Excellent presentation. You did an amazing job keeping the viewer engaged. It not often I can watch an entire 30 minute video on TH-cam without getting distracted. You were spot on. Great job.
I like your Limbing Up techniques. I planted seven six footers this spring and they were fine for a few days and then the deer ate 95% of the leaves and all of the flowers. I brewed up a smelly hot solution of cayenne pepper, garlic, water and dawn dishwashing soap. I spray it on and near the crepe myrtles and the deer will not go anywhere near them. Now they are healthy and bushy, ready for sculpting. Thank You
I must agree with others... this is THE BEST & ONLY VIDEO on the "limbing up" topic of a crepe myrtle. AND THANK YOU... FOR NOT "MURDERING" the tree, in this and your other crepe myrtle video. You have won a new subscriber!
This video is exactly what I needed. Thank you for sharing your thought process for each cut you made. I’m excited to go out and turn my crepe myrtles into beautiful trees!
Very nice and informative. I’ve got about a dozen ancient myrtles that have been hacked to about 6 feet multiple times by chainsaws and am really trying to get them back to a healthy state with strong growth. Been looking for videos that help and although this doesn’t deal with that issue the principles applied here work well as my myrtles have a huge number of small weak branches that really need thinning and shaping. Really useful.
I would love to see a video about how to deal with those trees that have been "murdered" repeatedly but are now growing out. I also have a younger tree that has not ever been trimmed. These trees make a huge mess this time of year -- dropping leaves and seed pods. I live in a patio home on a d small cul de sac and I feel like my trees are now looking too big even though they are beautiful Natchez whites that are lovely in June/July but a big mess comin into the fall. Thank you, Garden Guru, for your attention to detail in these videos! (I'm in the deep South, FYI.)
This is so helpful. This is a wonderful video that taught me so much about my crepe myrtles. I feel really confident to do this to them now. Thank you so much. Just excellent.
Thank you so much for sharing this video. I recently moved to the south and inherited a crêpe myrtle at the front of my home. I really don’t know what to do with it, but it is starting to impinge on the corner of the gutter line. This video will give me a starting point in which to deal with it.
Thank you! I know understand how to cut my shrub into multiple limb tree. Would love to see your suggestions on companion plants for under myrtle. Thanks again!
Thank you for this! I planted a Dynamite last Fall and she has really outdone herself with blooms this summer. Unfortunately it was the last one when I bought it so she only has 2 trunks. I didn’t do much pruning on it this Winter because I wanted to let her bloom her first summer. Of course it has a ton of suckers but my question is aside from the suckers (one I’m training to be my 3rd trunk) when should I start limbing up? I don’t want to cut off any future top growth. She’s about 6 ft talk now. Thank you!
Very good video, you were disappointed in losing your blooms so I wonder if you could take them inside as cut flowers, or possibly grow new trees from the cuttings?
Great video! I’ve been contemplating purchasing some very young plants for a great price. The only thing holding me back was the fear of getting them to eventually look like the trees. I think that I am ready to pull the trigger now! Thank You for the great tips & tricks!
Excellent. I bought a few Red Rooster crepe myrtles. I planted some semi dwarf CM too, and I hope to be able to “ bonsai” it but in a 4-5 ft height. Like a miniature CM
Thank you very informative quite surprisingly my crape here in zone 6b I have gotten them as tall as 8 to 9ft and I am going to try this technique.thank you
Hi ! Love the video!!! I have a question, I just planted a Sioux crape myrtle , about 3 months ago,, it blooms but blooms lasts like a week and start faded off also some of leaves kind of shrink I think that’s the word , is this normal on new tree ( crape Myrtle )
I prefer to prune mine about 2 feet up for a bush. My largest limbs are about 2" near the bottom. I tried doing it 3 feet up, but it doesn't bloom very well. The long skinny branches are what you need for blooms. Next time, I can prune farther up. Should fill in nicely next year. 🌳
I'm so glad I found you and appreciate your video so much. We have two crepe myrtles that are 1 1/2 years old. They are bushy for sure. So I can't wait to get out there this evening. I do have a question? In the fall when you just have limbs, then what do you do?
Thank you for this film. My problem Crape Myrtle is that it is a lollipop. One single long trunk topped by a wide arch of branches. The trunk is only about N inch and a half and it seems the dense foliage on top may be too heavy for t It. I definitely would have preferred a multi trunks tree but this is what was planted by the landscaper. Should I allow a sucker that appears to be coming from the ground (it’s about an inch from the truck to continue to grow for visual interest? And are there any tips for how to prune the top of the tree? It’s about 11 feet tall.
Great video glad I found it. I have a question for you. I see a lot of single trunk Crete Myrles in the central Florida area where I live. If I buy like a 3 to 5 gallon Crete Myrle tree with 3 to 4 trunks in it can I separate them and plant them individually? Thanks
Great video, but I do have a question. Many videos say to not cut off the limb collar when pruning, but you are insistent that the pruning be flush with the trunk, presumably removing the collar. Am I missing something?
I have watched you video and enjoyed it. I have a question. Someone took an overgrown Crepe Myrtle cut it off at the ground. Now a few months later it is now a 5' x 3' bush. They chopped because it got too tall. If you cut it back to make a single trunk tree out of it can you do anything to get rid of all the other stalks that will come up?
I love your energy and the content and how thorough you are and explaining every little detail. So I am about to embark on my first grape myrtles and I came up with this genius idea to plant four of them together and try to braid or twist each tree and the trunk obviously and then I'm hoping to learn how to directionalize The branches as they grow so that it will become an incorporated multicolored tree instead of a sectional colored tree. I hope that makes sense. The whole point is to have each of the flowers going everywhere within the tree and not end up with four quarters of solid colors. So onto my question for you. Do you have any videos on how to do this I'm very small crepe myrtles to get them going? I have a landscaper that was going to be doing it but he is turning out to be not a great fit for me. So I am trying to figure out how to do this I have instructions but I'm very visual. Any help you could give me I would greatly appreciate! By the way I live in zone 9 so they will get full sun.
I planted a nice 5gallon Natchez a few years ago. The main leaders are about 3/4” dia. and are now 6 to 7 foot tall and really weep out to the sides. I am worried about the flimsy tops once they bloom. I have them staked and controlled but I think in the late fall it might be time to top the tree a foot or so to promote more branching. Would this be correct ??
Hi I just planted a 15 gallons crepe myrtle my question how often should I water it, I live in Southern California and is only one trunk, I really appreciate if u help me. Thank you in advance.
This was incredibly helpful! A question though- is there ANY chance that you could use any of the branches you cut off to start a new tree? Can you use them to propagate?
I am no propagation expert, simple answer is yes, you can propagate crepe myrtles from cuttings, you need to do it in the summer months, June-August, and you would prefer to use some new growth that has hardened off some. Cut the piece about 6-8 inches long, keeping about 3-4 nodes on it, and some of the leaves. Use a rooting hormone if you have it, or just stick in a good bark based mixture, mix with peat if you have it, place half the cutting under the soil, keep moist and keep it in the shade, should root in about 3-4 weeks, plant in the fall! Warning, most varieties have a patent, patents last 20 years, so check on the variety if you know it to make sure it’s past the patent timeframe and it’s lawful to propagate!
Hi Mike! Wondering if you might consider doing a video on how to overwinter crepe myrtle in a pot, indoors. I live in New England, but would love to learn if crepe myrtles would work in pots outside in the summer, but allow them to go dormant indoors (basement with grow lights maybe?) through the winter months. They are one of my favorite trees, but they just won't survive the brutal winters in the north.
If I lived in New England I wouldn't even glance at a crepe myrtle...you already have access to so many more beautiful options (in my opinion of course)
I have a mertle that has 4 trunks a little over 1 inch diameter. My issue is each year it grows very tall limbs straight up. It blooms fine but the tree will not fill out and become more like a tree. How can I prune it to get it fuller and less just tall and straight up? I hope you won't mind sharing some advice. Thanks in advance.
I have this tree for 20 years but it doesn't bloom ☹️no matter what fertilize it gets,can you please help me thanks you, great program , have a great day,
Thanks from South Africa. I am planning to plant two soon. Are they fast growing? At 68 years of age I need something in the line of fast to medium growers.
I asked my nursery the same question this spring: the taller-type crapes (Muskogee etc) have the fastest growing rates, can grow a few feet a year after the first year 😊
No, they will not grow roots. Many crepe myrtles have smaller "sucker" plants that pop up around the established crepe myrtle tree, these can be dug up to make more crepe myrtle trees. However, it can take a long time to establish a tree this way and it is not always successful. If you are looking to have another tree, you may just want to visit your local garden center and purchase another.
Thank you for making a video that actually shows you pruning and not just talking about how to prune.
Excellent presentation. You did an amazing job keeping the viewer engaged. It not often I can watch an entire 30 minute video on TH-cam without getting distracted. You were spot on. Great job.
I'm sooo glad you took those last 2 off. They were killing my OCD lol. Beautiful tree!
AMEN!
This was the best explanation of pruning I’ve seen on TH-cam. Great video.
Thank you for showing us how to cut and the reasons to consider each trim. Very thorough.
I like your Limbing Up techniques. I planted seven six footers this spring and they were fine for a few days and then the deer ate 95% of the leaves and all of the flowers. I brewed up a smelly hot solution of cayenne pepper, garlic, water and dawn dishwashing soap. I spray it on and near the crepe myrtles and the deer will not go anywhere near them. Now they are healthy and bushy, ready for sculpting.
Thank You
I must agree with others... this is THE BEST & ONLY VIDEO on the "limbing up" topic of a crepe myrtle. AND THANK YOU... FOR NOT "MURDERING" the tree, in this and your other crepe myrtle video. You have won a new subscriber!
Glad you enjoyed it! Proper pruning is super important to caring for crepe myrtles. 🙂
Really loved this video! I’m a visual learner and this was incredibly helpful!
Happy to hear that!
❤You are the Bob Ross of crepe myrtles!😂
This video is exactly what I needed. Thank you for sharing your thought process for each cut you made. I’m excited to go out and turn my crepe myrtles into beautiful trees!
Glad to hear! Happy pruning. 🙂
Very nice and informative. I’ve got about a dozen ancient myrtles that have been hacked to about 6 feet multiple times by chainsaws and am really trying to get them back to a healthy state with strong growth. Been looking for videos that help and although this doesn’t deal with that issue the principles applied here work well as my myrtles have a huge number of small weak branches that really need thinning and shaping. Really useful.
I would love to see a video about how to deal with those trees that have been "murdered" repeatedly but are now growing out. I also have a younger tree that has not ever been trimmed. These trees make a huge mess this time of year -- dropping leaves and seed pods. I live in a patio home on a d small cul de sac and I feel like my trees are now looking too big even though they are beautiful Natchez whites that are lovely in June/July but a big mess comin into the fall. Thank you, Garden Guru, for your attention to detail in these videos! (I'm in the deep South, FYI.)
Thank you so much; this was exactly what I was looking for. I was afraid to hurt my dynamite crepe myrtle with pruning but now I feel confident.
❤You’re a great speaker/teacher!❤ Thanks!!❤
great pointers and YES - the trunk structure is always the thing to check on first!
You shared some great information that I plan to use. Thank you for this informative video.
Very well done; thank you for sharing such a quality video.
Thanks, I needed that! ❤🪴
No problem 🙂
Very informative.
Glad you enjoyed it!
I have 3 shrubby crepes and now I know what I need to do! Thank you for this information!
This is so helpful. This is a wonderful video that taught me so much about my crepe myrtles. I feel really confident to do this to them now. Thank you so much. Just excellent.
Very good presentation. You made this good to understand.
Very nice- love the results! 💚
Great pruning demonstration. 👍
Fantastic
Thanks for showing good pruning technique and clearing up the issues about the collar, suckers, and what you can do in summer !
Great instructions. I’ve got several that were killed back in a heavy late freeze and are coming back. This helps me start pruning tham.
Thank you. Best I've seen on limbing up crepe myrtles. Appreciate it.
Thank you for an informative entertaining presentation.
Amazing result. Truly zen moment
Looks so pretty after trimming. Thank you
Oh my goodness this is what I need to do.
Thank you! Great video. I would like to know how to thin out a single trunk young Natchez.
Thank you for your time and knowledge!
Great job on your teaching the content and how you use the techniques ❤
Thanks so much!
Great tutorial! Thanks 😊
This is the best video I have seen on how to train myrtles. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for sharing!!
You are so welcome!
Beautiful job! Thank you so much for the education!
Thank you. This was an awesome example.
Glad you liked it!
Great job.
Great video! Thank you
This was awesome, thank you! 😃
You're so welcome!
Lots of good information in this video. Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing this video. I recently moved to the south and inherited a crêpe myrtle at the front of my home. I really don’t know what to do with it, but it is starting to impinge on the corner of the gutter line. This video will give me a starting point in which to deal with it.
U are an excellent teacher, amazing explanation, great video
"Chop the tree down!!" 😂❤ "Chop!, Chop, chop!" 🍻
great job, thanks
This video was very very helpful, thanks for sharing.
Glad it was helpful!
Super helpful! Thank you!
You're welcome!
Thank you! I know understand how to cut my shrub into multiple limb tree. Would love to see your suggestions on companion plants for under myrtle. Thanks again!
You are an amazing teacher
Thank you for this! I planted a Dynamite last Fall and she has really outdone herself with blooms this summer. Unfortunately it was the last one when I bought it so she only has 2 trunks. I didn’t do much pruning on it this Winter because I wanted to let her bloom her first summer. Of course it has a ton of suckers but my question is aside from the suckers (one I’m training to be my 3rd trunk) when should I start limbing up? I don’t want to cut off any future top growth. She’s about 6 ft talk now. Thank you!
It looks great. I prune my crepe myrtles like this. I like to prune some of my other shrubs such as lilacs like this.
Very good video, you were disappointed in losing your blooms so I wonder if you could take them inside as cut flowers, or possibly grow new trees from the cuttings?
Great video! I’ve been contemplating purchasing some very young plants for a great price. The only thing holding me back was the fear of getting them to eventually look like the trees. I think that I am ready to pull the trigger now!
Thank You for the great tips & tricks!
Excellent. I bought a few Red Rooster crepe myrtles. I planted some semi dwarf CM too, and I hope to be able to “ bonsai” it but in a 4-5 ft height. Like a miniature CM
You should definitely be able to! Have fun!
Will Crepe Myrtles trees do well in Zone 6? Any special winter precautions required? Thanks.
Thank you very informative quite surprisingly my crape here in zone 6b I have gotten them as tall as 8 to 9ft and I am going to try this technique.thank you
I love the crepe myrtles, mine are watermelon. Also I had a red bud tree.
Hi ! Love the video!!!
I have a question, I just planted a Sioux crape myrtle , about 3 months ago,, it blooms but blooms lasts like a week and start faded off also some of leaves kind of shrink I think that’s the word , is this normal on new tree ( crape Myrtle )
Amazing work, thank you so much for these videos!
Glad you are enjoying them!
I love this video, lots of good information, can someone tell me how to get in touch with Mike?? I have a couple of questions
Great video!
I prefer to prune mine about 2 feet up for a bush. My largest limbs are about 2" near the bottom. I tried doing it 3 feet up, but it doesn't bloom very well. The long skinny branches are what you need for blooms. Next time, I can prune farther up. Should fill in nicely next year. 🌳
I'm so glad I found you and appreciate your video so much. We have two crepe myrtles that are 1 1/2 years old. They are bushy for sure. So I can't wait to get out there this evening. I do have a question? In the fall when you just have limbs, then what do you do?
Thank you for this film. My problem Crape Myrtle is that it is a lollipop. One single long trunk topped by a wide arch of branches. The trunk is only about N inch and a half and it seems the dense foliage on top may be too heavy for t
It. I definitely would have preferred a multi trunks tree but this is what was planted by the landscaper. Should I allow a sucker that appears to be coming from the ground (it’s about an inch from the truck to continue to grow for visual interest? And are there any tips for how to prune the top of the tree? It’s about 11 feet tall.
Can you do anything with what was cut away?
Can you tell me how much will my 3ft-6ft mertles grow this year? I'm so anxious to see them as trees.
Great video glad I found it. I have a question for you. I see a lot of single trunk Crete Myrles in the central Florida area where I live. If I buy like a 3 to 5 gallon Crete Myrle tree with 3 to 4 trunks in it can I separate them and plant them individually? Thanks
Thank you for this video. Can I do this with an established Rose of Sharon bush?
If it's at its lowest hardiness zone, will pruning to tree make it more vulnerable to harsh winters, help it, or would it not matter?
I would propagate that one pole branch....i would have gone down to the roots for it it. Most of the crepes have roots right after the dirt level.
❤❤❤
Thank you😊
Thank you
Great video, but I do have a question. Many videos say to not cut off the limb collar when pruning, but you are insistent that the pruning be flush with the trunk, presumably removing the collar. Am I missing something?
I have watched you video and enjoyed it. I have a question. Someone took an overgrown Crepe Myrtle cut it off at the ground. Now a few months later it is now a 5' x 3' bush. They chopped because it got too tall. If you cut it back to make a single trunk tree out of it can you do anything to get rid of all the other stalks that will come up?
I love your energy and the content and how thorough you are and explaining every little detail. So I am about to embark on my first grape myrtles and I came up with this genius idea to plant four of them together and try to braid or twist each tree and the trunk obviously and then I'm hoping to learn how to directionalize The branches as they grow so that it will become an incorporated multicolored tree instead of a sectional colored tree. I hope that makes sense. The whole point is to have each of the flowers going everywhere within the tree and not end up with four quarters of solid colors. So onto my question for you. Do you have any videos on how to do this I'm very small crepe myrtles to get them going? I have a landscaper that was going to be doing it but he is turning out to be not a great fit for me. So I am trying to figure out how to do this I have instructions but I'm very visual. Any help you could give me I would greatly appreciate!
By the way I live in zone 9 so they will get full sun.
Thank you ❤
Welcome!
Amazing 🎉🎉..thanks
Most welcome 😊
I planted a nice 5gallon Natchez a few years ago. The main leaders are about 3/4” dia. and are now 6 to 7 foot tall and really weep out to the sides. I am worried about the flimsy tops once they bloom. I have them staked and controlled but I think in the late fall it might be time to top the tree a foot or so to promote more branching. Would this be correct ??
Hi I just planted a 15 gallons crepe myrtle my question how often should I water it, I live in Southern California and is only one trunk, I really appreciate if u help me. Thank you in advance.
Are the cut flowering branches worth putting in vase to enjoy for a bit as a bonus?
Love tis
I would like to know long u have to steak the tree?
This was incredibly helpful!
A question though- is there ANY chance that you could use any of the branches you cut off to start a new tree? Can you use them to propagate?
I am no propagation expert, simple answer is yes, you can propagate crepe myrtles from cuttings, you need to do it in the summer months, June-August, and you would prefer to use some new growth that has hardened off some. Cut the piece about 6-8 inches long, keeping about 3-4 nodes on it, and some of the leaves. Use a rooting hormone if you have it, or just stick in a good bark based mixture, mix with peat if you have it, place half the cutting under the soil, keep moist and keep it in the shade, should root in about 3-4 weeks, plant in the fall! Warning, most varieties have a patent, patents last 20 years, so check on the variety if you know it to make sure it’s past the patent timeframe and it’s lawful to propagate!
Hello Mike , l just subscribed, such a great video and good information. How can l contact you to ask a couple questions. Thanks
Can the discarded growth be potted and survive?
What number Felco pruners are you using? I go for the limbed up look. Good tutorial.
I use #2 Felco pruners! Thanks for watching.
What if it’s already tree size? How do you prune that?
Hi Mike! Wondering if you might consider doing a video on how to overwinter crepe myrtle in a pot, indoors. I live in New England, but would love to learn if crepe myrtles would work in pots outside in the summer, but allow them to go dormant indoors (basement with grow lights maybe?) through the winter months. They are one of my favorite trees, but they just won't survive the brutal winters in the north.
If I lived in New England I wouldn't even glance at a crepe myrtle...you already have access to so many more beautiful options (in my opinion of course)
I have a mertle that has 4 trunks a little over 1 inch diameter. My issue is each year it grows very tall limbs straight up. It blooms fine but the tree will not fill out and become more like a tree. How can I prune it to get it fuller and less just tall and straight up? I hope you won't mind sharing some advice. Thanks in advance.
are these good shadow trees?
I have this tree for 20 years but it doesn't bloom ☹️no matter what fertilize it gets,can you please help me thanks you, great program , have a great day,
Nice! I can do that ❤
Pruning should be a choice.... my brother 😂
Is that one tree of two in the pot, I have small ones with one trunk, about 2-3ft, could I put two together?
Thanks from South Africa. I am planning to plant two soon.
Are they fast growing?
At 68 years of age I need something in the line of fast to medium growers.
I asked my nursery the same question this spring: the taller-type crapes (Muskogee etc) have the fastest growing rates, can grow a few feet a year after the first year 😊
Bashams Party Pink is supposed to be the fastest grower and one of the largest.
When to prune a new crepe myrtle shrub into a tree?
can we replant the branches that were cut?
No, they will not grow roots. Many crepe myrtles have smaller "sucker" plants that pop up around the established crepe myrtle tree, these can be dug up to make more crepe myrtle trees. However, it can take a long time to establish a tree this way and it is not always successful. If you are looking to have another tree, you may just want to visit your local garden center and purchase another.
Update? Did the trees live?