Fall Pruning

While raking the first of the fall leaves, I noticed that my row of Euonymus shrubs were a little messy.  They had a growth spurt back in August, but I was busy doing other things and never got around to pruning them.  So, I got out my pruners and spent a couple of hours cutting back the new growth.  The Euonymus looked nice and tidy and I was very pleased with my work.

A few days later I received an email newsletter from Horticulture Magazine with the subject “Fall Pruning: Do or Don’t?”.  Unfortunately for me, the answer to that burning question is DON'T.
 
Oops!

In a panic I did a Google search hoping to find an expert that would support the idea of fall pruning and get me off the hook.  No such luck. All of the reputable sources agree that pruning encourages new growth which is not something you should do in the fall when the plant is trying to go dormant.

Drats!

Oh well. I guess I’ll just have to hope that my untimely pruning won’t cause my beautiful Euonymus any serious damage.

To read more about fall pruning check out this Rodale article.

Hopi Crape Myrtle

Botanical Name: Lagerstroemia indica x fauriei “Hopi”
Common Name: Crape Myrtle “Hopi”
Plant Type: Shrub or small tree, semi-dwarf
Light Requirements: Full Sun
Zone: 6-9
Growth Rate: Fast
Height X Spread: 10' H x 10' W
Bloom Time: Summer - fall
Bloom Description:   Clusters of pink blooms
Foliage Description:  Dark green glossy leaves in summer, orange red in fall
Soil: Average, well-drained
Water: Regular, drought tolerant
Prune: Late winter
Tidy:  Deadhead
Fertilizer: General purpose or Holly Tone
Fertilizing cycle: Feed before new growth begins in spring
Special Maintenance: None
Propagation: Semi-hardwood cuttings taken during growing season
Pests & Diseases: Disease resistant

Notes:  Hopi can be planted in groups or as an individual specimen. Blooms start in mid July and fade into seed capsules in the fall when the leaves take on an outstanding orange red color. Deadhead to encourage a second bloom.   Hopi can be kept as a shrub with yearly pruning or allowed to grow to its full height as a specimen tree.

Prune any time during the late winter before new growth begins.  Avoid fall pruning which can encourage new growth and keep the plant from going dormant.  To maintain as a shrub, prune back to about ½ its size. Hopi can tolerate a hard pruning.

To develop as a tree, choose three to five shoots growing from ground level as the main trunks, and remove the remaining shoots.  Remove the side branches from the main trunks about halfway up their height.