Crepe Myrtle Pruning

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71GTO
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Crepe Myrtle Pruning

Post by 71GTO » February 27th, 2022, 1:28 pm

I've looked around a bit and most of the Crepe myrtle pruning tips Ive found seem to have a tree thats been trained differently or maybe a different variety... Can anyone give me some tips on shaping this tree up? Since we've been here I just kind of trim back the trim back all the thin branches and thin it a bit. I don't want to hack it down since that seems to be a common no no. Thanks in advance for any help.

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turf_toes
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Re: Crepe Myrtle Pruning

Post by turf_toes » February 27th, 2022, 5:10 pm

Blooms appear on new growth. That’s the general guidance you get for all crepe myrtles. If it were my tree, I’d gradually shape it over several years so I’m not taking too much off in any year.

Ymmv.

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MorpheusPA
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Re: Crepe Myrtle Pruning

Post by MorpheusPA » February 27th, 2022, 9:11 pm

Yep. I grow one up here in east central PA (you can, you just have to be very careful, very gentle, and put 'em in the right place). You can actually shear 'em to the ground and they'll come back...and even blossom that year. Sometimes my weather does that for me (but not this year).

I might be inclined to take off an average of a third of each branch. Make the second shaping cuts in 2023. Then finally pull it into shape for 2024.

Although really, I kind of like the way it looks now, to tell you the truth. Yours is a tree. Mine is more of a shrub.

71GTO
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Re: Crepe Myrtle Pruning

Post by 71GTO » February 28th, 2022, 8:12 pm

Thanks guys. My neighbor planted the same tree maybe 2 seasons ago. It came from nursery the same basic shape as mine, so I think that's generally how they look. I'll just keep on doing what I normally do and keep the same shape, but trim it back and maybe thin a little. It just usually when I see pictures they seem to be tall with no leaves and flowers until the top. My tree is like a big ball...

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