I live on a ranch in west texas, and have crepe myrtles planted in our yard. They are not doing very well at all. Some are in clay-caleche soil . What can I do to get them to grow better.
I have one on the west side of the house that is doing great and fixing to bloom.
The others are on the south side, full sun, and on the east side, full sun, and they are just putting on leaves, and not growing at all. This is their third year. Is there something I can do to give them a big boost?
Thanks
Jane
crepe myrtles
What varieties do you have? - some are better performers than others.
windbreaks, crepe myrtle can be grown as an understory partial sun plant. where in West Tx is Crane? alkaline soil because of the caliche, deeper holes for root system to take hold, remove rocks n dig deep into the limestone for root development n depth, with water saving soil additions, like mulches, composts, n some of the newer varieties of crepe myrtle may not do well with desert temps..?
You can't kill a crepe myrtle here, and I think it's because they love acid soil. I think you'll have to amend, like kittriana suggests.
The same can be said for Central Texas that has clay neutral/alkaline soil. They grow wild here.
A guy was getting a divorce & wanted all of his wife's plants removed. Since I have 2 acres, a friend brought all of them to me. There were 5+ CMs in the bunch. One I thought had died, had 2" in diameter branches & I stuck it in the ground, just to have Blue & Yellow pea vines twine up. Now, this has been more than 2 yrs ago!!!
Was out there Monday & a friend scratched the bark & I want you to know that it was green!!! No leaves on it yet but they may be coming! lol
It laid in my yard for over a yr. All dirt washed off the root ball with the weather. Thought sure it was a goner but who knows!
:~)
I would say to keep watering them until they establish better and then they should do fine.
It's pretty hard to kill them.
They have the Luma apiculata which is in the crape myrtle family but is evergreen, has popcorn like flowers and then followed with edible cherries. It apparently loves the heat. I am going to try some this year probably. Imagine being able to pick yummy cherries from your crapes. Also the bark is supposed to be much more decorative.
One yr after several mine did not bloom I bought some tree stakes. I think it is Lowe's that has a cellophane pkg with 5 or 6 in it for around 3.00 dollars could be more now. I did not by Jobe's spikes too expensive. It bloomed beautiful and did it another time a couple years later. It has bloomed and done great ever since. You might try them.