Crepe Myrtle Pruning Class and Demonstration

"A Tale of Love, Murder, and Proper Pruning"
Basil Camu, Treecologist, Leaf & Limb

  • Saturday, September 14, 2019 – 9:00 am–11:00 am

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You are probably familiar with the term crepe murder (and if you are not, all the more reason to attend this class!). But what can you do to avoid crepe murder?

In this class, we will use the crepe myrtle as a vehicle to teach the basics of pruning. We will focus on the following:

  • Some basic terminology and biology.
  • The three basic cuts (thinning cut, selective heading cut, non-selective heading cut).
  • A step-by-step on how to make a proper pruning cut.
  • The overall goal of pruning.
  • Then, with these basics in place, an interactive demonstration on how to properly prune a crepe myrtle and avoid crepe murder.

The difference between expert pruning and everything else is knowing what to prune—and how the plant will react to each cut given all existing conditions—in order to achieve a specific goal.

crepe myrtle

By the end of this course, we hope to provide you with enough information to begin making calculated pruning cuts and to understand why crepe murder is harmful.

About Basil Camu

Basil Camu is a Treecologist with Leaf & Limb. He loves teaching others about trees (he also really likes hot peppers, pickles, and anything from Lucette Grace). Trees clean our air, water, and soil. They provide us with food, shelter, and medicine. They make us happier, healthier, and wealthier. They are the technology that can help us fix our environment. Trees are amazing!

Cost
$20.00 for members, $25.00 for nonmembers.
Registration
Advance registration is required. Please register online using our registration e-store. Registration is limited to 24 people and is considered complete when payment is received.
Cancellation
Program cancellations can be made up to two weeks before the program's start date. A 15% cancellation fee applies.
Location
Ruby C. McSwain Education Center, JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University, 4415 Beryl Road, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Directions
Need directions? Click here.
Parking
Free parking is available at the JC Raulston Arboretum and along Beryl Road.
Questions
Please call (919) 513-7005 for more information about this program.