THANK YOU SO MUCH. This is EXACTLY how I like mine to be cut clean, stunning looking as they mature. Excellent video,right to the correct cutting point.
Great video! I'd love to see more pruning of crepe myrtles out in the landscape. We've recently moved to the south, so I never had experience with them up north.
Good stuff thank you. Would love to see a video on how you get a small crepe myrtle with only one main cane to develop multiple canes? Only thing I can think to do is either hope for some suckers or prune the single main cane way back and hope that it branches.
I have a place that we bought it has 5 crepemyrtle bushes and they look as because they’re just big wide bushes and I am going to try this method. Thank you
thank you SO MUCH for this! I have a super young tree that's growing out of control and needs an urgent pruning, this video was super helpful. cheers from Brazil! ✨🌸
What do you think about using a strap to bind the remaining main trunks so they grow closer together and more vertically? I did that with one of my crepe myrtles. The first year it bloomed late and grew poorly. But the next year it recovered and is now growing an attractive-looking narrow and tall. Being compact I see no need to crop off the top.
I just planted three Red Rocket Crape Myrtles in my yard, each about 6 feet tall. I live in Austin, TX (zone 8), and I’d like to know if there is an ideal time of year to trim them. Thanks!
Thank you so much. I am about to transplant a young red crepe myrtle. I dont like it to be so many legs or trunks. I just want it to be taller like the ones I see when I drive. Do I need to tie them together?
🙋🏼♀️❓@nathan 1)would you start rooting any of the clippings you took from this crêpe myrtle tree? 2) If so, could you explain your preferred way of rooting it. 3)How long will it take to establish if you do root your clippings and branches before they become viable? 4) Is there a best time to trim them back? I’m in zone 9A. Our temperatures are in triple digits currently. Thank you.
sure you could root them. crape myrtles are pretty easy. just cut some smaller pieces about 6 inches long, put in soil in a pot and keep in shade outside, and wet for about 30-60 days. should take root pretty quick
Thank you for the video,,, l want to trim my crepe mrytels do l have to wait till the tree is dormant????? Were on Fall and my tree stop flowering already??? I seen videos that you should trim the trees like half of winter????????
@@dothannurseries6308 I don't think so... wouldn't you get a lot of suckers back where you've pruned the limbs if you do this during growing season? I think this should be done while dormant, late winter.
That is fine showing, now what do you know about c. m. seeds? I successfully got one to germinate from a dozen or so that i planted. At a loss on how to handle it after it grows its 3 or 4 leaves.
Sorry Anthony, what seems to happen after 3 or 4 leaves come out? Sometimes having some air to move the stems helps them become stronger, if the stem is failing as the get weight on them.
@@dothannurseries6308 Well its not Aug and it has grown to 7 inches, but eventually in my neighborhood, c. m. go dormant around late Sept or early Oct. How does one handle 1 7 inch cutting indoors? Anyone?
Hi Mr. Tim! You're welcome to trim it now if you'd like. However if you trim it now you will cut off your pretty blooms. I'd wait until it is done blooming and cut it back then. Hope this helps. Have a great day!
Bought a house last year where the previous owner butchered all nine beautiful crape myrtles. We had a freeze apocalypse (2021) in Texas which seems to have killed the main trunks. Suckers have shot out from the base of all the trees and are budding out. What can I do to help my poor trees?
I would make sure to feed them a good slow-release fertilizer to help them recover. I'd also trim off any dead branches so all the tree's energy goes to being healthy again. Best of luck!
Do you have to continue to cut these small branches every year? I see people with completely smooth trunks and I always wonder how they do that. It doesn’t appear any small branches even attempting to grow.
Any advice for people who have let their Crepe Myrtle grow a single 20 ft straight trunk, with horizontal side branches? Can the tree be cut back & grown into a multi-trunk plant?
What kind of crape myrtle is that? What is the smallest crape myrtle that can be limbed up so that a person can walk under it? Can it be done to a 16' myrtle? Or is there a minimum height needed?
The one we are pruning in video is a Dynamite Crape Myrtle. Most of the semi-dwarf crape myrtles like the Dynamite grow to about 12-15 feet tall. So it would be a fine one to walk under. I guess the minimum height I'd say would be about 10 feet tall.
Does it matter when you do this? I have one that is a big shrub right now. I want to train it to a tree. It's August now... Do it now? or wait until winter?
You can do it now, but be careful not to over do it. Go light and then wait till late December if you decide to go more heavily into pruning it. I am in the same situation right now haha.
@@aaronwilliams9460 Keep the roots clear and just wait for your first thick trunk and go from there (: I can't show you the work I did on mine but she's pretty
Agreed. While the lopped off trees look OK when they're covered with leaves and the inflected horror concealed, when those leaves fall in the fall the result-a bunch of branches spreading out from the lopped-off point looks awful.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. This is EXACTLY how I like mine to be cut clean, stunning looking as they mature. Excellent video,right to the correct cutting point.
Finally found a video explaining how to achieve this look. Thank you!!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you for showing a really clean trim job. It’s always scary to cut off a lower branch but this shows the benefit.
Simple, but very effective tutorial on pruning correctly. Well done ,Sir.
Great video! I bought a home last year with 3 overgrown and unkept Crape Myrtles and I've been wanting to take better care of them :)
Glad this helped!
Same here! This is exactly what I was looking for.
Great video! I'd love to see more pruning of crepe myrtles out in the landscape. We've recently moved to the south, so I never had experience with them up north.
Perfect. Thank you, this was just what I was looking for!
I have like 12 in my yard. But they are Bushes. Going to try this method on a couple of them. If I like the way it looks I’m going to keep going
Good stuff thank you. Would love to see a video on how you get a small crepe myrtle with only one main cane to develop multiple canes? Only thing I can think to do is either hope for some suckers or prune the single main cane way back and hope that it branches.
I have a place that we bought it has 5 crepemyrtle bushes and they look as because they’re just big wide bushes and I am going to try this method. Thank you
Thank you! This is super helpful 👍
thank you SO MUCH for this! I have a super young tree that's growing out of control and needs an urgent pruning, this video was super helpful. cheers from Brazil! ✨🌸
Thanks you! This is what I have been looking for... 👍🏼
Glad we could help!
Thanks for the video. One of the best! I already pruned but I need more done. Appreciate you.
Thanks for sharing. I'm trying to Tain my cm shrubs into trees. This was helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
I prune my crepe myrtles and my rose of Sharon like this.
What do you think about using a strap to bind the remaining main trunks so they grow closer together and more vertically? I did that with one of my crepe myrtles. The first year it bloomed late and grew poorly. But the next year it recovered and is now growing an attractive-looking narrow and tall. Being compact I see no need to crop off the top.
I just planted three Red Rocket Crape Myrtles in my yard, each about 6 feet tall. I live in Austin, TX (zone 8), and I’d like to know if there is an ideal time of year to trim them. Thanks!
nice video
Great video!! Just what I needed.
Thank you so much. I am about to transplant a young red crepe myrtle. I dont like it to be so many legs or trunks. I just want it to be taller like the ones I see when I drive.
Do I need to tie them together?
Great video, very informative. Quick question when is the best time to prune crape Myrtle’s. Should it be done only in the fall 1x per year?
@@aishataviator the best time is February right before the new growth hits in spring. That way your tree doesn’t look so ugly all winter.
@@dothannurseries6308 thank you so much
Great video!
Great information! I can’t find similar videos on River birch. Would this pruning method be appropriate for those? Thanks
wow, thank you. So informative
What about the suckers that are coming from the bottom soil level? I now have this big "knot" around the bottom of my crepe myrtle???
🙋🏼♀️❓@nathan 1)would you start rooting any of the clippings you took from this crêpe myrtle tree? 2) If so, could you explain your preferred way of rooting it. 3)How long will it take to establish if you do root your clippings and branches before they become viable? 4) Is there a best time to trim them back? I’m in zone 9A. Our temperatures are in triple digits currently. Thank you.
sure you could root them. crape myrtles are pretty easy. just cut some smaller pieces about 6 inches long, put in soil in a pot and keep in shade outside, and wet for about 30-60 days. should take root pretty quick
@@MindyBoone-th5ek rooting hormone as well? Thank you for responding.
When do you start? Mine are low bushes, do I prune them now or wait till they grow taller?
Thank you! Great video
How do you keep the suckers coming up from the ground gone??
Thank You. I utlized this method today.
Thank you for the video,,, l want to trim my crepe mrytels do l have to wait till the tree is dormant????? Were on Fall and my tree stop flowering already??? I seen videos that you should trim the trees like half of winter????????
I just planted two crepe myrtle that are about 3' tall. How big do you let them grow before you prune them the first time?
He left a big trunk that crosses and rubs another. That one should've been taken off too
He knows what he’s doing
Can this type of cleanup be done during summer while it is blooming?
absolutely!
@@dothannurseries6308 I don't think so... wouldn't you get a lot of suckers back where you've pruned the limbs if you do this during growing season? I think this should be done while dormant, late winter.
GREAT INFO. THANKS
I got a bare root crape myrtle with one trunk and very low branches, will the trunk grow anymore, I have it in a pot at the moment?
Hi, do you have a video on how to trim a Crete Myrtle with one trunk? Thx
Well done
the old lady hates when i do this.
No flowers on CM so I am assuming this pruning is done in the Spring? Please advise.
Thanks
@@colinburke3758 yes. February or early spring.
That is fine showing, now what do you know about c. m. seeds? I successfully got one to germinate from a dozen or so that i planted. At a loss on how to handle it after it grows its 3 or 4 leaves.
Sorry Anthony, what seems to happen after 3 or 4 leaves come out? Sometimes having some air to move the stems helps them become stronger, if the stem is failing as the get weight on them.
@@dothannurseries6308 Well its not Aug and it has grown to 7 inches, but eventually in my neighborhood, c. m. go dormant around late Sept or early Oct. How does one handle 1 7 inch cutting indoors? Anyone?
so helpful, ty!
Can I Prune my crate Myrtle in June?
My Dynamite crepe myrtles here in Pennsylvania is just starting to bud July 23rd can I trim up now?
Hi Mr. Tim! You're welcome to trim it now if you'd like. However if you trim it now you will cut off your pretty blooms. I'd wait until it is done blooming and cut it back then. Hope this helps. Have a great day!
Bought a house last year where the previous owner butchered all nine beautiful crape myrtles. We had a freeze apocalypse (2021) in Texas which seems to have killed the main trunks. Suckers have shot out from the base of all the trees and are budding out. What can I do to help my poor trees?
I would make sure to feed them a good slow-release fertilizer to help them recover. I'd also trim off any dead branches so all the tree's energy goes to being healthy again. Best of luck!
@@dothannurseries6308 thank you! I will find a slow release fertilizer and do some trimming! Hopefully that will help my poor trees
Do you have to continue to cut these small branches every year? I see people with completely smooth trunks and I always wonder how they do that. It doesn’t appear any small branches even attempting to grow.
It just happens over time. Just keep cutting off the little suckers and it will eventually stop putting them out as the bark becomes thicker
@@jdboone1 Thank you!!
In my admitted limited experience, cutting those small side branches as close to the main trunk as possible make them less likely to grown back.
Any advice for people who have let their Crepe Myrtle grow a single 20 ft straight trunk, with horizontal side branches? Can the tree be cut back & grown into a multi-trunk plant?
probably not at this point, sorry
What time of year should this be done?
February is the best time. Allows for new growth in spring.
what size planter is that in?
@@WeirdFlex looks like what we call a 15 gallon nursery pot.
What kind of crape myrtle is that? What is the smallest crape myrtle that can be limbed up so that a person can walk under it? Can it be done to a 16' myrtle? Or is there a minimum height needed?
The one we are pruning in video is a Dynamite Crape Myrtle. Most of the semi-dwarf crape myrtles like the Dynamite grow to about 12-15 feet tall. So it would be a fine one to walk under. I guess the minimum height I'd say would be about 10 feet tall.
@@jdboone1 Thanks!
Is it ok to take last years seed pods off?
it is fine to do that, yes
Does it matter when you do this? I have one that is a big shrub right now. I want to train it to a tree. It's August now... Do it now? or wait until winter?
You can do it now, but be careful not to over do it. Go light and then wait till late December if you decide to go more heavily into pruning it. I am in the same situation right now haha.
@@brandonwatson2240 sounds good. It was a tree, then a -15 winter blast killed it. Starting back over !
@@aaronwilliams9460 Keep the roots clear and just wait for your first thick trunk and go from there (: I can't show you the work I did on mine but she's pretty
Cutting straight across or topping them off IS wrong
Agreed. While the lopped off trees look OK when they're covered with leaves and the inflected horror concealed, when those leaves fall in the fall the result-a bunch of branches spreading out from the lopped-off point looks awful.
"It's not wrong to cut the top off of it"~?~?!!! You just lost all credibility as a Southern garden/landscape "expert", sir. SO SAD!
Sorry you feel that way. Have a great day.