Many of you have asked questions:

 

Crape Myrtles like full sun, you can put bark around the roots to keep some
moister in especially if you are planting them but they do not like constant
wet feet.  The soil must be able to drain.  If you have them in the sun this
will keep the diseases away and let them breathe.  Although some are not as
mildew-resistant as others.

 

Many people like shrubs instead of trees.  To get a shrub you need to prune
the stems back to 6 inches above ground level each spring.  It will not kill
a healthly shrub to be pruned like this and you will get an abundance of new
shoots.  The shrubs you can group together and make a find hedge.  They can
get fairly tall.  Keep the dead limbs trimmed out and I keep my shrubs
fairly clipped inside so they can breath.  You might end up with a large
shrub out of control if you don't keep them trimmed back each spring.   (I
prefer larger shrubs so I clip them inside and clip out many branches but I
do not want smaller, short shrubs.) 

 

You will find volunteer seedlings popping up all over your lawn (you can
transplant them).   I have planted seedlings of which I have made trees  -
and I have also made shrubs out of  them.

 

For better growth and flowers use a well-prepared soil -----dig a hole at
least 2 times wider than the root ball.  Set the plant in the hole no deeper
than it grew in the container or ground.

 

Water thoroughly at planting time once a week for the first 2 months
especially if it does not rain.  Established crape myrtle plants will
tolerate drought.

 

Flowering is better if the plants are watered during the dry spells that we
have.

 

Heavy shade will reduce growth and flowering ----- and will increase
problems of disease such as powdery mildew.

 

Lack of sunlight and moisture are also causes of poor flowering and growth.

 

I would prune crape myrtles during the late winter or early spring because
if you prune in the fall you force new growth and it keeps the plant from
going dormant.  Sometimes severe freezes can kill the plant if it is not
fully dormant.

 

Hope this helps all of you.

Donna

 

  

 

 

 

 

 


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