crape myrtle question

[tahoe]

an aquaintance is digging up a crape myrtle tomorrow and i cannot put it into the ground
it's at least twelve years old, multi trunked, with the largest about three inches accross

the tree is as dormant as it's going to get, as we've had at least a dozen nights into the high twenties

my question is, is it better to just go ahead and bare root it and put it in good bonsoi soil, or leave it in the dirt it gets dug up with?

zone here is 9a/b

 

[jk_lewis]

I've never dug a crape myrtle at this time of year, but they are quite tough.

I think it will depend on how much rootball you get and how "clingy" the native soil is. I certainly would not recommend you do anything more to damage the roots.

 

[tahoe]

thank you jkl

 

[Stan Kengai]

10 years ago at this time of year, I ripped out (litterally) a nasty old crape from our landscape and threw it on our woodpile. The next spring, damn if that thing didn't sprout. It didn't last very long, but I think with a little care in transplanting, you should be fine.

 

[will0911]

i've dug many crapes in winter and they have all done fine...i live in zone 8-9 so it may be a little different, but i have completely bare rooted them put them in bonsai soil and bonsai pot and they did absolutely fine...the one i waited to repot in spring at bud break didn't start pushing growth till late summer...weird but that's just my experience. they are a very tough tree. i have repotted several this fall and early winter due to mild November early December weather. I have saved a few to try spring repotting again...will let everyone know how it goes...maybe itll open a new door to winter repotting or fall repotting at least in warmer climates.

 

[Bill S]

If you can keep the roots from freezing it should be ok now, if it will freeze, I'd wait till spring.