I added an "after" picture of the large crepe myrtle in the forefront after I trimmed it (see post #13). Thoughts? Suggestions before I do any others?

Here is one of ours. We think how we raise our Crepe Myrtle and our children is our own decision.

However we think this one is lookin' good.

"Bonanza" - music theme - Bing video

You are on the right track, Bjeanj.
Although much larger in stature, crepe myrtles should be trimmed much like a rose bush with the center open and new growth on the outside of each branch.

In a previous comment I mentioned that it is virtually impossible to kill a crepe myrtle, regardless of how someone prunes it.

That being said, there is still a correct way to do it.

How someone raises their crepe myrtle and their children is certainly one's own decision.
However, I have seen many crepe myrtles pruned correctly by parents and their kids are hellions. :a040:

Mrs. Robinson, you remind me of a person who used to post on this forum who was a master gardener. I bet you are too.

Not personally being an arborist, I'm wondering if a crepe myrtle is actually murdered (even if it's second degree), can it then be cut down, processed and repurposed into... crepe paper?



:D

Regardless, nothing has been murdered, and nothing has been killed. We are pruning vegetation back to where we think it will look good. These shrubs or whatever they are always come back and are beautiful.

groan!!

Not too complicated.. If you wanna block something or someone FAST... Plant bottle brush and walk away for fifteen minutes. Don't plant those little low to the ground evergreens, they get squirrelier by the month. Gardenias look good for two hours max. Plumbagos are big and pretty and blue if you treat them right. Bougainvilla's can take over and grow clear down to Orlando but their color, oh my. Hibiscus give you a lot of bang for your bucks. Hollys are pretty. Crepe Myrtle are indistructable. Palm trees need trimming and then removed and they bring palm rats.

More Complicated Than you Say