Should I cut the seed pods off crepe myrtle?

The balls at the end of crape myrtle branches are seed pods that formed from the flowers last summer. They do not hurt the tree and will not affect flowering this summer. A: The short answer is no. You do not need to cut off the balls at the end of the branches.

Should I remove old blooms from crepe myrtle?

ANSWER: Cutting the clusters of faded flowers or seed pods off is optional. Most gardeners consider deadheading crape myrtle trees more trouble than it's worth, but it's certainly something you may do. Sometimes it's recommended to ensure another flush of late-summer blooms.

What happens if you don't prune crepe myrtles?

Leaving it alone will result in a pretty raggedy-looking tree, and it won't grow as quickly either. The new growth will emerge on its own from the fresh cuts, and if you trim at just the right point, you'll encourage way more blooms to appear.

Can you plant crepe myrtle seed pods?

Once brown, these seedpods split open, resembling small flowers. These seed capsules usually ripen in the fall and can be collected, dried and saved for sowing in spring. To propagate crepe myrtle from seed, gently press the seeds into moist potting mix or composted soil using a regular sized pot or planting tray.

Is it hard to grow crepe myrtle from seed?

But if you have a non-hybrid variety, or if you don't have a specific variety in mind, it's easy to propagate crape myrtles from seed.

Crape Myrtle Seed Pods

Do crepe myrtles reseed?

Rather, the tree reproduces so readily from its seeds that, once the seeds escape cultivation, the resulting trees can crowd out native plants in the wild. Since most of the popular crepe myrtle cultivars are hybrid and do not produce seeds, reproduction by seeds in the wild is not a problem.

What month do you prune crepe myrtle trees?

Early spring before new growth is the best time to prune crape myrtles. Whenever you prune, you cause the tree to generate new growth. New growth that starts now will not have time to harden off before frost.

When should you deadhead crepe myrtles?

Follow these tips when deadheading crape myrtles: July Deadline: If the blooms on your crape myrtles are already fading by the end of July, deadheading can encourage another (probably smaller) bloom in late summer.

Should you top crepe myrtles?

Topping a crape myrtle destroys the natural balance and beauty of the tree. Improperly trimmed multi-trunk crape myrtles have weakend immune responses and cannot fight off disease and insects as well. As the topping continues, the crape myrtles can respond by growing more trunks, worsening the problem.

How do you keep crepe myrtles blooming?

Crape myrtles require eight hours of direct sun daily to bloom well. Crape myrtles planted in areas that receive less than six hours of direct sun do not get enough sunlight for adequate bloom development. – Variety. Some varieties don't flower as vigorously as others.

How do you prune a crepe myrtle for a second bloom?

How to Get Your Crepe Myrtles to Bloom Twice. Here's how to get a second bloom cycle: simply cut off the old bloom heads after they have finished blooming, but before they go to seed. At every cut, two or more new bloom heads filled with the buds for clusters of tiny flowers will emerge within just a few days.

What is the black stuff on my Crepe Myrtles?

Black sooty mold is actually an airborne fungi spore that latches on to the sweet sticky honeydew secreted by leaf and bark feeding insects. On Crepe Myrtles and most other plants the culprit here is either sap sucking Aphids or Bark sucking Scale.

How do you transplant crepe myrtle sprouts?

You need to force it to grow a bigger root system. Use a trowel to dig beside a sprout and find the connecting root. Clip it with hand pruners. Leave the sprout in place until next fall and transplant it, with its new roots, then.

Can you grow crepe myrtle from cuttings?

Crape myrtle is easily propagated from semi-hardwood cuttings taken during the growing season. June, July and August are excellent times to root cuttings. Take cuttings from new growth of the season, leaving three to four nodes per cutting and several leaves.

How do you prepare a crepe myrtle for winter?

Is Miracle Grow good for crepe myrtles?

Using these types of fertilizers will cover your bases if the soil in your area is deficient in a certain element or trace mineral. The easiest to use and most well known fertilizer is Miracle Gro. However, if you have many Crape Myrtles you wish to fertilize, using Miracle Gro can become expensive.

How far do you cut back crepe myrtles?

Cut all the way back. I like branching to begin 6 to 8 feet off the ground because it looks better and is more practical. If you don't need to walk under the branches or see through them to view oncoming traffic, you can allow the branching to start lower. Prune unwanted low branches all the way back to the main trunk.

Can you root crepe myrtle cuttings in water?

Preparing Crape Myrtle Shoots

Crape myrtle shoots root well under a variety of indoor and outdoor conditions, although it's not possible to root crape myrtle cuttings in water. For most home gardeners, it's best to root crape myrtle cuttings in pots so you can better control the growing conditions.

How do you take care of a crape myrtle seedling?

What if my crepe myrtle is too tall?

If your crape myrtle does become too tall for its location, you can prune the tree back to a more appropriate height- just don't make this a regular practice each year. It will take a little more time to prune correctly, but you will end up with a beautiful tree.

Why are my crepe myrtles not blooming?

Fertilizer. If that crape myrtle is getting plenty of sunshine and still not blooming, it could be a lack of phosphorus. Checking the soil around the tree may prove this out. OR too much nitrogen may be the problem; both of these situations cause no blooms.