Time to deadhead! Deadheading is the removal of dead or spent flowers to either encourage more flowering or to improve the general appearance of the plant. This can be accomplished by pruning the spent flowers or by pinching them off with your fingers. Plants that benefit from deadheading include: Gardenia, Knock Out Rose, Drift Rose, Hibiscus and perennials.
How to get your Crape Myrtles bloom again
As a proud Crape Myrtle owner, part of your gratification is its vibrant, long-lasting blooms in spring and summer.
However, you can continue that bloom well into the fall by trimming them back now. If your Crape Myrtle has about 15-20% bloom left, it’s time to cut it back. Cutting it back now will encourage new growth and new blooms. Crape Myrtles are fast-growing, so don’t worry about cutting too much.
The following are suggestions for to how much to trim in order to encourage new growth and bloom based on its size:
Crape Myrtle Height:
2-4’: trim berries off only
4-8’: trim 1-2’ off
10-14’: trim 4’ off
14-18’: trim 6-8’ off
We also recommend following up with fertilization after trimming in order to intensify the next round of gorgeous blooms!