Category Archives: Flowering Trees

Planning Your Spring Garden Projects

Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!” ~ Robin Williams

We are ready for it!  Even though there might still be some of that awful white stuff still on the ground, it’s time to plan those spring projects.  From yard clean-up to brand new patio, it pays to be organized.

To tackle all of those ‘spring cleaning’ yard chores, start with a list of all the tasks you need to accomplish.  Take a walk through your garden and note any winter damage that you might need to address.  You might also be surprised at what has started to come back to life.  Discovering that first Crocus bloom is a late winter treat!  By assessing the conditions, you will get a sense for how much time you will need to devote.  Once you have your to-do list, you can take advantage of any windows of nice weather and chip away at the project.  If you approach the chores one at a time, the list may not be so daunting. Continue reading

How to Prune Your Crape Myrtles

Few trees or shrubs explode with color in the summer the way Crape Myrtles do.  Perhaps this is why these trees are so popular throughout Maryland.  Crape Myrtles are like the “31 Flavors” of the tree world.  They come in every size and many colors.  The most important factor is choosing the variety to suit your space!  You can find helpful varietal information at the National Arboretum website.By choosing the correct plant, you can minimize the need to prune.   Here are a couple of examples of poor and unnecessary pruning, often called ‘Crape Murder’ by landscapers.

If you really do need to prune, here is some useful information:

  1. Remove suckers (those little sprouts at the base of the tree) by clipping them as close to the ground as you can with SHARP pruning shears.
  2. Remove any interior branches that cross or rub on other branches.  Ideally all of your main branches will point “out”.
  3. Remove any branches thinner than your finger.  This also includes basically all of the old seed pod branches.
  4. Prune in the early spring.  Remember that Crapes leaf out a lot later than native trees.  In Central Maryland, this gives you until about the middle of April to prune safely.

If your Crape Myrtles are particularly tall or you don’t quite have the time to take on the work, we recommend contacting an Annapolis area landscaper who can provide a quote and handle the job for you.