How Much Water Do Crepe Myrtles Need

Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), often known every bit "Southern Lilacs," are popular in the South.

It is because of their stunning early spring blooms, vivid fall black leaves, and, in some cases, appealing bark.

Crepe Myrtle is grown worldwide, merely they grow best in tropical and subtropical areas, where the warm weather allows them to flourish and display their stunning dazzler.

Maintenance and proper care volition ultimately advantage you with a stunning-looking floral tree.

Crepe Myrtle Tree Care

A clay, loamy, and well-draining soil with 5 to half dozen.five pH will exist ideal, and watering information technology once a week during the growing season is ideal. It likes to grow in total sun and can withstand 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-17.7 degrees Celsius) temperatures. Pruning to maintain a proper shape is besides of import.

Soil

The Crepe Myrtle Tree will thrive in a variety of soil mediums . It enjoys growing in loamy, sand, clay, and a well-draining soil medium.

Although it likes well-draining soil, the soil should be moist to help it prosper.

Crepe Myrtle thrives on acidic soil to mildly acidic, with a pH of 5.0 to 6.5. The pH for most gardening soils is in the band of 6.0 to seven.0.

Water

For your new Crepe Myrtle, the outset year is crucial. Because it wasn't given a chance to develop itself, information technology isn't every bit powerful every bit an older bush.

The plant needs to be irrigated once a week to avoid wilting. Make sure to immerse the root system thoroughly, which takes around 45-60 minutes.

Crepe Myrtle requires at to the lowest degree one inch of water per week for optimal evolution and yield. H2o is required throughout drought periods.

Flowers may be harmed if they are not fairly watered in dry weather. Your tree will be spontaneously drought-resistant when it achieves maturity.

Crepe Myrtle requires regular irrigation. The cardinal is to go on the basis from becoming soggy.

If this occurs, you lot're inviting root rot to take concord of your tree. Cultivating in well-draining soil can help prevent this.

You can always utilize the technique of deep watering. This is when you lot irrigate for extended lengths of time on fewer days.

It guarantees that the tree gets the appropriate quantity of hydration while watering without being soggy.

Allowing the plant to retain moisture during watering periods encourages the plant to absorb it. Mulching the plant's base will let it stay hydrated for longer.

Low-cal

Crepe Myrtle Thriving in Sunny Areas

While information technology can be trimmed into a tree-like class when young, the Crepe Myrtle is a widely expanding shrub.

Depending on the variety, enormous groups of crinkly blooms appear at the tips of its shoots from early summer through autumn.

The Crepe Myrtle, a very beautiful bloomer, requires total dominicus to give on its greatest result.

This plant doesn't perform well in fully covered areas, but it does keen in areas with intense, hot summer sun where it gets sun in the mornings and moderate, screened shade in the afternoon.

Temperature

Crepe Myrtle has long been considered a southern mural archetype, but with the appearance of numerous fresh and more than cold tolerant Crepe Myrtle types.

These floral marvels are making their fashion into new markets.

Whereas all Crepe Myrtle are cold resistant to USDA Zone 7a, which ways, they can withstand temperatures of effectually 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-17.vii degrees Celsius) in the winter.

Several kinds are now cold hardy to USDA Zone 6a, with temperatures as low every bit -10 degrees Fahrenheit (-23.3 degrees Celsius).

Crepe Myrtle tin can be grown in pots that tin can be overwintered in an indoor place where temperatures wouldn't fall under 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-6.6 degrees Celsius).

If you're ready to accept risks, you might be able to grow Zone vi Crepe Myrtle outside, although constitute sections in a higher place ground may be injured or lost.

In the leap, though, fresh shoots frequently emerge from the tree's base of operations. If you're in Zone 5 and want to test a Crepe Myrtle, ensure to grow information technology in a location that gets full light.

Humidity

Crepe Myrtle trees thrive in moderate humidity levels.

It does not like to stay in very high humidity areas.

Fertilizer

It is plenty to administer a slow-release fertilizer to the constitute one time a year to maintain its wellness.

Yous might fifty-fifty reapply fertilizer around the root of the Crepe Myrtle as information technology emerges from the dormant phase in the jump.

This volition assistance provide a nutritional boost while also ensuring that whatsoever nutrients taken by the plant during the prior growing flavor are replaced.

New Crepe Myrtle trees require mild fertilizing in one case per month in the offset spring or summer growth period.

Mature Crepe Myrtle trees and shrubs profit from slow-release fertilizers sprayed at the offset indications of new shoots in early spring.

Furthermore, since they eat strongly throughout the planting season, Crepe Myrtle requires calorie-free fertilization twice per month throughout the spring and summertime.

Subsequently each fertilizer handling, h2o thoroughly and add compost to preserve the roots during the winter.

Crepe Myrtle thrives on garden fertilizers that are general purpose like 16-4-8, 12-4-8, 10-ten-10, or 8-8-8. Excessive leaf development and poor flowering are the results of over-fertilization.

Spread the fertilizer evenly throughout your tree's awning, excluding the 5-inch region nearest to the body. The fertilizer dosage should be modified considering the maturity of your plant.

Repotting

The optimal time for Crepe Myrtle repotting is probably late wintertime. Y'all'll take to expect until the soil is usable before taking action, simply before the first leaflets sally, you should exercise so.

The get-go pace in Crepe Myrtle transplanting is to choose a new identify for the tree. Consider its needs before deciding on the optimal location.

For the maximum flowering, choose a sunny position with plenty of space for the tree.

Information technology takes some excavating to move Crepe Myrtles. To begin, create a fresh transplanting hole.

Information technology must be big plenty to go on up all of the tree'southward present roots but also broad plenty to allow future growth. After that, you must dig out the tree.

The larger your tree, enlist more people to assist you. Dig along the exterior of the roots to create a 2 to 3 human foot (.half dozen-.ix m) wide root brawl.

Transplant the root brawl into the soil, making sure it is even in the soil. Add together enough of water onto the root area and keep watering for the first growing season.

Pruning

Pruning isn't necessary for Crepe Myrtles. Some growers clip them every year; nonetheless, this distorts their native course and bewitchery.

Trim any sucker sprouts that grow nearly the base of operations of the tree. Always prune trees to profile them or remove any cantankerous branches.

You can get rid of old seedpods by pruning the tops of stems in the winter.

Three tools are required to trim a grown Crepe Myrtle correctly:

Manus pruners to trim the branches and twigs that are less than ½ inch thick.
Loppers for ½ inch to 1 inch thick branches.
Pole pruners for branches thicker than ½ inch.

Since it is fallow and you can run into virtually of the branches, belatedly winter is the perfect season to trim a Crepe Myrtle.

Pruning now will not diminish flowering because it flowers on new shoots. In fact, it has the potential to grow it.

Go in the post-obit order to trim the branches of Crepe Myrtle:

Showtime with the suckers that come out from the base of the tree.
The side branches that are longer than four feet should also exist trimmed.
The tall branches are developing towards the center of the Crepe Myrtle.
Expressionless, crossing, and rubbing branches besides need to be trimmed away.
The branches that appear in a weird shape deteriorating the appearance should be pruned right away.

It'south crucial not to trim the crowns of Crepe Myrtle trees in order to encourage them to flower. Although topping produces larger blooms, it has little effect on the overall number of flowers.

Extremely Pruned Crepe Myrtle

Extreme topping frequently produces sluggish growth that bends or breaks during rainfall.

Propagation

Picking up the constitute from your garden store is the virtually typical technique to propagate Crepe Myrtle. Cull a sunny spot with well-draining soil one time you've brought the plant dwelling.

Brand a borehole at this exact spot. The hole must be 3 times the size of the plant and only shallow enough that the root ball is placed safely.

Insert the institute in the hole while too adding mulch. It should aid in the soil'due south power to hold wet.

Compact the soil all around the root of the Crepe Myrtle later on it'south in place. Thoroughly irrigate the constitute and cover the base to act as a wet and pest screen.

If cultivating Crepe Myrtle in a pot, you lot tin can employ the same planting procedure. Ensure the container's large plenty to keep the plant in.

Institute the Crepe Myrtle in good soil, cover it and hydrate information technology thoroughly.

Mulching all around the plant in the pot will assist it stay hydrated for a longer amount of fourth dimension.

Root Cuttings

Crepe Myrtle tin also be propagated through root cuttings, which is a popular method for cultivating Crepe Myrtle.

Starting time excavation up mature Crepe Myrtle copse in the springtime.

Remove a section of the root from the plants with a paring blade or pair of scissors. Put the mature Crepe Myrtles again in their original locations in one case you've taken the desired portion of the root.

In a container with good soil or dirt, insert the root cuttings. The container should be put in a warm environment with enough sunlight.

Give the roots enough of water for the next few weeks until they class their own root systems.

Let the roots to settle in the containers for about 2-3 months until they're fully rooted. This is a good moment to transplant.

Another alternative is to establish the root cuttings in a permanent garden immediately. Bury the roots iv inches deep in the soil, with a six-inch gap betwixt every root cutting.

The roots require sufficient amounts of sunlight, warmth, and h2o.

They will form a root system and go mature plants over time. Ensure the plant'south roots get enough water as they keep growing.

Cutting of Established Plant

Take a look at a mature Crepe Myrtle. Find the betoken where the tree's new shoots, which contains nodes, hits an older co-operative.

Trim information technology where it touches the branch, keeping the cutting length around six and seven inches.

Each cutting should have near iii nodes. But four leaves should be left on the cutting. Discard the remaining items.

Put the cutting in a sand-filled container later dipping it in rooting hormone . During the next 2 to three months, requite enough sunlight, heat, and moisture.

Subsequently this time frame, the cutting should have formed a root arrangement and be prepared to transfer into a bigger pot or perennial bed.

Blooms

Crepe Myrtle tree blooms from July through September, with certain varieties producing flowers until the first frost hits.

Crepe Myrtle Flower Colors

You will find the lowers of this tree in several different colors ranging from red, pink, white, and purple.

Growth

Standard unmarried-trunk and multi-trunk copse tin reach 20 to xxx feet (6-ix meters) alpine and ten to 15 anxiety (3-iv.5 meters) broad, with annual growth rates of up to iii feet (1 meter).

Then there are dwarf shrubs 2 to 5 anxiety (0.6-1.v meters) tall, semi-dwarf shrubs 3 to 6 (ane-one.eight meters) feet long, and smaller variants six to 12 (1.8-iii.6 meters)anxiety tall.

Make sure you select the correct Crepe Myrtle shrub or tree for your area and style.

Common Issues for Crepe Myrtle Trees

Aphids

These light-yellowish bugs can be found on the undersides of Crepe Myrtle foliage , draining sap from the tree and causing damage.

Aphids likewise generate adhesive honeydew drips that cling to the tree and neighboring patios and article of furniture.

Predators, such as ladybugs, proceed these insects in check. If you use insecticides, the hunters may be killed instead of the aphids.

End applying pesticides and see what occurs, the prey population should aggrandize, and the aphids volition exist eaten.

If information technology doesn't help, try using an insecticidal soap or an oil product like Neem Oil Spray or a paraffinic oil to spray your Crepe Myrtle.

Powdery Mildew

Although there are a few robust types, generally, Crepe Myrtle is mildew-prone. On Crepe Myrtle, information technology is the nigh frequent disease.

Powdery mildew can exist identified past a grey or white powdery deposit on the leafage and bloom buds of your Crepe Myrtle.

A fungal affliction affects trees by interrupting photosynthesis and other key life functions in their leaves and flowers.

It tin be treated with any fungicide labeled for mildew and applied weekly till the bud blooms.

Furthermore, cut off branches to promote sun and airflow entry into the canopy can assist lessen mildew vulnerability.

Tips for Growing Crepe Myrtle Tree

Always disinfect your pruning shears to avoid the spread of infections.
Always identify information technology in a spot that is sunny and warm for optimal flower growth.
Water information technology thoroughly during the first few weeks of the growth flow.

Ofttimes Asked Questions most Crepe Myrtle Tree Care

How long does a Crepe Myrtle live?

If you take intendance of your Crepe Myrtle, they can live for many years. A Crepe Myrtle can live for about 50 or more years.

Does Crepe Myrtle demand lots of h2o?

Crepe Myrtle requires at to the lowest degree one inch of water per week for optimal evolution and yield. Water is required throughout dry periods. Flowers may be harmed if they are not fairly watered during dry out atmospheric condition.

Conclusion

Crepe Myrtle is a cute asset to any scene, whether you're searching for a colorful contend, an middle-communicable showpiece, or just a flash of floral magnificence.

Understanding how to intendance for these plants correctly volition guarantee that you savour a spectacular display of blossoms all summertime.