The general rule for planting trees and shrubs is that fall is the best time to plant. We say fall is the best because we like to plant those trees and shrubs at a time of year when they have a few months to work on developing a good root system before needing to work to supply the nutrient needs of the plant during the summer. However, there’s one big exception to this rule and since crapemyrtles do best when planted in the summer.

In Oklahoma, we love our crapemyrtles. Driving around town you see them everywhere and there’s good reason for that. Outside of the fact that they seem to love the heat, they do well here (for the most part) and put on a show of flowers during most of the season. I said “for the most part” because, since we are on the northernmost part of their appropriate growing zones, every once in a while, we get a super freeze event in the winter which damages or destroys our crapemyrtles. You may remember one of these a few years ago. During that season we spent several days below zero and as a result we lost many of our crapemyrtles. But outside of extreme weather events, crapemyrtles do great here in Oklahoma.

When shopping for crapemyrtles, you need to make some decisions. You need to decide which color of blooms you prefer, and you will also need to decide on the size of crapemyrtle that is appropriate for your landscape.

Crapemyrtles come in four different sizes. First there is the standard crapemyrtle you are likely familiar with. These plants grow to between 15 and 35 feet in height. There’s also a more shrublike version that grows to between 6 and 15 feet in height and there’s a dwarf variety that typically doesn’t grow over 6 feet tall.

In addition, there’s now a trailing version that grows along the ground. These trailing crapemyrtles work great in hanging baskets or perhaps at the edge of a retaining wall, allowing them to grow down the wall.

With all these choices, if you purchase the appropriate plant, you won’t need to prune them down to your preferred size using a process gardeners call crape-murder. You’ve probably seen the results of these drastic prunings where to tops of the plants are whacked off in an effort to keep the size more manageable. All this can be avoided by purchasing a plant whose mature size will be appropriate for your location.

Crapemyrtles will do best in locations that get plenty of sun. they are also pretty forgiving of soil conditions, so you won’t need to be that concerned with providing the perfect growing environment. In addition, they do pretty well in drought conditions, which again, makes them perfect for Oklahoma.

Once you’ve picked out your plant, it’s time to get it in the ground. When planting crapemyrtles (or any shrub for that matter) we need to dig a hole that is 2 to 3 times wider than the size of the container. I know, digging holes is not our favorite activity, but doing this will help provide a better environment for your new plant.

While you want to dig a hole wider than the container, we only want to dig the hole deep enough so that the top of the root ball rises about 2 inches above the soil level. Also, try to leave the soil in the bottom of the hole undisturbed. This solid base will help keep the plant from settling deeper in the soil.

You may need to stake your plant if it is of a sufficient size and is planted in a location that might get a fair amount of wind. To stake, use 2 to 3 stakes placed in the ground, equidistant from each other. Attach the guidewires to secure the plant but be sure to give them a little wiggle room. You want them to be able to move but not fall over. You’ll also want to cover the supporting wires with an old hose cutting or something like that where the wire touches the plant to help minimize damage from the support wires. These may need to remain in place for a couple of years as the plant gets rooted, so to speak.

Next your job will be to keep the plant hydrated. In general, the plant will need about an inch of water per week, but when it really gets hot, you will likely need to increase the amount of water you are providing for your plant.

Lastly, a good layer of mulch around your plant will help to not only provide a weed barrier but will also help moisture remain in the soil longer. As a word of caution, don’t mulch your crapemyrtle like we see so many mulched around town with what we call a mulch volcano. A mulch volcano is when the mulch is piled up around the tree in kind of a pyramid fashion. Locating mulch up next to the bark of the tree will weaken the bark and increase chances of disease. So, when it comes to a mulch volcano, just say no.

If you follow these steps, you should be on your way to having a healthy, beautiful crapemyrtle in your landscape for years to come. Good luck.

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: Tom Ingram