The Best Time to Plant Crape Myrtles

Types

• Hundreds of cultivars of crape myrtles exist and range in mature size from trees 30 feet tall to dwarf shrubs only 18 inches high. These deciduous plants run the full gamut in size in between and in silhouettes that include mounds to upright ovals, vases or arching circles atop singular or multiple trunks. It makes no difference among the cultivars when to plant. However, larger-sized plants need more care during planting to preserve the root system compared to smaller plants.

Planting Season

• The best time to plant a crape myrtle is in spring to early summer, according to the U.S. National Arboretum, especially in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 and 8. In zone 9, planting occurs anytime, but best when temperatures are not too hot and there isn't a drought. The key to successful planting of any crape myrtle is irrigating afterward to maintain an evenly moist soil to encourage more rapid root growth and plant establishment.

Fall and Winter Issues

• In mild winter regions, it's possible to plant crape myrtles in fall and winter since the ground rarely or never freezes. In fact, in the Southeast, fall planting -- October and November -- is often preferred by gardeners as the warm and moist fall soil, cooler temperatures and plants entering dormancy allows roots to grow and establish well before the heat of next summer. Planting crape myrtles in fall and winter can be more problematic regarding irrigation. You must not overwater the root ball of the newly planted crape myrtle, but also not let it dry out even though the temperatures are cool. Wet soil promotes rot and fungal disease, while dry soil after planting weakens and kills roots.

Plant Availability

• Container-grown crape myrtles are much easier to plant and establish compared to dug up or balled and burlapped plants, often called B&B. Containers permit the roots to grow in a volume of soil and remain fully intact during the planting process. Digging up a crape myrtle in the field or from an established landscape results in great losses in the root system. Freshly dug and balled and burlapped crape myrtles are best planted when the plants are dormant. Avoid transplanting during the heat of spring and summer as increased watering is needed to offset the loss of roots and provide for the leafy growth across all the branches. Focus on very early spring or fall once the leaves begin dropping.