Hi ... I just moved into a townhouse and the previous owners planted a crepe myrtle right next to the front door. I want to move it before it gets too big and too old (the townhouse itself is only 2 1/2 years old so the plant can't me very old). I'm in the Washington DC area so can anyone tell me the best time to transplant it? Is now okay? Should I wait until the spring?
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
I've had good success moving rather small plants (
CM's are notoriously late to leaf out in our area... anytime in early spring will be fine.
Dave
You can improve you chances of success by pruning the roots now. Imagine the circle that represents teh edge of your futurte root ball. divide it into sections (4, or 6, or 8). Use a sharp spade to cut throught the edge of every other section (i.e., cut half the roots). When you dig it up later, you'll have a head start toward transplant recovery.
Though crapes are actually pretty good at recovering anyway, this should help a bit to let teh plant adjust to teh move.
Keith For more info about the International Society of Arboriculture, please visit
Thank for all the good info. Now, at least, I have a plan.
This past April i did just that, a hardy crepe myrtle that was 12 feet high. I cut the entire shrub almost down to the ground, dug up its large roots, and replanted it. It recovered very easily and bloom for me this late July and I live north of washington...nyc. And to my suprise, the move had given me 7 more c.m. where somehow some roots must of been left there. Wonderful color now in the fall. So i would wait around april. good luck
that's what crepe myrtles do best wishy,
once planted and established they are one plant that generally should be left alone as you can get heaps of volunteer growth from the damaged and left behind roots, just like having a weed in the lawn then.
but then that's just been my experience with them from days of mowing lawns and seeing what these plants do. they are a very nice tree especially when in flower but plant them in the right place first time. and best not to disturb the roots of a living tree anytime.
my suggestion for js148 is poison that tree and buy and plant a new one.
len
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