crape myrtle

[Rid]

hi,

I'm seeking advice on my crape myrtle. I'm planning on growing it out for some time, and i've marked the sacrifice branches with little thin wires (look closely!). is this too many sacrifice branches? Am I on the right track, or is the leader I've chosen (the one with no thin wire) going to be too straight?

Thanks
Ridley

 

[Eric Group]

It is probably too straight for most people...

I have two I have been growing out. One was dug back up this morning as a matter of fact. It is pretty much as thick as I needed it to get for the size I am going for, but the roots were too one sided. I planted it deep hoping to get som roots on the side that had none and was NOT successful, so I am trying an approach graft with a cutting that is well rooted to see if I can finally get some roots going over there...

 

[Eric Group]

They fatten up pretty quick in the ground... What is you plan for the design? I'd recommend chopping the leader you do keep pretty low to get more movement...

Hard to keep from having a straight section, most species grow almost arrow straight for the first few feet it seems... The dwarf varieties get a little more "wiggle" naturally.

 

[Rid]

I'm going for informal upright, so I think you're right. needs a cut at some point. I did choose a semi dwarf variety, but the branches still seem to grow fairly straight.

thanks for the input!

 

[Rid]

ok, four years later and i'm thinking about transferring this to an anderson flat this spring and chopping in late spring if it's growing well. I've attached a picture of a google tree i found as a template, and the areas i have in mind to chop. thoughts?

 

[Bonsai Nut]

ok, four years later and i'm thinking about transferring this to an anderson flat this spring and chopping in late spring if it's growing well. I've attached a picture of a google tree i found as a template, and the areas i have in mind to chop. thoughts?

I would be a little more aggressive with the chops. Crepe myrtle will bud back everywhere. Always prune at the point where the branch is thinnest, and where it will support new growth without creating a knob of inverse taper. Also, if you are going to seal your cuts, do not let your sealing material run over the prune site (like the wax on a Maker's Mark bottle). You want buds to pop right at the edge of the cut site, and they won't do so if you have it covered with cut paste.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

Looking at your template tree it seems you'll need to eliminate an entire trunk, the right one would be my vote. I'd likely do the cuts this Feb, leave it in the ground this year. Then excavate Feb of 2020. There are some good articles here, search crepe
Adamaskwhy.com

 

[Rid]

I would be a little more aggressive with the chops. Crepe myrtle will bud back everywhere. Always prune at the point where the branch is thinnest, and where it will support new growth without creating a knob of inverse taper. Also, if you are going to seal your cuts, do not let your sealing material run over the prune site (like the wax on a Maker's Mark bottle). You want buds to pop right at the edge of the cut site, and they won't do so if you have it covered with cut paste.

Thanks Bnut, The stub with the cut paste is actually meant to go, i forgot to come back and cut it flush with the trunk.

 

[Rid]

Looking at your template tree it seems you'll need to eliminate an entire trunk, the right one would be my vote. I'd likely do the cuts this Feb, leave it in the ground this year. Then excavate Feb of 2020. There are some good articles here, search crepe
Adamaskwhy.com

thanks, i'll check that out.

 

[Rid]

My tree has a handfulof buds 5-7 popping out of the bare trunk. Time to dig or should I wait for more buds?

 

[Rid]

This tree is growing happily in the container Now and I’ve been removing shoots that are clearly in the wrong spot.

I’ve chosen new leaders, but I’m wondering about the side branches. Can these be used as branches in the future or do I need to finish growing the leader before keeping any side branches.

Sorry about the blurry picture
Thanks
Ridley

 

[akhater]

This tree is growing happily in the container Now and I’ve been removing shoots that are clearly in the wrong spot.

I’ve chosen new leaders, but I’m wondering about the side branches. Can these be used as branches in the future or do I need to finish growing the leader before keeping any side branches.

Sorry about the blurry picture
Thanks
Ridley

Looking healthy and happy . ??

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I’ve chosen new leaders, but I’m wondering about the side branches. Can these be used as branches in the future or do I need to finish growing the leader before keeping any side branches.

Low growth is almost always good because it supports thickening lower on the trunk and creates nice taper. You may decide to keep those branches - or you may not - but you can't keep them if they are already gone Just make sure to wire them now while they are still young.

 

[Rid]

Low growth is almost always good because it supports thickening lower on the trunk and creates nice taper. You may decide to keep those branches - or you may not - but you can't keep them if they are already gone Just make sure to wire them now while they are still young.

should I wire while the branches are still fleshy?

 

[Rid]

Bump

 

[VAFisher]

should I wire while the branches are still fleshy?

In my experience crapes can be really brittle and hard to bend (without snapping them) after the branches have become woody. I try to wire mine while they are still green but you have to be really careful not to rip them right off of the trunk when doing this. And watch carefully, because they will thicken quickly and the wire will need to come off.

 

[just.wing.it]

In my experience crapes can be really brittle and hard to bend (without snapping them) after the branches have become woody. I try to wire mine while they are still green but you have to be really careful not to rip them right off of the trunk when doing this. And watch carefully, because they will thicken quickly and the wire will need to come off.

I second this ^^^

 

[Rid]

Ok I wired soon after this post. I removed the wire today (2-3 weeks later) and the branches were set perfectly with some scarring.

 

[Rid]

This tree is coming along.

ive lost several new branches because they grow very fast an long, then a heavy raim storm will be enough to knock a branch off.