how to trim a tall crepe myrtle tree

Any heavy pruning on crape myrtle should be done in late winter while the tree is in dormancy. Entire branch all the way to the base rather than simply shortening it.

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Prune the small lower branches off the main trunks of the crepe myrtle.

. So if youve already cut the crape myrtle back youll need to wait until late next winter to do any more pruning. Figure B below indicates where to make cuts when pruning your crape myrtle tree. Will resume growing in ways you dont want.

To determine if your crape myrtle needs to be pruned examine the direction in which the trunks and branches grow. Loppers to cut branches 12-inch to 1-12 inches thick. I normally try to trim Crepe Myrtles every two years but these tress went sev.

That means taking out an. Certainly in older varieties of crepe myrtle the tree should have its branches thinned out to ensure good airflow to prevent disease. A prune saw or pole pruner to cut trunks and larger branches and.

If your crepe myrtle does seem to be getting too densely branched. Put the chainsaw away and only use hand shears loppers and a hand saw. In a well pruned crape myrtle the trunks grow upward and outward with branches fanning out rather than growing inward into the center of the tree.

This method called a thinning cut will preserve the natural shape of the tree while reducing its overall size. This will give the crepe myrtle a more tree-like appearance and put the growth upwards rather than outwards. This is called limbing-up and helps the tree retain an attractive shape.

Remove crossing and inward growing branches. If your objective is to turn the tall crepe myrtle into a short crepe myrtle that looks more like a bush cut back each branch to within 6 inches of where it begins to promote bushy growth. You want a hands and fingers kind of appearance with lots of stubs and stumps of smaller branches left on the plant.

For younger trees that you are starting to shape prune the small limbs from the ground up leaving only the 3-5 strongest limbs. This will give the plant a more uniform appearance. To properly prune a mature crepe myrtle you need three tools.

Rather than go into detail here Ill provide a link to an article that provides tips for standard pruning and for corrective pruning which is necessary when a crape myrtle has been. This video shows the proper way to prune a Crape Myrtle tree that was wrongfully planted in a place not allowing for a natural growth pattern. Your best option is to do several thinning cuts.

SEE FOLLOW UP. After that you can use a shovel to dig out any roots that are in your way. Using a pair of sharp bypass or lopper pruners make a cut about 6 to 12 inches or so above the intersection - never below the.

By removing limbs that go. To shape a crepe myrtle tree you must first cut the trunk of the tree and then remove all the branches. Now that you have a vision in your mind and are working with the proper tools.

If heavy-pruning your too-tall crape is an annual ritual transplant it if possible and replace it. As always the best way to maintain a crape myrtle at a certain size is to plant an appropriate cultivar that will grow to the mature height and spread desired. Do not prune the top branches shorter crepe murder only remove dead growth in the upper branches.

Excessively upward and outward the crapemyrtle will be reduced in size. Prune any branches coming out of side of the trunk up to about halfway up the trunk. Pruning serves to improve crape myrtle structure increase clearance under the canopy and remove diseased dead or overly vigorous branches.

Hand pruners or loppers for smaller branches. In this video I demonstrate how I trim a crepe myrtle tree that has overgrown. The rule of thumb is to trace down from the top of a stem from the seedpods if the tree bloomed to where that stem meets a branch.

Goggles gloves and other protective clothing. Only shorten branches they will vigorously re-sprout in spring and the tree. Hand shears help with cutting smaller pieces of the tree loppers help by removing slightly larger limbs and the hand saw is for the biggest pieces of the crepe myrtle you intend to remove.

If you have to remove an entire branch cut it back to the branch collar. Remove extraneous or interior branches that might cross between trunks or rub against each other cut low branches to encourage vertical growth and prune unwanted new trunks to the ground. Hand pruners to clip twigs and branches less than 12-inch thick.

However most modern cultivars of crepe myrtle are disease resistant and so this is not an issue and the thinning out of twigs is no longer recommended as essential. This establishes the crepe myrtle as the focal point. This may call for removing branches 2 inches or less in diameter.

Once you have prepared your work area get a sense of which parts of your crepe myrtle need trimming. Remove a portion of a branch with a heading cut back to an outward facing bud or outward facing side branch. You should then fill in the hole with soil and water it well.

To keep a crape myrtle at a manageable height prune moderately by removing all twiggy growth back to lower growing side branches.

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