Stop Crape Murder: Don’t Cut Back Your Myrtles
January 19, 2020
by the Santa Rosa County Extension Service
Proper pruning is one of the most misunderstood of all gardening practices, yet it is one of the most important procedures in a landscape. A common victim of bad, improper pruning is the crape myrtle. Crape myrtles will occasionally need pruning to obtain the desired landscape effect, but many times these plants are butchered for no good reason.
According to Dan Gill, LSU Ag Center Horticulturist, an unfortunate trend in crape myrtle pruning is to lop off their tops, which results in a tree reduced to large branches ending in stubs. The lush growth that occurs at these cut sites appears vigorous but is actually structurally weak and more susceptible to fungus diseases such as powdery mildew. And when pruning is conducted improperly over several years, unsightly large, swollen knobs form at the point where pruning is done each year.
Flowers are not the only virtue of this tree. Many varieties have beautiful bark and growth habits that can be enjoyed all year if trees are not heavily pruned.
Crape murder
This unsightly, ugly pruning known as crape murder is not recommended. Once it’s done, it ruins the tree’s graceful natural shape for the rest of its life.
Often gardeners think they are supposed to prune their crape myrtles that way, and nothing could be farther from the truth. Many think that crape myrtles need to be cut way back to bloom well. This is not accurate. The flower clusters may be larger on lopped trees, but the added weight on the ends of long branches causes them to bend over awkwardly, especially after it rains. And since the tree is smaller, it actually produces fewer flower clusters.
Many people say they need to cut a crape myrtle back because of its size. If the height of the crape myrtle is not causing a problem with a nearby structure or power lines, there is little reason to reduce the tree’s height. To cut a crape myrtle back for the vague reason of “it just seems too large” ignores the fact that these plants are trees. They are supposed to be large.
To prune a crape myrtle properly, first decide if it needs to be pruned. As with any pruning project, you must have a specific, valid purpose in mind before you begin. In other words, if you can’t come up with a good reason to prune your tree – leave it alone. If you do see something that calls for pruning, study the tree carefully and determine what needs to be pruned to accomplish the specific purpose identified.
There are a few valid reasons for pruning a crape myrtle. One reason is to eliminate crossed and rubbing branches because rubbing branches can lead to open wounds.
Over time, branches that are too low on the trunk will need to be pruned to raise the canopy. We often need to remove weak, thin branches from the inner part of the tree to produce a cleaner-looking tree. Selected branches may need to be pruned back to a side branch or the trunk to create a shapelier tree. Of course, you need to prune to keep suckers removed from the base of the trunk.
Generally, avoid cutting back or shortening branches much larger than your finger, although cutting larger branches back to a side branch or to the trunk when needed is fine.
Visitors to our area often marvel over our crape myrtles. During summer, their colorful flowers, attractive bark and beautiful shape make them among our most valuable landscape plants. Please appreciate this – and stop the unfortunate trend of hacking them back.
Pictured top: Crape myrtle trees do not need pruning for new growth. Pictured below: These Crape myrtles were ruined with unnecessary topping. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com.
Tate High School Names Students Of The Month
January 17, 2020
Tate High School has named students of the month. They are Tanner Rutherford and Trinity Lentz, pictured with Principal Rick Shackle. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Local Student Musicians Perform At All State
January 16, 2020
Eleven student musicians from Escambia County middle and high school music programs successfully auditioned for a position in the 2019-2020 All State bands and choirs. These students traveled to Tampa recently for several days of rehearsal.
This year’s high school participants were:
- Sarah Bryan, Tate High, auditioned and was selected to perform in the All State Symphonic Band playing the piccolo. Her instructors are Jakob Wisdom and Chris Snyder.
- Brandon Mitra, Escambia High, auditioned and was selected to perform in the All State High School Symphonic Band playing the clarinet. His instructors are Doug Holsworth and Dustin Hicklen.
- Alyssa Pascoe, Pensacola High, auditioned and was selected to perform in the All State High School Honor Band playing the oboe. Her instructor at PHS is Armand Navarro.
- Jeremiah D. Fortune, Booker T. Washington High, auditioned and was selected to perform in the All State TTBB Choir. His instructor is Micah Roland.
- Nathaniel Holzknecht, Booker T. Washington High, auditioned and was selected to perform in the All State Concert Choir. His instructor is Micah Roland.
- Jack Lloyd, Booker T. Washington High, auditioned and was selected to perform in the All State High School Symphonic Band playing the clarinet. His instructors are Lawrence Young, Jr., Michael Young and Jennifer Smith.
This year’s middle school participants were:
- Lily Bullard, Jim Bailey Middle, auditioned and was selected to perform in the All State Middle School Honor Band playing the flute.
- Kailee Norris, Brown Barge Middle, auditioned and was selected to perform in the All State Middle School Honor Band playing the trumpet. Her instructor is Angela Nass-Hillman.
- William Walley, Ferry Pass Middle, auditioned and was selected to perform in the All State Middle School Honor Band playing the trombone. His instructor is Russell L. Bertles.
- Thomas Glasser, Ransom Middle, auditioned and was selected to perform in the All State Middle School Concert Chorus. His instructor at Ransom is Angela Horne.
- Andrew Walker, Ransom Middle, auditioned and was selected to perform in the All State Honor Band playing the trombone. His instructor is Janie Walker.
Pictured: Sarah Bryan, Tate High, auditioned and was selected to perform in the All State Symphonic Band playing the piccolo. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Reading Is Snow Much Fun: Bratt Elementary Students Receive Free Books Thanks To IP Grant
January 14, 2020
First graders at Bratt Elementary were recently treated to “Reading is SNOW Much Fun,” Books for Ownership Event. This is the second year Bratt Elementary has received the “Books for Ownership” grant from International Paper and Reading is Fundamental (RIF). This grant provides first graders with three new books to own and enjoy.
The first grade team planned a snowy themed event for the celebration.
Students enjoyed story time, retelling the story, and choosing their books to own.
Then all first graders participated in STREAM snowy activities. Students constructed snowflakes using marshmallows and toothpicks and made snowballs from snow. Students designed snowy pictures using Geoboards and created snowflake artwork. Students practiced science and math by using magnifying glasses to identify snowflakes and used snowflakes to measure their heights. Students also enjoyed a snowflake snack while practicing sight words and reading their new books.
Molino Library Continues Mountain Dulcimer Classes
January 12, 2020
The Molino Branch Library is continuing weekly classes were you can learn to play the mountain dulcimer.
The “Molino Melodies” class is held at 6 p.m. each Thursday at the library. The class is free, and no experience or materials are required. Dulcimers are provided for class use.
Pictured: A mountain dulcimer class at the Molino Branch Library. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Photos: A Steamy Sunrise At Lake Stone
January 8, 2020
Temperatures just below the freezing mark lead to steam fog, also known as sea smoke, on Lake Stone in Century Wednesday morning, making for a beautiful sunrise.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Manna Food Pantries Receives $15,000 Volunteer Grant
January 4, 2020
Volunteer Florida announced Friday that Manna Food Pantries and 21 other nonprofit and service organizations throughout the state will share $370,000 in Volunteer Generation Fund (VGF) grant funding. Together, these organization have also secured $370,000 in local funding, bringing the total investment in Florida communities to $740,000.
Manna Food Pantries in Escambia County received $15,000 to recruit 400 volunteers that will help the organization provide emergency food assistance and speciality programs to those in need in Northwest Florida. This is the second year Manna has received the grant.
“In 2019 alone, Manna had 5,441 volunteers donate 14,169 hours of service in support of our work,” said Manna Outreach and Marketing Manager Miranda Melvin. “We could not carry out our mission without volunteers. The Volunteer Generation Fund grant supports the recruitment, management, retainment and recognition of skills-based volunteers at Manna.”
“Skills-based volunteers are an integral part of many nonprofits as they help extend the reach and capacity of organizations to meet their missions,” said Volunteer Florida CEO Clay Ingram.
Volunteer Florida’s VGF program, which is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service, helps organizations use skills-based volunteers to serve Florida students, families and communities. Skills-based volunteerism expands the impact of organizations by leveraging the experience and talents of professionals, such as teachers, IT consultants, accountants and attorneys.
Bratt Elementary Names Students Of The Month
January 3, 2020
Bratt Elementary School has named Students of the Month for December. They are:
Pre-K
- Suzi Pope
- Emerson Salter
Kindergarten
- Christian Madison
- Avannah Anthony
- Aayden Johnson
- Hendrix Ward
First Grade
- Maverick Kelson
- Cory Stetson
- Weston Spicer
- Emma Kate Norton
Second Grade
- Bentley Lowery
- Walker Morris
- Linley Dunn
- Aislynn Tomerlin
Third Grade
- Maybree Johnson
- Mason Helton
- Nathan Gilmore
- Kelashia Randle
Fourth Grade
- Brody Hall
- Camden Jacobson
- Billy Zhang
- Wyatt Spence
Fifth Grade
- Kylee Langham
- Wesley Lambeth
- Kaylee Long
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Meet Kaliya, Escambia County’s First Baby Of The New Year
January 2, 2020
Escambia County’s first baby of the new year, and the decade, was born just six minutes after midnight Wednesday.
Kaliya was born at 12:06 a.m. on New Year’s Day at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. She weighed in at eight pounds, 15 ounces.
Kaliya and her parents, Jessica Howard and Danny Nichols, are all doing just fine.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ransom Middle School Names Students Of The Month
January 2, 2020
Ransom Middle School has named their winter Students of the Month for December and January. They are Sofia Martinez and Jackson Shelnut. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.