02/23/2022
Just say NO to crape murder!!! Put down the chainsaw and pick up the hand-held loppers instead.
❌When severe and senseless pruning takes place it produces flushes of weak shoots barely able to hold the summer flower clusters. The severe pruning can also delay flower development.
Here's the correct way to prune a crape myrtle:
âś…You need sharp pruning tools whose use depends on the diameter of the branches and limbs. Use bypass pruners to easily cut back branches up to 3/4 inch in diameter. For branches up to 1 3/4 inches in diameter, use a robust set of loppers. Use a pruning saw on any branches larger than that.
âś…The best-looking crape myrtles are multi-trunked and well-structured. Maintaining an odd number of trunks, such as three or five, looks great and preserves enough space for the tree to produce strong growth.
âś…Remove any unwanted trunks. Cut them as close to the ground as you can. Then choose the height where you want the branching to start and remove lower branches back to the main trunk.
âś…Remove any branches that are growing into the center of the tree canopy and any that are crossing or rubbing against each other. This creates space and opens the canopy, reducing the chance of diseases.
✅Finish with the removal of small, thin branches. Use your index finger as an approximate size guide to determine which ones to remove. It’s common for crape myrtles of any age or size to have suckers sprout up around the base. Simply use your hand pruners and cut these off without leaving a stub.
📽️More of a visual person? Watch our "how to" video here: http://ow.ly/Xt9550HNayg
Also, stay tuned for a follow-up post later in the week where we discuss crape myrtle planting considerations and disease info!
