Follow these simple steps to shape and thin Crapemyrtle tree varieties
- Remove sprouts from the base and trunk of the tree.
- Remove side branches that grow below 1/3 of the height of the tree. For example, if the tree is 6 feet tall, remove side branches growing from the ground up to 2 feet; if the tree is 15 feet tall, remove side branches growing from the ground up to 5 feet of the tree.
- Remove dead branches and branches growing to the inside of the tree, leaving only vertical branches and ones growing outwards from the tree.
- Cut back the stems that hold the blooms to 6″ above the intersection where the stem meets a branch.
In the left picture below, the branches to remove and the stems to cut are shown in red. The right picture below shows the tree after the pruning cuts.
