wrote:

My landscaper put in two new crepe myrtles at the end of my driveway.
These are pretty large for new ones; I'm guessing at least 10' tall.
Here's a pic:
http://www.vzwpix.com/mi/71294999_222506956_0.jpeg

Should I do any pruning? I've seen crepes around here being hacked way
down to branch stumps; I don't want to do that. But I'm wondering if a
little pruning would help in any way, or if I should just leave them
alone for this year.

Leave them alone. In a year or two, if they are tree form,
you should cut out crossing or rubbing branches, and you could
consider selectively removing lower branches to limb it up
into a nice tree shape.

Other than the shaping mentioned, I'm with you -- there's no
need to mutilate crepes with annual topping. It just makes
them shorter and uglier to look at in winter.


Mike
On the North Carolina coast - Zone 8a
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