Crepe Myrtles

There are a wide variety of crepe myrtles – some of which are heartier than others!

As we all know it can get quite frigid during Pennsylvania winters – so, what does that mean for our plants? That means that shrubs and trees need to be properly cared for, so they are best prepared for the low temperatures.

This blog is specifically about crepe myrtles in Central Pennsylvania and how to prepare them for the coldest season.

Here are three things that Jessica Walliser suggests in her 2018 article, that will help increase the chances the plant will survive the winter.

  

Crepe myrtles are known as southern plants. They bloom in the late summer, early fall with beautiful tones of purple, red, pink and white. What is lovely about crepe myrtles, is that even when they aren’t in bloom – the bark is attractive and one of a kind.

An easy way to up the chances of your crepe myrtle surviving the winter is to plant and grow it in a large container. That way when the first frost hits, you can move the plant into the garage for the winter and the crepe myrtle will go into dormancy on its own.

The next way Walliser suggests is to heavily mulch the plant. Again, once we have a few frosty mornings – put a wire cage that encircles the bottom half of the plant, then mulch around the base of the crepe myrtle and fill the cage with insulation (straw, leaves, etc.) placed between the branches. This will help promote new growth.

Thirdly, Walliser suggests digging a trench in your flower bed that is long enough to lay the crepe myrtle on its side and wide enough that is covers half the plant. Then – cover the plant with soil, leaves, and straw.

Crepe myrtles are those plants that may be slow to bloom in the Spring but just wait for Summer and Fall – they will keep your garden looking seasonally perfect!

If you love the look of crepe myrtles and are wanting help getting yours ready for the winter – or are thinking ahead to next season, give us a call today [717.285.2750].