Central Virginia Organic Gardener

"And 'tis my faith that every flower enjoys the air it breathes." - William Wordsworth, 1798

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Sigh...Crape Murder















Why do people persist in so severely cutting back their crape myrtles? Though this does remove the spent seed heads and promotes some bloom, it really damages the structure of the tree. This photo is of a really egregious example. I once listened a garden call in show where the host told a female caller "keep that chain saw out of your husband's hands!" when she described this type of Crape-A-Cide or Crape Murder. Chain saws make it so easy to cut, that people get over-zealous and chop the heck out of their trees and shrubs, until there is not much left. Please, lightly prune crape myrtles, remove suckers, dead and crossed branches and let the tree form it's own, unique, artistic form.
Happy gardening!

No comments: