size crepe myrtle can grow up to 12 feet tall. They look good on the edges of flower beds and gardens.
- A traditional crepe myrtle may grow up to 25 feet. Traditional crepe myrtles can grow 3-4 feet in a single season.
These sun-loving, drought-tolerant, and hardy gems bloom in mid-summer and perform best with 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. You will notice them in all of their glory (in full bloom) in July. When it starts to get really warm, they start their summer show. Their blooms are often, purple, pink, red, white, or a blended hue of each color.
They do not like wet feet. Be sure to plant them in a place that will provide proper drainage.
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Pruning a Crepe Myrtle
This is one of the easier trees/shrubs to prune because it is so forgiving. The main idea you want to focus on with a crepe myrtle is how you want it to look when it does grow back. Essentially, you are shaping the tree into the form you want it to grow.
Once your crepe myrtle has gone dormant, you can start preparing to prune it. Crepe myrtles usually go dormant in winter between December and February. You will also notice that it has an exfoliating bark that is smooth and beautiful during the winter. Determine if you want to remove branches from the sides. Do you want it to grow straight up? Do you want it to grow wider? Do you want it to remain more of a shrub instead of a tree?
Once you have your pruning shears, loppers, or other necessary tools, you start the process. Since you are shaping the tree, you want to cut the crepe myrtle back 3-4 feet below where you want it to grow for the year. This measurement of 3-4 feet is what the tree grows in a single season, so it will make up this growth as the season progresses.
Step back to examine your work. Repeat the process of removing branches until you have the desired tree/shrub shape.
If your crepe myrtle is growing the way you like, don’t worry about trimming or pruning it. Pruning is not necessary unless you want to change the shape of the tree.
Remember to fertilize your crepe myrtle before it returns from dormancy. A slow-release fertilizer for trees/shrubs works well.
Now that you know how to prune back crepe myrtles, you have nothing but pretty blooms ahead of you!
This post was all about the steps to prune back crepe myrtles.
