Crape Myrtles – Summer Season Care

Crape Myrtles are soon going to be in full & gorgeous bloom! This traditional beauty is a highlight of Southern landscapes. There are a lot of varieties from smaller bush forms to taller tree forms. There is a wide variety of bloom AND foliage color to choose from! Here are our care tips for Crape Myrtles in the summer….

• If you haven’t already – fertilize Crape Myrtles now. They are beginning to bud and set their blooms and we choose our own blend called Flower Booster 11-40-6 as a great choice for the best flower development. This granular is applied at the drip line to provide slow-release nutrient release.
• Crape Myrtles can be susceptible to powdery mildew. You can tell by leaves that are sooty looking and similar to a charcoal gray color. Fertilome Systemic Disease Control is a great way to combat this.
• Resist the urge to prune your crape myrtles now (except to remove any dead or diseased branches). The best time to trim them is late winter or early spring. Pruning now will remove buds & blooms.
• When you see new branches begin to form at the base of the trunk and/or limbs, these are new sucker branches forming. Keep suckers removed from the base and lower limb area, so all nutrients flow directly to the main crape base where they’re needed! They are easy to snip off with a pair of pruners.
• Aphids can be a problem on Crapes, as they invade the tender new growth shoots in early summer. If you spot them, use Bonide Annual Tree & Shrub Insecticide Control. It’s effective and so easy to apply. Mix the appropriate amount according to the label in a gallon jug and water around the root and dripline of the Crape Myrtle. The root system will take it up into the tree and provide insect control for up to one year!

More questions about Crape Myrtles? Feel free to reach out to us! We would be happy to assist as best we can.