Retraining a Crape Myrtle to be a Tree
Q: I was told to cut my misshapen myrtle completely down to the ground. What do I do next? Suckers have already started coming up. Will the main trunk grow back?
A: Neil Sperry, the radio host of “Texas Gardening,” has forgotten more about crape myrtles than I will ever know. His advice to grow a new trunk for a crape myrtle is to cut it completely to the ground and let 8 to 10 sprouts come up from the stump. Let them grow for 12-18 months. When the sprouts are 5 feet to 6 feet tall, choose six or seven of the strongest, straightest ones and cut the others clear to the ground. The shoots will be quite limber.
By the end of the second growing season, those should become sturdy and able to stand on their own. At that time, choose one, three or five of the strongest trunks, and cut the rest down to the ground. As the trunks grow taller, gradually remove side branches to the height you want the foliage to start. You’ll have spotty blooming for the next couple of years, but before you know it, your crape myrtle will be blooming like crazy.
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