The Dos and Don'ts of Pruning Crepe Myrtles

[@LawrenceKieper]

Great video. We just bought a home with 10 crape myrtles and some had really gotten too big for their area. I feel more confident about getting them back in shape without ruining them. Thank you!

[@LoriLovesBirds]

Great, informative video. I live in a condo development and have limited space. I bought a Tonto Crape Myrtle that I planted in a big, double walled, insulated planter. I use Pine bark to retain moisture in the planter. My Crape Myrtle flowered well last year. I did trim prior to winter, so the shrub jacket cover would fit. I live in zone 6b. This year, I had to trim the inner area of my Crape Myrtle. There wasn't any leaf growth on the thin stems in the center. I am hoping my Crape Myrtle looks as beautiful as it was last year. I am so impressed how fast Crape Myrtles grow.

[@edkilgallon5336]

This video was a big help. Thanks for the tips.

[@dawndelareto6676]

Thank you so much. Great teaching.

[@jhelton3554]

Ty!! This is the video I have been looking for. Great info! Thank you!! Thank you!!

[@the_garden_guru]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kimmyj1512]

I 💚💚luuuv crape myrtle since I discovered it last year - it was my first plant _ever_ to bloom plus it bloomed the first summer I got it from a tiny stick to a pink beauty in 3 months. 🎉🎉

[@alexandrajones4991]

Excellent job. Very informative and well explained.

[@the_garden_guru]

Thanks!

[@rljak99]

best crepe mrytle Tutorial I have seen. thank you

[@the_garden_guru]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@LIGHTBEARER4JESUS777]

HI. Thank you for your in-depth video. We bought a home in Pine Grove Calif. I learned a lot we moved here in Aug 2023 and the Crape Myrtles look horrible some had no blooms, and some had a few. Some are large and some are smaller trees that look terrible. I know the people selling stopped caring about the yard due to the high cost of water in Amador County. So, I realize they have the seed pods on them so a pruning will help but what about feeding? The are all in full sun is it a water issue.?

[@johnkairis9975]

I’m doing a crepe Myrtle prune for first time ever. Thanks for the great info! I’m in Florida and have two different moss growth areas. Will moss hurt the tree? I’m removing what I can reach by hand.

[@jackpack3506]

Very informative! Thanks for teaching!

[@the_garden_guru]

Glad it was helpful!

[@pcnews4858]

Thanks for this super informative video that I found this year as I'm researching for a Lagerstoemia to buy for my garden. What a shame you're so far away.

[@dinacarroll9211]

Can you do a video on the different types of crape myrtles. I’ve been searching for one that will have a slender upright growth, full hardy leaves and not get too tall. Thanks so much. Your videos have been helpful.

[@the_garden_guru]

I'll add this to my list of ideas! Thanks for your input, glad the videos are helpful to your gardening journey. 🙂

[@nonamuss9991]

I have a young wax Myrtle that has reached about six feet and I’m trying to tree form… it has several of what you call telephone pole branches. How do you handle those? Do you prune the tip to create branching?

[@susieqrichardson6905]

Great information! But one more question!If I have Tree form crêpe myrtles and they’re just getting too tall what’s the best way to prune them height wise?

[@jimblair7724]

Great info . Thanks it's always what I suspected !

[@the_garden_guru]

Thanks for watching!

[@FredFier69]

Really excellent - packed with great info, We bought a house here in GA where the owners had Crape Murdered the Myrtles pretty badly. Not sure I can do much other than replace them, but your video has me thinking I'll at least try. Thorough, fast info! And how can you talk that long and fast without at least a dink of water now and then? :)

[@cactushound]

You're right, I've seen pollarding and buckhorning used a lot on Crepe Myrtles here in Central Florida. Buckhorning is also sometimes used in the citrus industry in an attempt to rejuvenate diseased trees.

[@mwnemo]

I actually am trying to find some videos online on how to pollard crepe myrtles as a long term practice. To use the pruned branches for different things.

[@beverlypatterson]

Thanks, Great video! Well done and full of information. What zone are you in?

[@the_garden_guru]

Glad you enjoyed it! McDonald Garden Center is in zone 7b-8a here in southeastern Virginia.

[@cherylwood3145]

please advice on how to get a crape myrtle back to a manageable height after reaching 20' tall ?

[@matthewartz165]

later in the summer when the flowers darken and lose their color is it OK to trim them like a rose? After my myrtle looses its flowers a round ball is left. Is it better to just leave it as is or better to do a soft trim? Thanks for any help

[@the_garden_guru]

Hi Matthew! You can definitely prune the old flowers as the color fades and the blooms expire.

[@djratino]

Is November too early to prune a crape myrtle if I'm keeping it as a small bush? All the leaves have dried and fallen off. I figured that it'll give it longer to heal for next year. 🌳

[@the_garden_guru]

If your crepe myrtle has already gone dormant, then you should be ok to prune it. However, heavy pruning is best done in January - Early February.

[@user-bq7mw1se8j]

I have a Natchez that I planted a little over a year ago and it has bark scale. I have washed it twice with dish soap and sprayed it twice with neem oil. It does look a lot better and finally started blooming and growing more but some scale is still there. It is now the beginning of August so is it ok if I keep scrubbing it and spraying oil on it at this time of year? I do it on days when the temperature is lower and overcast for several days to not burn the leaves. I am so nervous of ever using a systemic because I don’t want to hurt the bees. If I use one in the fall is it guaranteed that it won’t hurt them?

[@johnny.angels]

Just a quick question. I love Crepe Myrtles so i bought 5 bareroot varieties of a pink variety. Two of them leafed out but the other three no leafs or growth. The trunks have some green underneath the bark. So i keep watering them and hope for the best. Just wondering why its not leafing out? Thank you for your time.

[@jpardue100]

Should seed pods be pruned off or left on

[@Lunalion]

Thank you so much.

[@the_garden_guru]

No problem!

[@FAMILYDAD10]

I was given 4 crepe myrtles. They are about 8 or 9 years old. They now grow into my power lines. How low can I prune the crepe back?

[@jamesstricklin5201]

An you talk about the sunset magic i have a tag saing they'll get 8 dft tall is this true

[@kriswhite1344]

GREAT CORRRCT INFORMATION THANKS

[@the_garden_guru]

You're welcome!

[@DropTheBunny]

My wife and I just purchased our first Crape Myrtles. Two Tonto and two Coral Magic. This channel has been extremely helpful! Thank you for sharing all your knowledge! I do have a question: Our Tonto's were purchased already limbed up and in the shape of a tree. I do not see any seed pods forming. Should we expect blooms the first year being planted? I did purchase Furtilome 9-59-8 as suggested in one of your other videos. Hopefully that will help Edit: We are in the Fredericksburg area, so very close to your location to give you an idea of the climate its in

[@the_garden_guru]

Hi Jeff! Using the blooming and rooting formula is a great way to help encourage blooms on your crepe myrtle. Sorry for the delayed response, hopefully you are already seeing blooms on your tonto! This year we had an extended spring, which could have delayed the blooming of your tree. Because it's a young tree, it might just be because it is getting established. If this happens again next year, reach back out to us.

[@cgoodloe]

I love my Tonto. I just let it do whatever it wants and I get the loveliest red blooms every year.

[@DropTheBunny]

@@cgoodloe we're getting blooms on ours. They have grown surprisingly fast! Love the color of the blooms! Not quite as red as I imagined but still a beautiful dark shade of pink

[@michaelflusk8535]

I planted a Crpe Myrtle 3 years ago.we are in northern NJ the tree was planted while about 1 ft. everything dies off late fall and winter and never comes back. we get New growth each year from the base and they grow taller from the base? is this normal?

[@lindameggers1999]

I hope this is the video where you actually show us from #1 Step. finally found someone

[@NunyaBidness-mp9lr]

Why does my myrtle bloom on one side before the other

[@InvisibleCitizen]

Thanks!

[@the_garden_guru]

You bet!

[@joyce2403]

How come some crêpe myrtles grow & bloom faster then other? I have one & it’s July & no flowers & others I see have them already.

[@Joyjoy-ih1ie]

They do best in heavy sun. If the airflow is bad that will effect them.

[@the_garden_guru]

Hi Joyce! Some varieties of crepe myrtles just bloom later than others. It doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong with your plant, but do check your crepe myrtle often for any strange signs that it is not doing well by looking at the leaves as well as the bark.

[@frankvazquez5974]

I can't get the suckers at the root to stop coming back. So annoying. They pop up multiple times a year.

[@user-bq7mw1se8j]

If you could just come by our lawn one day and make everything look better that would be awesome ha ha

[@JuanitaMcCoy-hm8by]

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[@johndavies9589]

Too much waffle. Nothing succeeds like succinct.

[@JuanitaMcCoy-hm8by]

BURIND. TEE