Crapemyrtles Are Shaded My Other Trees -How Do I Increase Anemic Flowering?

Q: My thirty-foot tall crapemyrtles were planted seventeen years ago but are now 75% shaded by nearby oaks and sweetgum. Would topping them at fifteen feet and fertilizing increase the anemic flowering.

A: It’s understandable that the flowering is anemic if your crapemyrtle only gets 25% of full sunshine. Trimming it and fertilizing it won’t make it flower. Plants need sunshine for the energy they use to make carbohydrates that form blooms. Without sunshine, the flowers will always be sparse.