I snapped this photo on June 23 here in my Georgia Gardens. The Crepe Myrtle (Click Here to see my Southern Belles) is blooming way earlier then normal this year.
Here is the same tree the very next day! This poor tree has had issues in the past few years. When we moved into this house, she was in place but had been drastically pruned (Click HERE to see Crepe Murder) year after year by the previous homeowners. After learning that Crepe Myrtles bloom on old wood, I decided to never prune this tree again.
Just look at my Southern Belle doing the splits! Sigh, Miss Myrtle thrived but was too top heavy for the branches to support the heavy blooms. Each time it would rain, the water would weigh down the tree and we lost a bit here and there over the past few years. Click HERE to see a post about the damage. We have been talking about going back to Murder as everything we tried would not work for this poor gal. 
So now she is split right down the middle. 
It was heart breaking for me to clean up this mess. The tree was about half way in the blooming process. Yes, this tree loved where it was located. After the blooms finish, we shall cut down the remainder of the tree. I plan to have the Saint give her a clean cut at the base of the trunk and let her grow into a bush. He wants to remove the entire thing roots and all and plant one of the new Red Rooster Myrtles here but knowing how Myrtles send up shoots from the base, I want to give this tree one more chance at life. What a sad day to see MISS MYRTLE DOING THE SPLITS, In the Garden... Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden
Oh, how terrible!
ReplyDeleteLeft to her own devices after she's cut to the ground, don't you think she'll probably send up enough shoots to quickly grow into a nice multitrunked tree again that will not fall over and split if she doesn't have those big crape murder knobs at the top?
Good Morning everyone. I was in the heat working all day yesterday planting in the gardens. Today, I have pains in the body from all the work and I am still exhausted. I feel so tired. Today will be a day of staying inside out of the heat and resting my bones. Gee, I have so much yet to do but I must let my body heal. I love the heat for my gardens but not for my body...
ReplyDeleteEveryone have a good day...
Nell Jean, yes, we are going to let her do as she pleases and hopefully, she will once again thrive some day....
ReplyDeleteI was going to say to cut it all the way down and let it grow back from the roots. You can still make it into a tree. Pick 3 or 5 of the strongest shoots and trim out all others. To keep it from falling when it gets big again (if you go that way) selectively thin it out-maybe you already this? Don't worry it will come back. Very sad to see this happen though.
ReplyDeleteGood Morning all.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame to loose that beautiful tree.
They are blooming all around me here. All of them have been trimmed like that. I'm not trimming my at all. It's beginning to bloom now. I had wanted a red but got a dark pink. Arrrg.
Have a super day.
I also agree to give the tree a chance. It's so pretty when it's in bloom. Getting a new variety might yield the same problem.
ReplyDeleteOh so sad--but leave her there and see what happens. I bet you will see a return. (fngers are crossed for you!) : )
ReplyDeleteMy oh my, that is sad. She looked so very pretty before the splitsville. Some things end up doing better in the end when things like that happen. My 7sisters climbing rose bush gets taller than my 2 story house so every few years I cut her back. This year (actually, last fall) the trellis it grows on fell over so I had to cut it back this spring to get the trellis out of there and it is bushier now and already 3 feet tall so here is hoping your pretty Miss Myrtle does the same.
ReplyDeleteThis is so sad! I've always been so jealous of all of you who can grow these gorgeous trees, but I think I would cry at seeing this, too, Skeeter. Looks like you have some excellent advice about cutting her back--I hope she'll send up some strong trunks and look better for you next year.
ReplyDeleteHope you're feeling better, Skeeter. We're having a gorgeous day here, and I wish I could be in the garden. But I pulled a muscle or something in my back yesterday, so I'm going to be spending the day inside, too--on the couch with a bag of ice:)
Mine did the same thing back in 2004 when we got hit by Hurricane Isabel. She came back bigger & better within a couple of seasons. It's a hard tree to kill completely. :)
ReplyDeleteSo sorry, what a sad sight. I hope you have a happy bush in a year or few, at least. Suckers ARE good for something, after all!
ReplyDeleteAmazing to see it split like that. Sorry that happened. Good idea to let it come up from the root base.
ReplyDeleteBooHoo. Hope Myrtle revives and thrives! And take it easy yourself!
ReplyDeleteWish you could come sit with me and enjoy the cool breeze.
Ours almost split last year so we pruned them pretty heavy this year. Now, I know why they are not blooming. I did not know that they bloomed on old wood. So sorry for your loss. I don't blame you for wanting to keep it as a bush. Carla
ReplyDeleteGood Afternoon all. I do think with the way I have been exhausted today, I was on a verge of Heatstroke yesterday. I need to pay closer attention to my body when I am in the heat and not be so darn determined to meet a goal I set for myself......
ReplyDeleteCarla, No they not only bloom on old wood but new wood too. Most people pruned them because they think you must for new blooms but not so. I think the ones we see pruned are done so as to see the business they are hiding when they get too large!!! Your myrtle should bloom as well. Just may be a later bloomer as some of our myrtles are late bloomers....
Everyone have a good evening...
What a sad sight! Mine gets weighed down by rain, too. But how shocking to see yours split! I hope cutting her back will only encourage her to grow stronger. Take care of yourself. It's easy to overdo it in the heat.
ReplyDeleteSkeeter,
ReplyDeleteNot any fun loosing such as beautiful tree. They are not much for attracting wildlife perhaps replace it with something that does maybe a fruit tree?
Truly disturbing images. It will be days before I recover.
ReplyDeleteWe had one at work a runaway, unmanned ambulance ran over. We had to cut it to the ground, but like it normally does, it sprouted up again. I cut off all the little sprouts and kept the three strongest and today you wouldn't know anything ever happened to it.
Holley, I will be sure to take better care of my body when in this nasty heat. My garden needs me healthy not dead....
ReplyDeleteRandy,We had a Cardinal nest of babies in this tree this year. I also see other birds nibbling on the bloom pods after they die. Not sure if they are after bugs or seeds but we do have lots of birds in this tree...
Les, the Ambulance was driving itself? Yikes that is scary.... I am not sure I want to go with a tree or bush but time will tell...
Everyone have a good evening....
So sorry, Skeeter! Myrtles are tough, so I hope she'll grow back from the roots for you. I have quite a few of the watermelon blooms 'Tuscarora' and mine seeds out. I'm growing a new baby right now that took root on its on last year and is three feet high/wide and blooming first this year!
ReplyDeleteOh my....what a pretty tree, such a sad thing to have happen. Good luck with her.
ReplyDeletepoor miss myrtle, we'll see if her time is up or if she'll take the chance. It's funny to see the flowers because ours here are all bare for winter.
ReplyDeleteCameron, they are tough little trees. This one has been through so much over the years...
ReplyDeleteDawn, Welcome back girl! We missed you and your awesome blog and are ever so happy you have healed! The Lord answered some major prayers....
Aw, that's sad Skeeter. Sorry for the loss of your beautiful tree. I hope it will re-grow. If it does, it will probably be large again in no time with that nice mature root system.
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