I tried it. I cut the stems just above the cluster of seed pods, right above a growth node which contained lateral buds. I knew from bonsai experience that this would free up the lateral buds to grow from the stem. cut the crape myrtle seed pods off just above the node. Note the new growth at the base of the leaves.
https://johntheplantman.com/2010/07/18/665/
Found a good article about pruning crape myrtles. I have a very large white one on the corner of our house. It was planted about three feet from the corner (good going, people). I would love to keep it, but it is so old and way too large for the space, I'm afraid it may eventually have to go.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2169795/crape-myrtle-cut-the-flower-plant-grows-faster
I can think of four reasons why a healthy plant wouldn’t bloom. If that is your problem, ponder if any of the following could be the reason. PRUNING Crape myrtles flower on new wood: the branches that have grown since spring. If you pruned recently, you may have removed the tip buds. Perhaps you pruned VERY severely in winter and the resultant new growth is not mature enough to make blooms.
http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/crapemyrtle-failure-to-bloom/
Purchase a crape myrtle cultivar that grows over the average 20 feet in height. According to the U.S. National Arboretum, the cultivars L. Choctaw, Muskogee and Natchez, as well as L. fauriei Kiowa, all achieve 30 feet. The flowers are bright pink, pale lavender, white and white, respectively.
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/crape-myrtle-grow-taller-43756.html
The “stomping technique” for removing unwanted growth at the base of a crape myrtle. Remember, the blooms come on new growth, and the blooms seem to be triggered by heat. But it is a good game to play. As a disclaimer, I learned all of the information above through trial, error, and observation and not from books.
https://johntheplantman.com/2010/07/18/665/
Here's a good article on how to prune Crape Myrtles: http://www.gardenality.com/Articles/344/How-To-Info/Pruning/How-To-Prune-A-Crape-Myrtle/default.html. Note: Crape Myrtles need full sun to perform and bloom at their best. Also, during drought times Crape Myrtles will not bloom as well, if at all. Crape Myrtles can be supplemented with water during drought to stimulate new growth. Crape Myrtles bud on new growth. One other possibility might be that the Crape Myrtles were not planted properly.
http://www.gardenality.com/Questions/1137/Plants/Trees/How-Do-I-Make-Crape-Myrtles-Bloom.html
In fact, poor nutrition can contribute to a failure to flower but blooms won’t be forced merely by fertilization. Phosphorus, in particular, is used to store energy in flowers, seeds and roots. If your soil is deficient in phosphorus, a high phosphorus fertilizer might help but it won’t “make” the plant bloom.
http://www.walterreeves.com/landscaping/crapemyrtle-failure-to-bloom/
Feed your crape myrtle a fertilizer heavy in nitrogen in spring. The nutrient is known to encourage growth. A six-year U.S. Forest Service study of eucalyptus-tree growth in Hawaii found that trees fed with nitrogen fertilizer were more than twice as tall as untreated trees during the first three years of growth.
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/crape-myrtle-grow-taller-43756.html
Filed Under: Trees · Keywords: How To, Make, Crape Myrtles, Bloom · 2209 Views. Save Print Email. I have 2 Crepe Myrtles in my front yard that I didn't even know were Crepe Myrtles until my neighbor pointed them out. I just planted a new one when we discovered the other 2.
http://www.gardenality.com/Questions/1137/Plants/Trees/How-Do-I-Make-Crape-Myrtles-Bloom.html
Thank you for reporting this comment. Just google 'Crape Myrtle Society'. If you google 'Crepe Myrtle Society', a link to the Crape Myrtle Society pops up to correct you. No biggy though; it seems there are fewer and fewer people that even know how spell it correctly these days.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2169795/crape-myrtle-cut-the-flower-plant-grows-faster
how to make crepe myrtles bloom
To make crepe myrtles bloom, pruning a flower on new wood and should be pruned in early spring.