How to Fertilize Crape Myrtle? Causes of Yellowing Leaves and Solutions
Crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), hearing this name inevitably brings to mind the character Ziwei in "My Fair Princess," though in fact there is no connection between the two. Crape myrtle is a flowering plant with high ornamental value. Its flowering period is long, and its blooms are beautiful and vibrant, easily catching the eye. But to successfully grow a pot of such a beautiful plant, you still need to master the cultivation techniques involved.
How to Fertilize Crape Myrtle
1. Fertilize According to Growth Conditions
Every year after winter, crape myrtle sheds its leaves. After leaf drop, we can apply some organic fertilizer, such as sesame paste residue and animal manure and urine; these are all excellent organic fertilizers. Likewise, before crape myrtle sprouts new buds in spring, the same organic fertilizer can be applied, which can make crape myrtle grow vigorously and produce large, brightly colored flowers.
2. Fertilize According to Seasonal Changes
In early March, crape myrtle is generally budding, and at this time a mixed fertilizer of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium should be applied to help the branches and leaves grow. By late May and early June, a mixed phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be applied, which can promote flowering and strengthen the flowering branches. Generally, July to September is the flowering period of crape myrtle, and at this time some cake fertilizer water can be applied as a flowering-period fertilizer, which can make the flower colors even more vibrant.
Causes of Yellowing Crape Myrtle Leaves and Solutions
1. Natural Aging
The first reason crape myrtle leaves turn yellow is that the plant is undergoing normal metabolism. During this process, the plant itself will have leaves that gradually turn yellow and fall due to the natural consumption of nutrients. This is a normal phenomenon in the growth of crape myrtle.
Solution: There is no need to worry at all when this happens. Continue to carry out normal, reasonable care and management for the crape myrtle, and it will pass safely.
2. Overwatering
Crape myrtle has relatively strong drought tolerance. Soil moisture caused by excess water, together with the effects of waterlogging, makes it difficult for the root system to absorb sufficient oxygen and weakens it, so nutrients cannot be transported to the leaves, causing the leaves to turn yellow.
Solution: The watering principle of “do not water until dry” must always be adhered to. Especially in the rainy season, effective drainage measures should be taken to avoid root rot.
3. Powdery Mildew Infestation
Powdery mildew is a disease that most plants suffer from during growth, and crape myrtle is also a relatively important host of infection. The leaves of crape myrtle affected by powdery mildew will gradually wither and yellow, and eventually fall off one after another, seriously affecting the plant's growth and the normal ornamental effect of crape myrtle.
Solution: First, do a good job of daily care. A healthy growth state can improve the plant's disease resistance. To prevent disease during the growing season, spray 80 percent concentration mancozeb wettable powder at 500 times dilution, 70 percent concentration thiophanate-methyl at 1000 times dilution, 20 percent concentration triadimefon emulsifiable concentrate at 1500 times dilution, and 50 percent concentration carbendazim wettable powder at 800 times dilution.
How to Prune Crape Myrtle Correctly
1. Spring
Spring pruning is divided into two methods: before budding and after budding. Pre-bud pruning should be carried out before crape myrtle grows new branches, so as not to disrupt its growth functions. Crape myrtle grows relatively quickly, and its sprouting speed is also relatively fast. By spring, leaf buds will grow everywhere on the branches, which damages the plant's appearance and makes it look rather messy. At this time, the post-bud pruning method can be used for pruning.
2. Winter
In winter, crape myrtle enters dormancy. Pruning after this dormant period can ensure the form of the crape myrtle. During pruning, the branches should be pruned to have a good sense of layering, which can prevent the young shoots from crossing each other after growth and also make it look more layered, while ensuring that only a small number of buds remain on the main trunk.
3. Summer and Autumn
Pruning in summer and autumn is done to prolong the flowering period of crape myrtle. The recently grown branches are pruned so that only a small number of buds remain on the branches, which can prompt crape myrtle to regrow new branches and ensure its beauty. This pruning method is called bud pruning.
Crape Myrtle Bonsai Styling Methods
When styling crape myrtle bonsai, the multi-trunk twisting method is often used to thicken the main trunk of the crape myrtle. The method is to wrap the branches growing from the roots around the main trunk and fix them with rope. After 2 to 3 years of growth, the finger-thick branches and the main trunk can grow together, achieving the effect of thickening the main trunk.
In addition, several small crape myrtle seedlings can also be planted together and, as they grow, intertwined with each other and fixed with rope, which will also achieve the desired effect. The side branches of crape myrtle can be pruned to shape it.
Growing crape myrtle at home is subject to limitations in many respects, so relatively speaking, care is more complicated. But crape myrtle has a very strong ability to adapt to the environment, so flower lovers need not worry too much. As long as you follow its growth habits and combine them with your own environment, I believe its growth will certainly not be poor!