Crape Myrtles, too high.

john_ny · 09-05-2008, 07:19 PM

In trying to avoid comitting Crape murder (butchering Crape Myrtles by pruning too heavily) I now have plants where the most flowers are 15 to 20 feet off the ground. Except for some rare branches that hang down, like this one, you really can't see the flowers unless you walk along with your head cocked back at a 45º angle. Does anyone have some pruning suggestions for Crapes?
Thanks

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turtile · 09-07-2008, 09:39 AM

If you have the space, you can tie weights to the branches so the flowers hang downwards.

Lagniappe · 09-07-2008, 09:57 AM

I've watched some of the most aggressive pruning with crepe myrtles . The landscapers at the malls and hotels will sometimes be on ladders or thier truck beds with chainsaws cutting them down to half the original size .When they leave there is little more than a 6-8' pole left .

Richard · 09-07-2008, 11:07 AM

The pruning mantra is "Thin, don't Trim". For every branch that is too tall or too long on a bush or tree, find where it originates and remove it there.

mskitty38583 · 09-07-2008, 01:45 PM

you dont want to remove more then a third of the overall growth.

Randy4ut · 09-07-2008, 03:17 PM

John,
Selective pruning is the best for crepes as Richard stated. All too often they are like you said, crepe murdered and can actually damage the plant in the long run. Selectively remove the tallest limbs and work your way down to a manageable size. Depending on the type of crepe you have, most eventually grow into small trees. I have seen some beautiful ones around town that are carefully pruned and reach heights of 30 feet... Then again, like my neighbor who murders his each year that have that huge polyp at about 6' or so and then some spindly braches on top and they look pitiful... I actually went out earlier today and took out the newer shoots from the ground and left about 4-6 straight ones and just pruned the laterals up to about 4'. Mine are still small (8') but hopefully within the next couple of years, with careful pruning, they will be nice looking crepes that I will be proud of... Best of luck with yours...

john_ny · 09-07-2008, 05:12 PM

Thanks for the help. I guess I'll have to try some type of thinning. This could prove somewhat difficult, because some of them (like the pink one in the picture) have only something like three 3" diameter stems, at ground level, and then branch, mostly at ten feet or more. I've had these for many years.

09-05-2008, 07:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
john_ny Member john_ny's Photo Gallery Location: Staten Island, NY - southernmost county in NY State. Find me on the map! Zone: USDA7- Sunset34 Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 280 BananaBucks : 8,370 Feedback: 5 / 100% Thanks: 29 Thanked 98 Times in 50 Posts Welcomes: 6	Crape Myrtles, too high. In trying to avoid comitting Crape murder (butchering Crape Myrtles by pruning too heavily) I now have plants where the most flowers are 15 to 20 feet off the ground. Except for some rare branches that hang down, like this one, you really can't see the flowers unless you walk along with your head cocked back at a 45º angle. Does anyone have some pruning suggestions for Crapes? Thanks [IMG][/IMG] __________________ John

09-07-2008, 09:39 AM	#2 (permalink)
turtile Junior Member Location: Delaware Find me on the map! Zone: 7a/b Name: John Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 60 BananaBucks : 1,048 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 6 Thanked 18 Times in 15 Posts Welcomes: 0	Re: Crape Myrtles, too high. If you have the space, you can tie weights to the branches so the flowers hang downwards. __________________

09-07-2008, 09:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
Lagniappe Banana Padawan Lagniappe's Photo Gallery Location: North La Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Name: Pete Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 784 BananaBucks : 7,472 Feedback: 20 / 100% Thanks: 176 Thanked 138 Times in 87 Posts Welcomes: 230	Re: Crape Myrtles, too high. I've watched some of the most aggressive pruning with crepe myrtles . The landscapers at the malls and hotels will sometimes be on ladders or thier truck beds with chainsaws cutting them down to half the original size .When they leave there is little more than a 6-8' pole left . __________________ I'm not tipsy ! I'm just not very articulate and maybe a lil tipsy .

09-07-2008, 11:07 AM	#4 (permalink)
Richard Hermitian Operator Richard's Photo Gallery Location: NW San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 9+ / 10- Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,370 BananaBucks : 606 Feedback: 4 / 100% Thanks: 356 Thanked 578 Times in 381 Posts Welcomes: 621	Re: Crape Myrtles, too high. The pruning mantra is "Thin, don't Trim". For every branch that is too tall or too long on a bush or tree, find where it originates and remove it there. __________________ . . . http://www.plantsthatproduce.com

09-07-2008, 01:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
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09-07-2008, 03:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
Randy4ut Moderator Randy4ut's Photo Gallery Location: Cleveland, TN Find me on the map! Zone: 7a/b Name: Randy4ut Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 887 BananaBucks : 14,124 Feedback: 17 / 100% Thanks: 413 Thanked 330 Times in 158 Posts Welcomes: 33	Re: Crape Myrtles, too high. John, Selective pruning is the best for crepes as Richard stated. All too often they are like you said, crepe murdered and can actually damage the plant in the long run. Selectively remove the tallest limbs and work your way down to a manageable size. Depending on the type of crepe you have, most eventually grow into small trees. I have seen some beautiful ones around town that are carefully pruned and reach heights of 30 feet... Then again, like my neighbor who murders his each year that have that huge polyp at about 6' or so and then some spindly braches on top and they look pitiful... I actually went out earlier today and took out the newer shoots from the ground and left about 4-6 straight ones and just pruned the laterals up to about 4'. Mine are still small (8') but hopefully within the next couple of years, with careful pruning, they will be nice looking crepes that I will be proud of... Best of luck with yours... __________________

09-07-2008, 05:12 PM	#7 (permalink)
john_ny Member john_ny's Photo Gallery Location: Staten Island, NY - southernmost county in NY State. Find me on the map! Zone: USDA7- Sunset34 Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 280 BananaBucks : 8,370 Feedback: 5 / 100% Thanks: 29 Thanked 98 Times in 50 Posts Welcomes: 6	Re: Crape Myrtles, too high. Thanks for the help. I guess I'll have to try some type of thinning. This could prove somewhat difficult, because some of them (like the pink one in the picture) have only something like three 3" diameter stems, at ground level, and then branch, mostly at ten feet or more. I've had these for many years. __________________ John

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