Nothing really screams summer-time in the southern US states like the crape myrtle tree in bloom with its pink flower petals pointing up toward the sky. Generally they grow so nicely and their flowers are so long lasting that people will care for them lovingly as they would care for a member of the family. That is except for the late fall when it is the best time to prune them.
Sadly many people are clueless about the damage they are doing to them as they cut them back to almost nothing. This often leaves an ugly brush looking stump where there was once a beautifully majestic tree before. Often this not only causes the growth to be stunted on them but can lead to them gaining a sickly bush like appearance.
Just as there is a correct time to prune them there is also a proper way to prune them. Many times people severely cut them back thinking this will help them produce more flowering branches the following years. In truth this often causes a shorter blooming time, weaker branches and delayed flowering. This practice is as harmful as it is unnecessary for most trees.
Generally 2-3 months before spring or late winter or is the correct time to start pruning your trees. The best way is to try visually enhance the natural form not trying to make it into unnatural forms and shapes. In a correctly pruned shrubbery, the limbs grow up and to the outside rather than branching to the center
Look over the plant and follow the path its trunk and branches take. Try to focus on the inside rather than the outside. Any limbs you find that cross over other limbs in its interior should be cut out or back. You should also try removing limbs that grow in the incorrect directions or are twisted to some strange or unnatural form.
To remove a limb, follow it back to where it joins to a larger branch or to the trunk. If you look where the two parts meet, you will see an enlarged area called the branch collar. Always prune a minimum of 2 to 3 inches beyond this point, rather than flush with the branch or trunk. In time this outer part of the tree will grow beyond this stub almost as if it was never there.
If you have not pruned it before or it has been a while, you could have to remove several limbs. Do not be afraid of this. Remember to try preserving their natural shapes and not hack it all up. Trunks can often be removed next to the ground, though this generally causes suckers to start shooting up during the summer months.
Always cut straight and smooth. If a branch cracks or breaks before you can finish cutting it make sure you treat it with a sealant to protect your crape myrtle tree from insects and rotting diseases. Always take off a little at a time. It is often much easier to cut a little more off than wait two years for it to grow back.
Sadly many people are clueless about the damage they are doing to them as they cut them back to almost nothing. This often leaves an ugly brush looking stump where there was once a beautifully majestic tree before. Often this not only causes the growth to be stunted on them but can lead to them gaining a sickly bush like appearance.
Just as there is a correct time to prune them there is also a proper way to prune them. Many times people severely cut them back thinking this will help them produce more flowering branches the following years. In truth this often causes a shorter blooming time, weaker branches and delayed flowering. This practice is as harmful as it is unnecessary for most trees.
Generally 2-3 months before spring or late winter or is the correct time to start pruning your trees. The best way is to try visually enhance the natural form not trying to make it into unnatural forms and shapes. In a correctly pruned shrubbery, the limbs grow up and to the outside rather than branching to the center
Look over the plant and follow the path its trunk and branches take. Try to focus on the inside rather than the outside. Any limbs you find that cross over other limbs in its interior should be cut out or back. You should also try removing limbs that grow in the incorrect directions or are twisted to some strange or unnatural form.
To remove a limb, follow it back to where it joins to a larger branch or to the trunk. If you look where the two parts meet, you will see an enlarged area called the branch collar. Always prune a minimum of 2 to 3 inches beyond this point, rather than flush with the branch or trunk. In time this outer part of the tree will grow beyond this stub almost as if it was never there.
If you have not pruned it before or it has been a while, you could have to remove several limbs. Do not be afraid of this. Remember to try preserving their natural shapes and not hack it all up. Trunks can often be removed next to the ground, though this generally causes suckers to start shooting up during the summer months.
Always cut straight and smooth. If a branch cracks or breaks before you can finish cutting it make sure you treat it with a sealant to protect your crape myrtle tree from insects and rotting diseases. Always take off a little at a time. It is often much easier to cut a little more off than wait two years for it to grow back.
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