[Mrs. Robinson]

Yes -- I have seen it with my own eyes. My guess is that 95% of the residents here have either hacked their crepe myrtle themselves,
or had their landscape person (I use that term very loosely) do it. Very sad because they have possibly ruined the form of their tree.

There is a difference between pruning a shrub or tree or hacking it to death. The latter is what you will mostly see as you drive and walk around the community.
This is the time of year when a crepe myrtle should be pruned and not the fall or during the winter. But making a crepe myrtle look like a hat rack is shameful.

A crepe myrtle should be pruned similarly to the way a rose bush is pruned.
Think of it as a cup.The inside should be open to let in sunlight and to prevent branches from touching one another.
Clip off all suckers as the base. Better yet -- I'm attaching a video from Southern Living's Grumpy Gardner that will tell you exactly what to do -- and what not do!

http://search.aol.com/aol/video?q=gr...yword_rollover

Now . . . After you watch the above video, click on the video next to that one which will tell you how to fix the damage you've already done.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I was told by a tree expert that cutting them back below the "knuckles" that form is the best thing that you can do to keep them looking good.

I believe that most landscapers will tell you the same thing.

I've had them for five years and have always cut them back in the winter and they come back looking great in the summer.

[aninjamom]

Thank you for the video Mrs. Robinson, I have never committed myrtlecide, but have gotten close. Crepe Myrtles are very forgiving, but look so much better without knots!

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

I've had them for five years and have always cut them back in the winter and they come back looking great in the summer.

Ours are close to the house so we cut them right back every February. They always come back very nicely.

I can understand not being so brutal to those well away from the building but, even then, it's a matter of personal choice.


Likewise, we leave our palm fronds on even when they are "hanging low" and the bushy effect is very attractive (plus it helps prevent frost damage to the crown).

The only downside is that every passing "gardener" feels the need to ring our doorbell and inform us how useful he could be :-)

[Mrs. Robinson]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

I was told by a tree expert that cutting them back below the "knuckles" that form is the best thing that you can do to keep them looking good.

I believe that most landscapers will tell you the same thing.

I've had them for five years and have always cut them back in the winter and they come back looking great in the summer.

The truth of the matter, Dr. Boogie, is that they shouldn't have any "knuckles" to begin with.
Also, crepe myrtles aren't trees, although they can be trained as standards.

Please refer to The Grumpy Gardner's second video for expert advice from a landscape maven.

[jimmemac]

]

a different opinion

[billethkid]

I am always impressed with the crepe myrtles that are either in the wild or along highways or medians....nobody trims them and they come back beautifully every year.

I also was told, once upon a time for best results remove center branches and growth and do not remove anything larger than a pencil.

That is what I do and the plant grows and flowers perfectly.

To each his own educated preference(s).

[Rapscallion St Croix]

If I listened to experts I would never be able to enjoy parmesan crusted grouper because according to the elitists, fish and cheese is a no no.

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by Rapscallion St Croix

If I listened to experts I would never be able to enjoy parmesan crusted grouper because according to the elitists, fish and cheese is a no no.

washed down by a glass of red wine, I trust?

[npwalters]

My son leads an industrial landscape team and he calls it Crepe Rape.

[Rapscallion St Croix]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

washed down by a glass of red wine, I trust?

From a carton

[villagetinker]

There was another thread, same title as I recall that has a lot of good info on this subject.

[Bjeanj]

Pruning crape myrtles: Clemson University extension (with pictures!)
HGIC 1009 Crape Myrtle Pruning
: Extension : Clemson University : South Carolina

I am trimming the interior branches of my c. myrtle trying to do it the way this article suggests (took me longer than expected to take a picture).

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by aninjamom

Thank you for the video Mrs. Robinson, I have never committed myrtlecide, but have gotten close. Crepe Myrtles are very forgiving, but look so much better without knots!

I so agree. They have such a beautiful form when left alone. When harshly pruned, they send out long shoots from the knuckle in the spring, and it looks very ungraceful to me. My opinion, anyway. I leave my two alone except for removing sucker shoots and some very light removal of limbs no thicker than a pencil.

[Madelaine Amee]

I, too, hate to see Crepe murder and, unfortunately, I am surrounded by it! However, I have three Crepe Myrtles that have never been murdered, just trimmed of their old seed pods. One is a Natchez which is now about 30ft tall and is just a beautiful ornamental shade tree and two much smaller bush Myrtles.

We did have the Natchez professionally pruned last spring and I just love the shape of it now. The Arborist took out all the inner small branches and just left the main branches which opened it up into almost a shade umbrella.