Prolific Pruning

Have you ever heard the term crape murder? Well, that's when some idiot lops off the top of a crape myrtle tree. Leaving it with no choice but to droop to the ground when in full bloom the following year. It really should be against the law. Of nature if nothing else.

The proper way to prune a crape myrtle is really quite simple. Prune so you can "see throughit" not "over it". I repeat, "see through it" not "over it". Most novice, muttonhead, would-be-gardeners commit crape murder pretty regularly. A pity.

Our neighbor on the right talked to our neighbor on the left and they resolved to prune the only trees that could be considered "our" trees. We actually have no trees of our own. Once again creative pruning at work. Here's his progress, but mercifully nightfall came and he had to quit. No doubt he'll be back to finish it off.

Back to crape murder . . . I've seen no crape myrtles in Belgium, but there's plenty of creative pruning going on. It's amazing how one can turn a sycamore into a few knobby arms. Strangely enough I'm even beginning to like the look of this weird vegetation. Here's the "now" on just a few of the hundreds around town. I plan to go back in mid-Summer to have a look at the "later". I'll keep you posted.

And by the way, it's Pop's birthday. Happy Birthday, Pop!