This was incredibly informative! Not only do I know exactly what to do, but I have a greater appreciation for trees in general. You’re awesome, thank you!
This is such a great video. I highly recommend re-editing this video to short snippets of instruction and re-releasing it. Also he is very well spoken please more videos with this gentleman!
Awesome-awesome, cool - cool, Jonah the Steel man, The Tree Whisperer, your favorite neighborhood bachelor, back from Holidays. Missed Jonah not being around Ben and Giggles. Great information on Crepe Myrtle n other trees pruning.
I have a couple that weren't maintained and were getting chocked out by crazy vines. I just moved from the desert 🏜 of SoCal to Oklahoma, and everything grows crazy here, and now I have to be a gardener . I give mad props to gardeners and landscaping cause it's no joke!
Thanks, guys! Loved the video. I bought a house on May and inherited 15 crepe myrtles. And, yes, the previous owners had these trees beautifully maintained
U got purple crepe myrtle, pink crepe myrtle, red crepe myrtle. Crepe myrtle Shrubs, crepe myrtle trees, bush crepe myrtle. Crepe myrtle planted in a row, suckered crepe myrtle outta control. Bonus footage. LOL! Homeboy was like not the bonus tip! LOL! The u talk about crepe myrtle I have a coworker that talks about bonds like that. Filler bondo, glaze bondo, fiberglass bondo, long hair fiberglass bondo . Good stuff I learned something
Wow - what a great video! I'm so glad I watched this before going outside to check my crepe myrtles for pruning. Now I know exactly what to do! Thanks to you both - Jonah is the man!!
DO NOT take out ALL your cross over branches! I had a CM that was about 150 yrs old, grew probably untended but as a result the tree SANG. When the wind blew the cross over branches rubbed creating a chello like song with 2 tones because of the different branch diameters. On windy days it's song was BEAUTIFUL.
I wish Jonah was in the NY area! 30 years ago my mother planted a crape myrtle in the worst possible spot (in shade near a fence) and it's really unhappy. I'd love to save it because it's a living memory of her, but I don't know if I can hack it back since now the yard is much brighter and hope it comes back healthier.
well that one is so bad. I try to have an odd number of main branches. And I cut them the same height. yes dead branches are good to remove. today I will probably cut some and will do what the customer wants. She wants to cut so she can not have to deal with them for awhile. In the state of Georrgia they grow all year. thanks for a very good video
This was a GREAT video! Thanks guys! One question…I apologize if you covered it but, when is the best time of year to do the trimming? I am a new crape myrtle owner and after watching your video would definitely hire you to come and trim mine if you lived in my neighborhood!
Thanks for the info, I bought a home with a very neglected crepe myrtle, I'm trying to figure out how to take care of him and bring him back to the utmost health, he is beside the street so I would like to make him no larger than the tree you were showing, if I want it to be more like a bush do I leave the sucker's at the bottom ?
I'm so glad to see this video on crepe myrtles because I have 2 that look about the same size as your example. My intention is to top them about my height and only leave the straight up branches so I can get a nice canopy this summer. I have been faithful about keeping the branches from cross overs etc but for some reason they grew like crazy & they are way taller than I want them to be. I guess it was the old saying 1st year sleep, 2nd year creep & 3rd year leap & leap they did! My issue is cutting all the branches an even height. Any tricks on this?
Hi Darlene! If you're trying to cut them evenly across, I'd recommend a pole saw or a ladder. But please do be careful! Maybe you could hire someone to cut them evenly. I'd hate for anyone to get hurt.
What about the top of the tree if was originally planted too close to the house and you want to cut it down to keep a shorter tree also... I don’t want it to touch my roof.
This was interesting. Would these tips be the same for fruit trees? and when would be the best time to prune them? Any suggestions for organic pest control for fruit trees? Thanks for all the great videos!
No the advice would be different for fruit trees. We will be doing some videos on that I'm sure. Always prune when they are dormant. organic pest control...the best antidote to disease is a healthy tree. Boost that tree's immune system with compost and seasoned manures. There are some helpful hot-pepper sprays. You can make a dawn dish soap spray too. If it's a smaller tree you can cover it with a netting.
Hey there the best time to prune fruit trees is from the time the leaves drop in the fall until the time the new leaves flush out in the spring. When the trees are dormant it puts the least stress on them to prune. However it is possible to prune during the summer but it’s more stressful on the trees so it’s not as often recommended for smaller trees. Larger trees can handle it. Benj is correct in saying the best way to prevent pests is to boost the trees immune system through good composting.
Question: I'm looking for Heavenly Bamboo Nandina variety that grows the red cluster berries in the fall. Do you know where these are available online?
Hi! Not sure but I do know local nurseries usually carry them. You’ll get a bigger and better plant for the cost if you can find one locally. They’re also really easy to propagate by division.
I had very young crepe myrtles that are about 3 feet tall. I want them to grow up as trees and not become a bush. I have several stalks coming out of the ground in a close but comfortable grouping and are growing remarkably straight and this early age. Is this a concern. My goal is to have them grow to 30feet tall. Any recommendations
Hi! Well, there is always more to learn but the basic steps are 1. planning which trees you'd like, 2. planting said trees appropriately 3. pruning those trees so they can be healthy and productive. You can purchase trees as bare-root, potted or bound and burlapped. Hope this helps!
My tree is black all over I have sprayed and put suff on it but I want to work on the bottom of the tree. It's black all around to the ground what can I do get get rid of the blackness .
Moved into a house where the renovators straight up lopped big Big trunks off of it. Trying to figure out how to salvage it. It's about 15 feet tall. It's alive but it hasn't bloomed. There's also an attached branch that looks to be rotting. There's ants in it 😔 thanks for the video, super informative, looking to save mine and hopefully get it to bloom.
So I have 5 crepe myrtle that, as far as I can tell, have never been pruned. They are 20 feet tall and have numerous branches obviously What's my best option to trim them down and make them more of a tall/large bush rather than a large uncontrollable branchy looking tree???
i have 4 that are a foot tall. they are now 5 years old. they are alive, they bloom, but they are 1 foot tall. are they dwarf? do i need to rip them out and replant? i fertilize and prune they appear healthy they just do not grow taller
Hey there, Crepe myrtles are a pretty hardy plant that can grow between zones 5-10. So that means they can grow as far north as South Dakota and as far south as Florida. And they can grow from coast to coast as well
When do you start pruning them? I have a new black diamond Crepe Myrtle and not sure if I should wait until February or if I can start pruning it straight away to get it growing into a tree shape. Do you recommend the Black Diamond? You said it takes a lot to kill them but my first one died after it’s first winter. I hope you or someone will answer, please.
I get it crepe murder is a horrible however I have several that previous owner let run wild. I don't want all shade. I need to cut back 15 feet so I can get sun to grow grass. WHEN can I cut in eastern NC
Buy the appropriate type of shrub (mature height, width, growth habits)...and the tree and gardener will live happily ever after! Hate to see trees mutilated for doing what it was bred to naturally do. Thx for good video..
Thank you for your question. The best thing you can do is wait and see which branches actually die. And also give the plant the best soil and water conditions it can have. Boost it immune system and it will do the best it can considering the damage
Also speak life over the plant. Believe it or not, there is life and death in the power of the tongue. Science is discovering that what we say, affects everything around us, including plants. Hope this helps!
Thank you Jonah, I have an old watermelon Crepe that’s about a 40 ft. Right beside our house 🏡 it looks just like this picture except the tree is on the side of the house it’s a Monster Crepe. So with windstorm’s on top of a Mountain plateau our tree’s are going down on the East coast. So the crown of the top of the tree has grown over my roof pounding the crap out of the house! Know wonder the kids complained but they didn’t think about the Myrtle being the cause and 💨 wind! I really do not want to stop it’s coolness but the house is not happy it’s become a crush on the roof line. I have to climb up and cut. It naturally grows this way it has been threatened. But I run outside and climb in when the cutters come! I collect Myrtle wood it’s a nice strong wood and beautiful. I make things when I take things from it, plus the cutting is why it’s growing inward to stop that continuing do I cut the opposite side to encourage growth in the other direction? Just taking out massive branches against the house is not working. Do you have anymore advice I have tons of Myrtle trees and prune them myself always and get Wows on my trees. I must thank the prior occupants for not being murderers. It appears they loved Myrtle to protect it how it has been. But now out of Control. Thanks Jonah lots of good reminders before a grooming session!
Hi Sandra! Yes I would say you need to take out the larger growth that is hitting the house and then encourage growth outward. It'll take time but that's about your only option without cutting a considerable amount. Hope this helps Sandra!
I really likes what your friend Jonna was teaching us. BUT you did not focus the video on what Jonna was showing us most of the time. We could not see all the things Jonna was talking about . You didn't point the video at what Jonna was trying to show us. I would of liked to have seen more of the places in the tree Jonna was trying to show us. thanks for letting us see this.
I have spider nests in my tree that are spreading. It's winter and I don't know which branches are infected. I was just going to commit crepe murder. After watching your video I don't know what to do now.
Hi Micah. I would really try to bolster the health of the tree. Thin it out but fertilize with some organic compost and soil fungal inoculants. That will help the tree have more of an immunity against pests and disease. Blessings!
I recently planted a young myrtle in the front yard about 1.5 mo ago. North Texas. I was told to water it daily for 20 sec for 1.5 month. Now it’s still dormant looking with some greens coming out from the bottom (that means it’s live and growing right?)It’s about 5 ft tall right now. Should I cut off the old flower butts out and prune it? Is it too young to be cut here and there? Thank you if you could help me out with some tips🙏
Hello! Hmmm. I’m wondering if the tree is alive or not. It should be flushing out by now. Sometimes the above-ground portion does for whatever reason but the roots are alive and it sends up suckers from the roots. If your tree is alive I’d just keep watering it. If it happened to die then you can let 3-5 of those little shoots (suckers) come out and the. Then that’ll be your new tree. That will take some time though. Hopefully it’s just waking up though!
I'm not sure but nature's trees grow without humans helping them and I'm sure trees don't prune themselves with scissors but maybe I'm wrong I'm not sure
Oops, I thought this video was a lesson in cooking crepes. 😜 You might have a better chance of convincing people of your pruning capability if you spell the name correctly….crape myrtle. 🤷🏾
This was incredibly informative! Not only do I know exactly what to do, but I have a greater appreciation for trees in general. You’re awesome, thank you!
Hi, Benj! This is the best tutorial about crepe myrtle I have ever seen.
Wow, thanks! Jonah did a great job for sure.
Jonah is the Treeguy :)
First!! I'm actually fixing to do this, thanks for the tips!
Hey you beat the rest! :)
This is such a great video. I highly recommend re-editing this video to short snippets of instruction and re-releasing it. Also he is very well spoken please more videos with this gentleman!
Awesome-awesome, cool - cool, Jonah the Steel man, The Tree Whisperer, your favorite neighborhood bachelor, back from Holidays. Missed Jonah not being around Ben and Giggles.
Great information on Crepe Myrtle n other trees pruning.
I have a couple that weren't maintained and were getting chocked out by crazy vines. I just moved from the desert 🏜 of SoCal to Oklahoma, and everything grows crazy here, and now I have to be a gardener . I give mad props to gardeners and landscaping cause it's no joke!
This was very well presented and highly informative. Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I am very glad I ran across it.
You're very welcome!
Thank you so much for the time you took out of your day to give valuable instructions. All my questions were answered by watching your video.
I have 2 trees to prune this week. This answered all my questions. Thank you!!
Excellent! Very informative and clear communication. I learned a lot.
Best crepe myrtle pruning vid. I've seen. Thanks!
Thanks, guys! Loved the video. I bought a house on May and inherited 15 crepe myrtles. And, yes, the previous owners had these trees beautifully maintained
That is us, bought our first home, however these were NOT well maintained. So this is helpful
U got purple crepe myrtle, pink crepe myrtle, red crepe myrtle. Crepe myrtle Shrubs, crepe myrtle trees, bush crepe myrtle. Crepe myrtle planted in a row, suckered crepe myrtle outta control. Bonus footage. LOL! Homeboy was like not the bonus tip! LOL! The u talk about crepe myrtle I have a coworker that talks about bonds like that. Filler bondo, glaze bondo, fiberglass bondo, long hair fiberglass bondo . Good stuff I learned something
Wow - what a great video! I'm so glad I watched this before going outside to check my crepe myrtles for pruning. Now I know exactly what to do! Thanks to you both - Jonah is the man!!
So glad it was helpful!
Nice! This is the best explanation I've seen.
Short precise pruning information.thanks
DO NOT take out ALL your cross over branches! I had a CM that was about 150 yrs old, grew probably untended but as a result the tree SANG. When the wind blew the cross over branches rubbed creating a chello like song with 2 tones because of the different branch diameters. On windy days it's song was BEAUTIFUL.
Ohhhhhh.....THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! Awesome video!!! 💖💖💖
Best tutorial ever!! Thank you!
Great video very well explained very informative.
Exactly the video I was looking for..👍🏻🙌🏻
Minus the camera man stressing me out lmao 🤣
Exactly what I needed to hear, thanks!
Excellent set of instructions Thank you
Thank you so much for this info! My Crate Myrtle is in desperate need of a trim and I was fearful of killing it.
Awesome video !
THANK YOU! That was a huge help..
A very informative video. Thank you..
Great video!!
Great tree pruning advice
Great commentary. Thanks. 😊
excellent explanations ! thank you !
great info, thanks
Thanks! How do you decide how much to height to take off? I have a multi-trunk tree that’s 15-20 feet that probably hasn’t been pruned for a while.
We hope to see more videos with your friend
Thank you for this video, know I know I haven't Done a Crape Murder, 🖐😊
Very helpful!
I love the tip... how to cut at the end. Thank you.
Good video but need less of him and more of the tree and how he's showing how to cut
Took notes. Am hiring arborist, but he's got COVID and a 10 day delay! Thank for helpful guidance.
Awesome thanks.
Hopefully the branch he broke off gets cleaned up along with the other long pruning cuts.
I wish Jonah was in the NY area! 30 years ago my mother planted a crape myrtle in the worst possible spot (in shade near a fence) and it's really unhappy. I'd love to save it because it's a living memory of her, but I don't know if I can hack it back since now the yard is much brighter and hope it comes back healthier.
well that one is so bad. I try to have an odd number of main branches. And I cut them the same height. yes dead branches are good to remove. today I will probably cut some and will do what the customer wants. She wants to cut so she can not have to deal with them for awhile. In the state of Georrgia they grow all year. thanks for a very good video
This was a GREAT video! Thanks guys! One question…I apologize if you covered it but, when is the best time of year to do the trimming? I am a new crape myrtle owner and after watching your video would definitely hire you to come and trim mine if you lived in my neighborhood!
When its the right time
Thanks for the info, I bought a home with a very neglected crepe myrtle, I'm trying to figure out how to take care of him and bring him back to the utmost health, he is beside the street so I would like to make him no larger than the tree you were showing, if I want it to be more like a bush do I leave the sucker's at the bottom ?
wow he's great
I'm so glad to see this video on crepe myrtles because I have 2 that look about the same size as your example. My intention is to top them about my height and only leave the straight up branches so I can get a nice canopy this summer. I have been faithful about keeping the branches from cross overs etc but for some reason they grew like crazy & they are way taller than I want them to be. I guess it was the old saying 1st year sleep, 2nd year creep & 3rd year leap & leap they did! My issue is cutting all the branches an even height. Any tricks on this?
Hi Darlene! If you're trying to cut them evenly across, I'd recommend a pole saw or a ladder. But please do be careful! Maybe you could hire someone to cut them evenly. I'd hate for anyone to get hurt.
I'll get someone to help me. Thank you for your concern.
Which saw brand and model do you recommend to cut/prune crepe myrtles ? Thank you
Thanks yall
Blessings!
What about the top of the tree if was originally planted too close to the house and you want to cut it down to keep a shorter tree also... I don’t want it to touch my roof.
Your best bet would be to move it while it is dormant. We've managed to do this successfully and as the video stated, they are very forgiving trees.
Nice
This was interesting. Would these tips be the same for fruit trees? and when would be the best time to prune them? Any suggestions for organic pest control for fruit trees?
Thanks for all the great videos!
No the advice would be different for fruit trees. We will be doing some videos on that I'm sure. Always prune when they are dormant. organic pest control...the best antidote to disease is a healthy tree. Boost that tree's immune system with compost and seasoned manures. There are some helpful hot-pepper sprays. You can make a dawn dish soap spray too. If it's a smaller tree you can cover it with a netting.
Hey there the best time to prune fruit trees is from the time the leaves drop in the fall until the time the new leaves flush out in the spring.
When the trees are dormant it puts the least stress on them to prune.
However it is possible to prune during the summer but it’s more stressful on the trees so it’s not as often recommended for smaller trees. Larger trees can handle it.
Benj is correct in saying the best way to prevent pests is to boost the trees immune system through good composting.
Amazing valuable tips, thank you. I have a young myrtle about 5’ tall, trunks are still a bit thin. Is it to early to begin pruning?
A careful pruning will help the tree! Now is a good time to make sure you have the number of trunks you want.
My trees are just two years old should i start pruning them now.
Yes!the sooner the better.
Question:
I'm looking for Heavenly Bamboo Nandina variety that grows the red cluster berries in the fall. Do you know where these are available online?
Hi! Not sure but I do know local nurseries usually carry them. You’ll get a bigger and better plant for the cost if you can find one locally. They’re also really easy to propagate by division.
I had very young crepe myrtles that are about 3 feet tall. I want them to grow up as trees and not become a bush. I have several stalks coming out of the ground in a close but comfortable grouping and are growing remarkably straight and this early age. Is this a concern. My goal is to have them grow to 30feet tall. Any recommendations
What goes into tree planting/raising? Should I buy a young sprout ?
Hi! Well, there is always more to learn but the basic steps are 1. planning which trees you'd like, 2. planting said trees appropriately 3. pruning those trees so they can be healthy and productive. You can purchase trees as bare-root, potted or bound and burlapped. Hope this helps!
My tree is black all over I have sprayed and put suff on it but I want to work on the bottom of the tree. It's black all around to the ground what can I do get get rid of the blackness .
Moved into a house where the renovators straight up lopped big Big trunks off of it. Trying to figure out how to salvage it. It's about 15 feet tall. It's alive but it hasn't bloomed. There's also an attached branch that looks to be rotting. There's ants in it 😔 thanks for the video, super informative, looking to save mine and hopefully get it to bloom.
So I have 5 crepe myrtle that, as far as I can tell, have never been pruned.
They are 20 feet tall and have numerous branches obviously
What's my best option to trim them down and make them more of a tall/large bush rather than a large uncontrollable branchy looking tree???
What if they're waay huge already? I have 2 and the trunk(s) are quite large in diameter.
i have 4 that are a foot tall. they are now 5 years old.
they are alive, they bloom, but they are 1 foot tall.
are they dwarf? do i need to rip them out and replant? i fertilize and prune they appear healthy they just do not grow taller
Wondering what zones these trees like to grow in the best?
Hey there, Crepe myrtles are a pretty hardy plant that can grow between zones 5-10. So that means they can grow as far north as South Dakota and as far south as Florida. And they can grow from coast to coast as well
When do you start pruning them? I have a new black diamond Crepe Myrtle and not sure if I should wait until February or if I can start pruning it straight away to get it growing into a tree shape. Do you recommend the Black Diamond? You said it takes a lot to kill them but my first one died after it’s first winter. I hope you or someone will answer, please.
Best time is later fall or winter.
Black diamond seem to be fairly hardy.
How to get rid of the black powdery residue on it?
I get it crepe murder is a horrible however I have several that previous owner let run wild.
I don't want all shade. I need to cut back 15 feet so I can get sun to grow grass. WHEN can I cut in eastern NC
I understand. BEST time would be late fall, winter. That way the tree is dormant
Can the branches you cut off be propagated as cuttings ? If not , how can crepe myrtle be propagated ?
Under the right conditions! I would use the suckers that pop out underneath the tree. Get as much of the root with it as possible.
Buy the appropriate type of shrub (mature height, width, growth habits)...and the tree and gardener will live happily ever after! Hate to see trees mutilated for doing what it was bred to naturally do. Thx for good video..
👍
It's early spring in CA, has dead branches can I still prune?
Yes you can! Especially if they are dead.
What is Jonah’s channel?
Please advise me how to cut a frost damaged olive tree and help it revive❤️
Thank you for your question. The best thing you can do is wait and see which branches actually die. And also give the plant the best soil and water conditions it can have. Boost it immune system and it will do the best it can considering the damage
Also speak life over the plant. Believe it or not, there is life and death in the power of the tongue. Science is discovering that what we say, affects everything around us, including plants. Hope this helps!
Thank you Jonah, I have an old watermelon Crepe that’s about a 40 ft. Right beside our house 🏡 it looks just like this picture except the tree is on the side of the house it’s a Monster Crepe. So with windstorm’s on top of a Mountain plateau our tree’s are going down on the East coast. So the crown of the top of the tree has grown over my roof pounding the crap out of the house! Know wonder the kids complained but they didn’t think about the Myrtle being the cause and 💨 wind! I really do not want to stop it’s coolness but the house is not happy it’s become a crush on the roof line. I have to climb up and cut. It naturally grows this way it has been threatened. But I run outside and climb in when the cutters come! I collect Myrtle wood it’s a nice strong wood and beautiful. I make things when I take things from it, plus the cutting is why it’s growing inward to stop that continuing do I cut the opposite side to encourage growth in the other direction? Just taking out massive branches against the house is not working. Do you have anymore advice I have tons of Myrtle trees and prune them myself always and get Wows on my trees. I must thank the prior occupants for not being murderers. It appears they loved Myrtle to protect it how it has been. But now out of Control. Thanks Jonah lots of good reminders before a grooming session!
Hi Sandra! Yes I would say you need to take out the larger growth that is hitting the house and then encourage growth outward. It'll take time but that's about your only option without cutting a considerable amount. Hope this helps Sandra!
I really likes what your friend Jonna was teaching us. BUT you did not focus the video on what Jonna was showing us most of the time. We could not see all the things Jonna was talking about . You didn't point the video at what Jonna was trying to show us. I would of liked to have seen more of the places in the tree Jonna was trying to show us. thanks for letting us see this.
Note taken! Thank you for that information. I'll try to get closer shots!
Does Jonah have youtube or instagram?
I have spider nests in my tree that are spreading. It's winter and I don't know which branches are infected. I was just going to commit crepe murder. After watching your video I don't know what to do now.
Hi Micah. I would really try to bolster the health of the tree. Thin it out but fertilize with some organic compost and soil fungal inoculants. That will help the tree have more of an immunity against pests and disease. Blessings!
Where is Jonah??
My crepe myrtle tree never flowers 😢
I recently planted a young myrtle in the front yard about 1.5 mo ago. North Texas. I was told to water it daily for 20 sec for 1.5 month. Now it’s still dormant looking with some greens coming out from the bottom (that means it’s live and growing right?)It’s about 5 ft tall right now. Should I cut off the old flower butts out and prune it? Is it too young to be cut here and there? Thank you if you could help me out with some tips🙏
Hello! Hmmm. I’m wondering if the tree is alive or not. It should be flushing out by now. Sometimes the above-ground portion does for whatever reason but the roots are alive and it sends up suckers from the roots.
If your tree is alive I’d just keep watering it. If it happened to die then you can let 3-5 of those little shoots (suckers) come out and the. Then that’ll be your new tree. That will take some time though. Hopefully it’s just waking up though!
I'm not sure but nature's trees grow without humans helping them and I'm sure trees don't prune themselves with scissors but maybe I'm wrong I'm not sure
Just get to point.
No le entendí ni madres.
Crape Myrtle, not Crepe Myrtle :)
Not a lumber Jack with a man bun. Looks more like geek
Too much talking and I didn’t get it
Get to the point to much babbling
Long winded, get to the point. Stop smoking weed.
What a waste of time. He says the same thing ten different ways. Need to prune the words, not just the tree
Stop yapping. Get to the point!
Too much bla bla for me . Could have actually pruned the tree as he was explaining technique.
Oops, I thought this video was a lesson in cooking crepes. 😜
You might have a better chance of convincing people of your pruning capability if you spell the name correctly….crape myrtle. 🤷🏾
Hahaha that's funny. Actually it's spelled both ways. Down here in the south it's usually spelled Crepe myrtle. Haha.
This guy keeps repeating himself yawn!!
Nice