BEEMERW
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Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:03 pm
Location: JACKSON,NJ

MY CRAPE MYRTLE

Do not have pictures, but ,yes I recieved a crape myrtle and bought seeds. So I am not sure how old it is. have to find out. They will be sending me info. It was from brussels. Came nice, but from my sister....2 little bugs flew out. they are gone. so it has not bloomed yet, but lots of buds. I find the soil cannot be kept wet and I have Ortho spray, and the more I use that, I have not had any more problems. So Now it is ok.

The seeds, form the spagnum moss, 1 strted growning. so I see green coming up!!!!! :D We will see what happwns and I will take a picture soon

Kenshin14435
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Posts: 284
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:33 pm
Location: Northern VA USDA Zone 7A

We have a crape myrtle outside in our front yard but thats my moms gig..........not mine.
Looks cool though, I might even gather some of it's seeds and/or get a cutting.

BEEMERW
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Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:03 pm
Location: JACKSON,NJ

My plant is growing well. The bugs when I first got it, I think were from the soil being wet, because all the plants are fine unless they have too much moisture, like rain.

I planted seed in Spagnum Moss. You soak for a few hours. I have sprout. I planted 3 seeds and 1 came up so far, but it is rapidly sprouting. Cannot ask for more than that.

There has been 1 or 2 lower branches that have died off, but I have new ones on top, do I prune because it is top heavy or should I reasearch? Anyone know?

BEEMERW
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Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:03 pm
Location: JACKSON,NJ

It is very interesting. my plant has not bloomed, it is growing strong. I planted seeds in Spagnum Moss, and out of the 5, the 1st sprouted in literally a week, but indoors it was slow. Outside it is quick. I bought bonsai soil from a site called eve's garden gifts. She had a 3 pound bag of a soil mixture of Canadian Peat, Pine Bark, Turface, vermiculite, perlite, dolomite, and sand. so when the first seedling was 1 inch, I replanted and in the Spagnum pot, a 2nd set of tiny leaves were starting to come up.So I have a 2nd tree sprouting up. Go figure.

BEEMERW
Senior Member
Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:03 pm
Location: JACKSON,NJ

Sad, but true. my seedlings died. Just have my plant left. She is doing well. So I planted more seeds. Seems some animal dug up my seedlings for some reason. Just those were touched. Strange.

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Gnome
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Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A

BEEMERW,

Growing seedlings is a long and often frustrating endeavor. I always start with many more than I think I need fully expecting most of them not to make it to decent size. Failure is part and parcel of bonsai, especially in the early years, the important thing is not to let it get you down. John Naka is famously quoted as having said that 'dead trees are the tuition one pays to learn bonsai'

Norm

kdodds
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Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:07 pm
Location: Airmont, NY Zone 6/7

Ditto Norm. Of all the seedlings I started this year from purchase seeds, only the Monterey Pine is doing well. The rest, including Myrtle, Tamarind, New Zealand Tea, etc., never even really germinated. I say "really" because I do have one sickly little Myrtle sprout that I'm nursing, but for which I don't hold out much hope. Of course, I keep the pots around for a year, just in case, so something might come of them yet. By contrast, I also planted fresh Kumquat seeds, all of which germinated. Anyway, over seven dozen seeds planted here, and I've got 4 Kumquats, 5 Monterey, and the sickly Myrtle. So, yeah, it can be incredibly frustrating. But, those Monterey Pines, well, they make it all very satisfying.

BEEMERW
Senior Member
Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:03 pm
Location: JACKSON,NJ

Thanks....At least I have a bunck of seeds. like I said, my plant looks great. I know I should not prune until the fall. It is overrowing branches. It really has grown with fullness, I should say.

BEEMERW
Senior Member
Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:03 pm
Location: JACKSON,NJ

Well, I am getting many, many, many buds on my srepe myrtle. I think the flowers will be pink. they are everywhere. Very exciting.

BEEMERW
Senior Member
Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 5:03 pm
Location: JACKSON,NJ

I pruned the ends of the crape Myrtle as I read after the flowering in the fall and pruned, not extreme, but in the moderate, because everything I read said you prune at the dead ends where there is new growth to encourage new flowers fore next year....well it bloomed again...so I need to wait ang pluck the dead buds and prune off the dead tips for the new growth. fFunny? So Can I keep this thropugh the winter? I read I can. How much water then?



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