Subject: Re: crape mrytles', alive or dead?

From: Adam <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 09 Apr 1996 00:56:29 -0500

> I moved into a house 6 years old where there were several straggly bushes
> growing. I was advised to prune them hard, fertilize and mulch and then
> just wait. The blooms were spectacular the following summer. Since then I
> have started several new bushes by rooting some of the cuttings.
> 
> Good Luck,
> Sherry
> zone 6

down here in San antonio Texas, which is crape mrytle country, we prune crape 
mrytles in late winter (Feburary) when they are still dormant. down here they 
bloom from late spring to frost (December). There are hundreds of thousands here 
in the city. The SA river walk has some that are 30 feet tall!

Laters,
Adam
Zone 8b to 9a

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From: [email-masked] (Little Pua)
Date: 8 Apr 1996 00:00:08 -0400

In Nashville, Crape Myrtles are one of the last shrubs to start leafing
out in spring. They also beneifit from an occassional hard pruning. At the
least, pruning the top third and twiggy branches will improve air
circulation... which improves their resistence to mildew. I prune
everything but the 5 to 7 largest branches to keep it more in tree form.

Good Luck,
Sherry
zone 6