Planting Question

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blippo Richmond, VA Nov 13, 2010

I received a bare root Crape Myrtle plant from mail order that is growing, bent at the trunk. I am going to keep it. But, I want to know the best way to plant it. To explain it, the trunk that comes up from the ground is straight, then a couple of inches higher the limb bends on an angle. I took some pictures of this. Should I plant this according to the angle of the growth or plant it so the bottom of the truck straight up and down, and let it curve like it is? Thanks. Here are two pictures. Picture 1

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blippo Richmond, VA Nov 13, 2010

Picture #2

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Horseshoe Efland, NC(Zone 7a) Nov 13, 2010

blippo, for a tree that size, and it being a crape myrtle, you can go either way. It looks to me like you have it planted already though. Your "tree" has a front and a back side, telling me it was either grown against a wall or closely spaced with others. (See how there is more green growth on one side, and it is all facing that direction?)

If you leave it in the ground as is then depending on which way it is facing it should tend to grow back straight.

If you want to replant it down to the bend, at an angle, that is fine and if you gently scar the bark ever so slightly at the lower side of the bend it will send out new roots. This is pretty late in the year in your area though so all will depend on the ever-unpredictable weather. (Normally you want to get your crapes in the ground at least 4 weeks before a hard frost/freeze.)

Other than that, nice looking plant. I think I'd prune it back a bit and root some of the cuttings...free plants!

Hope this helps!
shoe

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kittriana Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a) Nov 14, 2010

If it freezes early, you can always wrap it, I would have probably just staked it and planted the thin side toward the heaviest lite, but crepes tend to chase the sun if you let them reach anyway. You'll have new crepes after it flowers, they'll just pop up all over, if you arent in a hurry.

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blippo Richmond, VA Nov 14, 2010

Thank you Horseshoe and kittriana. I'll just leave it like it is. It seems to really thrive in that spot.

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fakrul 1200, Bangladesh Jan 04, 2011

Quote from blippo :
I received a bare root Crape Myrtle plant from mail order that is growing, bent at the trunk. I am going to keep it. But, I want to know the best way to plant it. To explain it, the trunk that comes up from the ground is straight, then a couple of inches higher the limb bends on an angle. I took some pictures of this. Should I plant this according to the angle of the growth or plant it so the bottom of the truck straight up and down, and let it curve like it is? Thanks. Here are two pictures. Picture 1

Thanks for your nice post.I think you should bear on your mind about three important elements which are most important factor for the plant.Temperature, light and nutrients are the three major concerns.

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treehug San Jose, CA Jan 08, 2011

I'm quite surprised to see the suggestion of scarring the bark and planting it deeper. In the group where I volunteeer, we always encourage planting so that the first woody root is just at soil level or the trees may rot from being planted too deep.

Is Crape Myrtle different? We don't plant too many of them as street trees because they don't provide much shade.

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kittriana Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a) Jan 08, 2011

You are in CA, he's in Va- different frost levels, crepes love the sun usually, but they are less tree than understory type tree, too

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