Q.Cutting Back Crepe Myrtle Trees
Our crepe myrtle trees are growing close to our two-story house. Their tops are several feet above the roofline. How do we properly cut them back to rejuvenate them as shorter, well-shaped trees without killing them? There are 4 of them in a row, with trunks about 2 feet apart from each other at the soil line. They have 3, 4, 1, and 2 main trunks, respectively. They are about 2 1/2 feet from the foundation. They are in the front along a big, plain brick wall and are supposed to be a beautiful landscape centerpiece. Instead, they’re long, bare trunks in front of the brick wall and foliage up by the roofline.
Certified GKH Gardening Expert
You can cut back about a third of any branch and it will recover fine. If that is not enough, you can cut back more and the plant will recover its full look in a few years. Here is more info on pruning a crepe myrtle: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/crepe-myrtle/pruning-crepe-myrtle-trees.htm
