How to Transplant Crape Myrtles in the Late Summer

The immense popularity of crape myrtles (Lagerstroemia indica) as specimen trees is well-deserved. They grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7a through 9a and are simply charming with their tidy growth habit, smooth copper-colored bark and a dizzying display of blooms throughout the summer. Because of their fibrous root system, they tolerate transplanting better than most trees. Late summer is typically not the best time to transplant, but with a couple of extra precautions, it can be done without harming the tree.

Digging shovel
Tarp or burlap sheet
Hand pruners
Bypass loppers
Pruning saw

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the current season's growth from the crape myrtle using hand pruners and loppers, or a pruning saw, if necessary. This is the key to successfully transplanting a crape myrtle in late summer -- the loss of water from the tissues of the plant is greatly reduced by removing a large portion of the foliage.
- 2
  Cut into the soil in a circle around the trunk of the crape myrtle to slice through the lateral roots near the surface. The radius of the circle should be about 6 inches for every 2 feet of tree height.
- 3
  Dig a trench following the line where the roots have been cut to give access to the lower roots. The trench should be about 6 inches deep for every 4 feet of tree height.
- 4
  Slice into the soil at a 45-degree angle at the bottom of the trench toward the direction of the trunk. Continue around the perimeter of the crape myrtle until all the roots have been cut in this area.
- 5
  Begin to pry up on the root system from the bottom of trench to break any remaining roots under the tree. Pry a little at a time on all sides of the tree until the root ball is free.
- 6
  Slide a tarp or sheet of burlap under the crape myrtle and lift up on all four corners to carry or drag the tree to the new location. The crape myrtle should be planted immediately to minimize heat stress when transplanting in late summer.
- 7
  Dig a hole about twice the diameter and the same depth as the rootball. Lower the tree into the hole and stand back to make sure the trunk is straight. Replace the excavated soil, packing it carefully around the roots of the crape myrtle so there are no air pockets.
- 8
  Water deeply. When there are no more air bubbles percolating to the surface of the soil, all the air space in the planting hole has been filled and the water can be turned off.
- 9
  Spread 3 or 4 inches of mulch over the surface of the soil in an area extending at least 2 feet beyond the edge of the root ball. This is critical to further reduce stress on the tree when transplanting in hot weather. Water the tree weekly until the weather cools off in fall.

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