I love crapemyrtles and have been told that summer is the best time to plant them. Is this true? PJ

Crapemyrtles have become a standard landscape fixture for many gardeners and who can blame them since once they start blooming, they bloom throughout the summer. This long blooming season helps explain why the Chinese call the plant the “Hundred Day Plant.”

Crapemyrtles first made their way to our continent in 1759 and could be seen at George Washington’s Mount Vernon home in the 1790’s. Commercial introduction began in Charleston, S.C. when a French biologist named Andre Michaux built a nursery to grow these beautiful plants.

We can group most of the over 50 varieties of crapemyrtles into four different size groups. First, we have the tree form which grows to between 15 and 35 feet tall. These tree form crapemyrtles produce an interesting bark with shades of gray, gray-green and brown.

Shrub forms of crapemyrtle grow to between 6 and 15 feet tall while dwarf varieties are those who rise to less than 6 feet in stature. However, if you don’t prune a dwarf crapemyrtle, over time it can come close to shrub status.

The newest addition to the crapemyrtle family is a trailing form that grows across the ground making them great toppers for walls and hanging baskets as their growth and flowers spill down.

Crapemyrtles do best in growing zones 7 through 9 placing us at their northernmost appropriate growing zone. This explains why we lost so many crapemyrtles in the deep freeze a year and a half ago. But they are pretty tough. Not only do they love the heat but if a cold winter causes the above ground growth to die, in many cases they will just send up new shoots in the spring and start over.

Fall is the best time to plant most trees and shrubs. We plant them in the fall so that they can work on developing a robust root system during the fall, winter, and spring which helps them get ready for our Oklahoma summers. However, crapemyrtles are ready to hit the ground running in the summer.

Crapemyrtles love the heat which encourages robust root development. The general recommendation is that crapemyrtles shouldn’t be planted after early October. If planted in the fall, crapemyrtles may die during the winter because of poor root growth.

If you want to add a crapemyrtle or two to you landscape, they will grow best in areas that get full sun. As an additional bonus, crapemyrtles do well in almost any soil. Add to that they can tolerate occasional drought conditions and you have what sounds like a perfect plant for Oklahoma.

To ensure success when planting new crapemyrtles in your landscape, here’s a few tips to give them the best shot at thriving.

First comes digging the hole. Now, I am guessing that digging holes in the yard is not your favorite thing to do, I know it’s not one of mine. But when digging a hole for planting a tree or shrub, we need to avoid our tendency to dig a hole the same size as the container the plant came in. For best results you should dig a hole about three times the diameter of the container. This will help the tiny young roots reach out into the surrounding soil better that if they are trying to penetrate the harder, more compacted soil in your landscape.

As far as hole depth goes, dig the hole deep enough to let the top of the root ball rise about 2 inches above the soil level. There will be some natural compaction that happens after planting and doing this will help you avoid a sunken area around your plant. Also, try to leave the soil at the bottom of the hole undisturbed. Doing so helps prevent the plant from settling down in the soil. Also, don’t place crushed stone or gravel at the bottom of the hole. This will separate the roots from water in the soil and possibly create a soggy condition underneath your crapemyrtle.

When backfilling the hole, just use the soil that came out of the hole. There’s no need to add anything. This will help the plant get used to its natural surroundings rather than being shocked by what it finds outside the diameter of the special soil your prepared.

You may need to stake your plant depending on its size and placement in the landscape. Staking involves driving 2 or 3 stakes in the ground and securing them loosely to the plant to help keep the plant in place. Staking would be appropriate with a larger plant or perhaps in locations that get a lot of wind.

Water will be critical for your new crapemyrtle so keep it hydrated. Generally, it will need about an inch of water a week, possibly more. In very hot conditions (we’ve been having some of those) they may need to be watered two to three times a week. Wilted leaves can be a symptom of both underwatered and overwatered plants so check for soil moisture before continuing to add water if your plant’s leaves are wilting.

Be sure to add mulch around your crapemyrtle to help create a weed barrier of sorts. This mulch will also help retain moisture in the soil for your crapemyrtle.

Crapemyrtle’s ability to tolerate heat and low moisture once established makes them a great addition to your landscape, plus you get beautiful flowers. Sounds like a win-win. See you in the garden!

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org.

Photo: Keith Weller, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Bugwood.org