What Can I Give My Crape Myrtles to Make Them Bloom?

Variety Differences

• Hundreds of different crapemyrtle hybrids and cultivars exist, all with different mature sizes, forms, flower colors and flowering periods. Not all plants bloom at the same time in the summer. Some bloom as early as Memorial Day, while others naturally won't bloom much before July 4. In regions with cooler summers, these same varieties may need extra time for warmth to bloom, perhaps delayed until August before finally revealing their flower clusters on branch tips.

Sunlight

• Look at the light exposure nonblooming crapemyrtle experiences. The best flowering occurs in locations with at least six uninterrupted hours of sun daily. Dappled shade or shaded breaks across the day slow flower development or cause it to occur later in summer than if the plant was basking in full-day sunshine. Remove any overhead tree branches casting shade onto the crapemyrtle or transplant the crapemyrtle to a sunnier location in the fall once the tree goes dormant or in very early spring.

Fertilizer Insight

• Overall, crapemyrtles do not need a lot of attention in the landscape. If receiving lots of sunlight and growing in a fertile, moist but well-draining soil, they prosper. However, if growing in sandy soil, there may not be sufficient nutrients for basic nutritional needs. Apply a balanced, slow-release, granular fertilizer broadly around crapemyrtles in early spring. A formulation with nutrient ratio of 4-1-2 or 2-1-1 is usually adequate, according to Clemson University. Do not overfertilize, especially with nitrogen, as it leads to more leafy growth at the expense of flowering.

Other Insight

• During years of extreme drought or when the summer is unusually cloudy, cool or rainy, a crapemyrtle may not bloom as prolifically as in other years. Often, these stressful conditions delay the typical flowering time by four to eight weeks, pushing it later into summer or even early fall. Do not overwater crapemyrtle. Keeping the soil too wet promotes leafy growth and leads to fungal diseases. Only irrigate crapemyrtles during extended drought. These plants demonstrate excellent drought tolerance, and a slightly dry soil in early summer helps trigger the plant to start producing flower buds in the sunny conditions. Do not prune crapemyrtles after midspring, as you are removing tissues that develop flowers later than summer. Only prune in late winter or early spring just before new leaves emerge.