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Florida Gardening

Why do green buds on crepe myrtle not open?

irma_stpete_10a

7 years ago

Had fewer flowers this year on the bush that has bloomed for 10 years and is going dormant as expected without opening half of it's buds. 2nd bush, in other location, rarely has blooms but even today has many green buds, perhaps brought on by the late-summer rains. Would it be temp related (i.e., timing)?

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Comments (5)

ritaweeda
7 years ago
We had the opposite here in Brooksville, I've never seen such heavy bloom as this past Summer. Are you near the coast? Maybe that's why?
irma_stpete_10a
Original Author
7 years ago
About 2 miles Inland on Pinellas peninsula. Did you have a warmer winter than usual? Our last two were. Early spring thru now, plants blooming that don't usually. Perhaps this variety of crepe myrtle (dwarf? 4 to 6 feet tall) would do better with a cooler winter? BTW, the one receiving water less frequently has the green buds still.
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Thank you both, eldo 1960 and rhizo 1 for responding to my question regarding my DCMs. The plants do get direct sunlight so that is a good thing. I'm glad to know that over head watering is not a problem with DCMs. Rhizo 1 its funny you mentioned about a possibility of the DCMs having already bloomed before I purchased and planted them. A friend of mine at work said the same thing to me but because I am a beginner at planting was not really sure if this was good or bad. What are seed pods and what purpose do they have? I just checked them and some of the pods are opening and I can see the flowers. I guess I will just have to wait and see how they will do. I've turned Zone 1 of my irrigation sytem to run only 1 day a week. Once again thank you. Now I will try my green thumb (HA HA HA) at Junipers (Procumbens - Nana (Dwarf). Wish me luck!!!!!
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Here in Chattanooga, I had a crape that I planted 4 years ago.It was a Red rocket.Firstyear I water it 1 timea week. Next year,I didnt touch it. This year its been 90's and 100's still havent touched. Its starting to form those seed podsalready. The thing is they only need about 1 year of 100% attention then after that you can just prune off the dead seed pods and broken limbs. They love the hottest weather and don't need but an inch of water a, usually way less. Thats why in the deep south you see lots of crapes in full sun in parking lots. Next year dont fertilizeor anything wait until July and if no buds form (typical bud formation time in the north) ask an expert or local arborist. Trust me the first year they sleep, next they creep, and then after that they leap and reach theyre full height. If you have an extremely hot summer they reward you with smokin' blooms. the picture above is the picture of my crape myrtle, didnt get much growth the first two years but it did get lots of blooms
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Crystals..I don't know of anyone who irrigates their crape myrtles beyond the first couple years after planting. And, you may be putting your fertilizer too close to the tree trunks. Here it is 3rd week of Aug and most of the crapes in yards and in pro intallations/street medians are blooming late and fully. We have, in most of Meck. Cty, had more than enough and regular rain. I'd stop babying these decorative small trees and focus on the fall/winter trimming and removal of the drip lines. Move the drip lines at least 6' from the trunk and root ball area or take it away altogether.
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Black stuff on a crape myrtle is certainly black sooty mold. The mildew that these plants are prone to is powdery mildew, a white or gray disease of the leaves. Pterostyrax is correct that the black sooty mold is caused, most probably, by aphids (could be scale). However, I disagree that it is of no use to spray with dormant oil. Aphids overwinter as eggs in the nooks and crannies of our plants. Spraying with dormant oil is one of the BEST methods of suppressing a major outbreak come spring. I would spray three times during the winter and again in the spring just as the buds start to swell. Dormant oil applications are a very important part of IPM for Crape myrtles. In the spring and summer keep your eyes out for aphids on the new growth and be prepared with the insecticidal soaps.
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dirtygardener73
7 years ago
The plant needs more phosphorous. What do you fertilize it with? If you want more blooms than growth, you need a fertilizer with a larger middle number. Also, a crape myrtle that is planted in a heavily fertilized lawn will often do this, because it is getting too much nitrogen. Look at those planted along roadways. They are never fertilized and they bloom like crazy. Crape myrtles really do thrive on neglect. Also, they like to be dry, so if a sprinkler is hitting them all the time, they sometimes will put out vegetative growth and not bloom well.
irma_stpete_10a thanked dirtygardener73
irma_stpete_10a
Original Author
7 years ago
I'll remember to use that "middle number" - thanks! No lawn. All hand watering (zone planting). Threw Milorganite on flowering plants last spring. The 2nd cm is "neglected" but the green buds, new since the Aug-Sept rains, do not open.
dirtygardener73
7 years ago
Milorganite is almost completely nitrogen, isn't it? If you can find superphosphate, you can use that. It's sometimes sold as triple superphosphate at the big box stores.

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