Pruning Crepe Myrtles?

[JeffJ]

Can I do it this far in to the summer? They are rather wide atthe base and are blocking a ton of sun to my grass. Im planning to resod in the next couple weeks.

[RiverRat00]

Best if done in the early spring

[dirt dauber]

February is the prescribed time in So Tx.

[Bowhunter4l1fe]

If you do a crepe murder now it will stress them a little, but if you can spray them a couple times a day with cool water until they start to sprout again I believe they will be fine.

[tgridley]

Mine haven't bloomed yet so I would think you should wait until spring.

[DNTRanch]

I don't think you can kill a crepe myrtle if you cut it to the ground!!!! It will come back, just take awhile. It'll be fine if you just trim it back.

[Free2Hunt]

just baby it for a week or so after you give it a hair cut. And Please no Crepe murder

[JeffJ]

just baby it for a week or so after you give it a hair cut. And Please no Crepe murder

What the heck if Crepe Murder?

[TxAg]

What the heck if Crepe Murder?

This is when people cut the tops off rather than just thinning them out. It makes them squatty and knotted up where the cuts are. Looks bad, too.

They are tough to kill. If you just want to thin it out a little, do it soon and keep it wet for a week or two. It will be fine.

[TxAg]

http://camdenplacehoa.blogspot.com/2013/01/proper-crepe-myrtle-pruning.html

The link above has a pic of nice pruning vs crape murder pruning

[JeffJ]

This is when people cut the tops off rather than just thinning them out. It makes them squatty and knotted up where the cuts are. Looks bad, too.

They are tough to kill. If you just want to thin it out a little, do it soon and keep it wet for a week or two. It will be fine.

Thanks. Each of them has about 10-12 trunks coming pretty much from ground level. I want to thin that down to six as well as trim some of the growth off the higher branches. Not planning to just top cut them.

[TxAg]

Another example

[TxAg]

Thanks. Each of them has about 10-12 trunks coming pretty much from ground level. I want to thin that down to six as well as trim some of the growth off the higher branches. Not planning to just top cut them.

I'm no arborist, but I bet you'll be fine. It's early june, not late August. Just keep them watered.

[ShockValue]

just baby it for a week or so after you give it a hair cut. And Please no Crepe murder

I have a huge one in my front yard. I cut it down to the main trunks every year (when my wife is not home). It comes back bigger, better, taller, thicker every year.

[Free2Hunt]

I have a huge one in my front yard. I cut it down to the main trunks every year (when my wife is not home). It comes back bigger, better, taller, thicker every year.

I know they regrow. Just not a fan of the massive knot that forms at the place of cutting every year. It's a personal thing.