When will crape myrtle be pruned in winter?

Lagerstroemia indica is a common ornamental tree species in gardens. Its flowering period is very long, up to more than three months, so people often like to call it "Hundred Days Red". Its colors are also very rich, such as red, pink, pink, white and so on. This is very common. When it blooms, the flowers are big, changing greatly and spectacular.

With regard to the management of Lagerstroemia indica, in addition to daily pest control, the most important thing is pruning. Reasonable pruning during the growth period can make the flowering period longer and the flowers more beautiful; Reasonable pruning during dormancy can make Lagerstroemia indica have better tree shape, stronger flower bud germination ability, stronger branches and more flowers in the coming year.

For the pruning method of how to prolong the flowering period of Lagerstroemia indica, you can check my previous article "Who said that Lagerstroemia indica can not bloom for a hundred days!" Learn these points, Ziwei will last longer. What I want to share with you today is the winter pruning method of Lagerstroemia indica. I believe you can use it now.

1. Why should crape myrtle be pruned in winter?

There are two main reasons for shaping and pruning Lagerstroemia indica in winter:

1. Lagerstroemia indica enters dormancy in winter, and the liquid in the tree flows slowly. At this time, pruning has the least impact on the tree, and the wound is not easy to be infected with germs.

Secondly, in winter, the leaves of Lagerstroemia indica have completely fallen off. At this time, the trunk of Lagerstroemia indica is very clear and the bud is highly recognizable, so it is easier to know how to leave branches. How to trim?

2. What is the pruning time of Lagerstroemia indica in winter?

The winter pruning of Lagerstroemia indica can be carried out during the whole dormancy period, generally starting two weeks after the normal defoliation of Lagerstroemia indica and ending two weeks before germination of Lagerstroemia indica.

Therefore, in some cold areas, in order to avoid the dehydration and freezing injury of the pruned branches of Lagerstroemia indica, the pruning time is often pushed to two weeks before the germination of Lagerstroemia indica in the following spring.

3. What is the main purpose of crape myrtle pruning in winter?

The main purpose of winter pruning of Lagerstroemia indica is:

One is shaping to keep Lagerstroemia indica in a good tree shape when it blooms next year;

The other is to control the height, mainly for Lagerstroemia indica planted in parks or Lagerstroemia indica street trees planted in rows on roads;

The most important thing is to ensure the germination ability of flower buds in the coming year, so that the flower branches will be stronger and the flowering volume will be more prosperous.

4. What are the precautions for crape myrtle pruning in winter?

1, simplified by deleting the complex.

When pruning Lagerstroemia indica in winter, the first thing to pay attention to is to delete the complex and simplify it, and don't leave so many branches. When pruning, the branches, weak branches and twigs of Lagerstroemia indica should be cut off to avoid unnecessary nutrient consumption, and then the nutrition should be concentrated on the needs of the top flower branches of Lagerstroemia indica to ensure the healthy growth of the top flower branches.

2. Keep the basic tree shape and control the height.

Lagerstroemia indica trees in nurseries are generally dried and shaped during the dormant period of Lagerstroemia indica. But the trunk height of Lagerstroemia indica planted in greening is basically the same. At this time, the main thing to do is to cut off some sprouted branches on the trunk or roots and keep the basic tree shape.

3. Control internal expansion and cultivate backbone branches at all levels.

After pruning some pests, weak branches and twigs at the top of Lagerstroemia indica, you can cultivate backbone branches at all levels.

The first-class backbone branches mainly choose annual branches with healthy growth at the top of the plant, extending in different directions, evenly distributed and opening angle of about 40 degrees.

Prune these annual branches, leaving 3-4 branches, ensuring that each branch extends in different directions, and then cut off the length of 30-40 cm appropriately, so that backbone branches at all levels can be cultivated.

It should be noted here that for a small flowering shrub Lagerstroemia indica tree, generally speaking, there is only one level of backbone branches, and then it is directly the flowering branches.