In My Garden Blog
July 17, 2008
Coastal and Tropical South
By
Nellie Neal,
Baton Rouge, LA
Crape myrtles benefit from summer pruning to keep them neat and floriferous.
The Trouble with Myrtle
Some say crape myrtle is overplanted, that growing it is a boring rut. I say it's a groove more people should get into. For every beautiful crape myrtle you see, it seems there are two that need pruning. Some of the necessary cuts should be made in winter, but summer pruning has its place. Whips, or watersprouts, burst from the base of the trees to ruin its profile and sap its nutrients. Cut them off as soon as you see them. When flowers are spent and seedpods develop, reblooming is a challenge for even robust plants. Clip them off and thin out crowded and twiggy growth in the canopy, including branches that never leafed out this year.
Pest Issues
Besides the unattractive attributes a crape myrtle can develop, insects and diseases can be troublesome. Sooty mold gets your attention when the leaves turn black, but this condition is the result of insect infestation, usually aphids or whiteflies Clean the mold off with soapy water and control the insects for long-term relief. Damp springs bring on powdery mildew, a fungus that curls the leaves and turns them gray. Clip off the damage and consider a fungicide spray for the new growth next spring.
All for Beauty
Different types of crape myrtles best suit different situations. Choosing the right myrtle for your site reduces the maintenance you will need to do. Varieties like the stately, white-flowered 'Natchez', which grows 30 feet tall, do not belong close to structures since the pruning needed to control growth will disfigure them. Fifteen-foot crape myrtles, eight-foot weeping types, and three-foot low-growers are available. If your retailer doesn't know the ultimate height and neither do you, shop elsewhere. For limited spaces, crape myrtles meant for hanging baskets are a bright alternative.
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Comments on The Trouble with Myrtle
We welcome your questions and comments about this column. If
you have gardening questions unrelated to the column, please ask
them on our message boards.
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JO MAYBERRY
I AM NEW AT THIS GROWING THE CRAPE MYRTLE.
I BOUGHT SOME PROPERTY ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO AND IT HAD ONE AT THE FRONT
DOOR.
WELL IT DOES KEEP ME BUSY TRIMING IT,BUT ITS WORTH ALL THE WORK I
PUT INTO IT.
I NOW HAVE 5 MORE AT THE REAR OF MY PROPERTY,SO I SET ON MY BACK
PORCH AND ENJOY MY TREES AND BIRDS.........
THINKS FOR THE POINTERS.
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
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Jo Harrison
I have a lengthy drive to work each day. Crepe Myrtles have really
brightened up my days! There are so many new colors it is hard to
choose which I like best. The new deep red is wonderful. Ive
noticed more businesses are using then to landscape with. I think
they are blooming more fully this year!
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mvillien
It's a fabulous tree! As noted above,great array
of colors to choose from, including some with un-
usual bark appearances. Their shape and form are
especially important in the winter when all you
see are the trunk and branches. That's another good reason for good
pruning technique which is
important if these trees,which they most often are, are located in a
highly visible area.
They are also easy to start from cuttings if you
have the time and desire to wait! Good article.
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Nellie Neal
Thanks to each of you for writing in support of this fine tree, and
for your kind review of the column.
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CBudnik
I agree Crepe Myrtles are a wonderful addition to the landscape.
We put in 3 in May of 2007 and plan on adding plenty more on our
five acres.
We have had a problem this year getting them to bloom. We kept them
trimmed of shoots and at the advice of the nursery where we
purchased them, kept the seed pods clipped to promote more blooms.
We did not however prune them in the fall. Since we suffered such a
drought and three very heavy frost, could this have effected them?
I have fertilized them and one is finally blooming nicely and the
other two seem to be coming along. Any tips to get them to bloom
earlier and better next year?
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Nellie Neal
Your diagnosis is sound. Since the trees are otherwise healthy, you
have found two real possibilities to explain the absence of flowers.
Extreme summer drought can prevent next year's buds from ever
forming, and late freezes can kill them. Neither condition hurts the
tree in the long run. You are taking the right steps to prepare the
trees to bloom again, hopefully this year.
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CBudnik
Thank you. I am glad I seem to be doing the right things to promote
better blooming for my Crepe Myrtles. It is hard to believe that
living in Central Florida we can get such hard frost.
One more question. Can I actually root the sticker cuttings when I
remove them. Will they grow or is it better to save some of the
seed pods and germinate them?
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Linda
I live in zone 11-12 and I was always fond of Crape Myrtle trees, We
dont grow them here (Bahamas)I dont understand why. I've seen them
when I visited Georgia a few years back. I would like to know if I
can grow them here in the Bahamas. and if I would have to use a
particular species or what. whatever info you can help with I'll
appericate it. email laislanina@hotmail.com
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Nellie Neal
While there are challenges to growing crepe myrtle trees in Zone 12,
there is an alternative. Miniature crepe myrtles are hanging basket
plants that were developed and patented by a fellow LSU graduate,
David Chopin. His website is www.crapemyrtles.com. The flowers are
just as beautiful and abundant, and the plant might be easier for
you to grow in the Bahamas.
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Susan Gansz
They are lovely bushes when they are planted where you want them. I
removed one and now the roots continue to sprout back and out 3' or
so from where the original bush. What is the best way to detroy the
remaining root system? Thank you to anyone who has the answer.
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Nellie Neal
Oh, the sprouts! Whenever a tree insists on resprouting, it's time
to either 1) have a stump grinding service or other muscle-bound
types remove it. In this case, it costs but may be well worth it to
get rid of the 'plant that won't go away'. Or 2) clip the shoots as
soon as they appear, but stick your clippers into the soil and cut
the stem below ground. Then pour a tablespoon of vinegar or salt in
the hole where the stem poked out. Finally, mulch over the area or
put a stepping stone on top of it!
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