Zone 6 crepe myrtles

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Adam_M
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Zone 6 crepe myrtles

Post by Adam_M » July 17th, 2021, 12:41 pm

I planted a few enduring summer red crepe myrtles this season and am starting to think about winter. They claim to be zone 6 hardy but I kind of suspect it might only be root hardy. I've got them in my warmest microclimate.

So, what should i be thinking about to prep and keep them happy through winter? I thought i remembered someone up here (Morph, maybe?) with crepe myrtles, and I'm assuming prep should start with good cultural practice now rather then scrambling when it snows.

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MorpheusPA
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Re: Zone 6 crepe myrtles

Post by MorpheusPA » July 17th, 2021, 1:27 pm

Me. I have a Dynamite. I'm in Zone 6B, almost 7A. Right now, it's about seven feet tall, and made it through the last (awful) winter with the wood mass fairly intact. It doesn't always do that. It's about to undergo spectacular blossom, and it's really a gorgeous plant when it does.

Age seems to matter. The first few years, at least, expect to lose it back to the ground. Sprout will be late. Blossom will be "maybe."

First, good for planting them in the best place possible, as did I. Mine is in a corner, sheltered, southwestern.

For this summer and next until established, keep them damp (not exactly a problem this summer). Feed gently throughout, however you like, to keep them growing and the roots establishing. A light feed of any 4-1-2 or so fertilizer every week is perfect. A moderate feed every month is great. Slopping some soybean meal on them in May, August, September, and October is great. Whatever. They're really not that picky. I feed mine with my garden because they blossom, so they tend to bloom really, really heavily.

Mulch them. Three to six inches of mulch will really help with root survival over winter. Take that mulch ring out to a two to three foot radius if you can. Whatever works.

Optionally, a winter mulch of leaves of up to two to three feet will also help (you'll need a burlap ring to contain that). Remove winter mulching when the worst of winter is over, or at least when spring arrives. This helps more if you're trying to maintain them out of zone, but for the first year or three, it would also help if we should happen to get a harsh winter like last year.

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