R e g i o n V III
March 2013
Crape Myrtles
for Central Texas
Landscapes
by Skip Richter, Travis County Extension Horticulturist
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
T
he beautiful flowers of the
crape myrtle are as sure a sign
of summer’s arrival as outdoor
barbecues, watermelons and homemade
ice cream. Across the south, few plants
can color our sultry summer landscapes
like the stately crape myrtle. Often known
as “the flowering tree of 100 days”, crapes
can take all the heat our summers here
in central Texas can dish out without so
much as a whimper.
Crape myrtles are available in a wide
range of bloom colors including many
shades of red, pink, lavender, purple and
white. Perhaps the most well known
color is the wonderful “Watermelon
Red” seen throughout the area.
Gardeners can choose from plants that
are low growing and dwarf enough to be
perfectly suited to a patio container or
hanging basket, medium size specimens
perfect for the back of a perennial
border, and stately trees
that reach over 30 feet tall.
Choose a variety that reaches only the desired size
to avoid having having to prune it every year
As the growing season
winds down and frosty days
of late fall arrive, crapes
continue to stand out,
providing one of the few
dependable sources of fall
color in our central Texas
landscapes. Bright yellow
is their most prominent
color, but shades of red,
orange and even maroon
can be seen.
(continued on page 5)
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2
M arc h 2 0 1 3
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R e g i o n V III
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T e x a s N u r s e r y & L a n d s cap e A s s oc i at i o n
a note from your
R e g i o n V III
Officers
R e g i o n V III C h a i r
STATE DIRECTOR
Douglas Rowald, TCLP
254-913-2868
Heart of Texas
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR
Brad Seever, TCNP
512-203-8284
New Nurseries
CHAIR
Amy Edwards
512-789-6522
Best Horticultural Solutions
VICE CHAIR
Jeffrey Price
512-633-2487
Price Lawn & Landscape
SECTRETARY
Amy Edwards
512-789-6522
Best Horticultural Solutions
TREASURER
Larry Best, TCNP
806-786-9787
Best Horticultural Solutions
SUPPLIER DIRECTOR
Lauren Robinson
979-492-1845
John Deere Landscapes
RETAIL DIRECTOR
Jack Gardner
512-800-2570
Red Barn Garden Center
GROWER DIRECTOR
Mark Bentsen, TCNP
512-784-5545
Greenleaf
Greetings Region VIII!
S
o, they tell me it’s time to take the helm as Region Chair. What an
honor to be able to represent the great members of this industry by
serving alongside an amazing group of people. I’m very excited to have
a few returning ‘tenured’ board members as well as a few fresh young industry
‘up and comers’ along for the ride. I’d like to take this opportunity to share
a bit about my background and involvement with the Association as well as
introduce you to the incoming 2013-2014 Region VIII Board.
I was introduced to TNLA while working for Hortica Insurance in 2007. At
the time, my family and I lived in New Braunfels, so I attended and became an
active member in Region I. In 2009, Larry Best asked me to speak at a Region
VIII meeting and when he learned I had plans to move to Georgetown, he
began to ‘plant the seed’ of board participation. While working for Hortica, I
had the opportunity to travel about half the state of Texas and meet and work
with so many amazing TNLA members, so the decision to jump in with both
feet was easy! In 2011, I left Hortica to pursue self-employment. I purchased
two websites and have been learning so much about the world of eCommerce!
While I do have products that many in this industry may need, my business is
not industry specific. Having become very fond of working with and for this
industry, I decided to accept a contract sales position with Best Horticultural
Solutions, and continue with my commitment to the Association and the
Region VIII Board.
This year, as Chair, I am being rewarded for that ‘commitment’ with the
opportunity to work with a very enthusiastic and dedicated group of returning
and ‘freshmen’ board members. I am fortunate to have Brad Seever (New
(continued on page 4)
LANDSCAPE DIRECTOR
Jeffrey Price
512-633-2487
Price Lawn & Landscape
For advertising rates and
information, please contact Larry Best
at 806-786-9787.
Auxiliary Member
Zac Tolbert
512.826.8878
Local Plant Source
Texas Nursery & Landscape Association
7730 South IH-35 Austin TX, 78745-6698
Phone: (512) 280-5182 Fax: (512) 280-3012
Email: info@tnlaonline.org
Web Page: www.tnlaonline.org
Region VIII email: region8@tnlaonline.org
M i s s i o n Stat e m e n t
The Texas Nursery & Landscape Association’s mission is to enhance
members’ business success through legislative/regulatory advocacy,
education, networking, and promotion of professionalism.
T e x a s N u r s e r y & L a n d s cap e A s s oc i at i o n
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R e g i o n V III
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M arc h 2 0 1 3 3
Chair’s Note
(continued from page 3)
Nurseries) to consult as Immediate
Past Chair and Jeffrey Price (Price
Lawn & Landscape) serving as
Vice-Chair, as well as continue as
Landscape Director. Mark Bentsen
(Greenleaf Nursery) has graciously
agreed to serve one more year
as our Grower Director and all
around moral support. Although
Lauren Robinson (John Deere
Landscapes) is technically the new
Supplier Director, she has already
been actively working with the
board and has brought in so much
enthusiasm and is full of great ideas.
Joining us as our new Retail Director
is Jack Gardner (Red Barn Garden
Center) and Zac Tolbert (Local
Plant Source) will be serving as
an Auxiliary Member. We are also
blessed to have Larry Best (Best
Horticultural Solutions) continue as
Treasurer and the one and only Doug
Rowald (Heart of Texas Landscape
Irrigation) as our State Director.
As a board, we have already been
hard at work planning and preparing
for upcoming meetings and social
events to promote industry education
and networking among our peers
and fellow TNLA members. Attend
the next Region VIII meeting to find
out how attending meetings could
make you a winner! Also, if you are
a Facebook user, be sure to like our
Region VIII page https://www.
facebook.com/TnlaRegionViii?ref=hl
so you can get updates and meeting
information and network with other
TNLA members.
Thank you for giving me the
opportunity to serve as Region VIII
Chair. I’m looking forward to visiting
with you throughout the year and
welcome suggestions and input for
meeting topics and newsletter articles
that are relevant to YOUR businesses.
Hope to see you soon! n
–Amy Edwards,
Region VIII Chairman
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R e g i o n V III
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T e x a s N u r s e r y & L a n d s cap e A s s oc i at i o n
Crape Myrtles for Central Texas Landscapes
(continued from page 1)
Crapes offer the added feature of
attractive bark. Their smooth exfoliating
bark often reveals variations in color
in shades of white, tan, cinnamonbrown, and brick red. This feature adds
interest to the winter landscape when
the blooms and leaves are a distant
memory. Cultivars differ significantly in
their bark color. If you are planting one
of the larger cultivars, select one with a
bark color that appeals to you. Be aware
however, that most crapes with attractive
bark won’t show their true bark colors
until after a few years in the landscape.
Crapes love sunlight, preferably at least 6
hours of direct sun. Although tolerant of
a range of soil types, they perform best
when provided good drainage. Work
some compost into the soil throughout
the planting area, rather than just in
the planting hole. They will grow and
bloom better with some extra nutrition. Select a fertilizer low in phosphorus (the
middle number) for best results. A 3-1-2
or 4-1-2 ratio product works fine. Apply
a light application of fertilizer in late
February or early March. If they lack
The smooth exfoliating bark of
crape myrtles can be an attractive
structural landscaping feature
T e x a s N u r s e r y & L a n d s cap e A s s oc i at i o n
vigor, they may benefit from another
application in May. Keep them mulched
to discourage weed competition and
protect the soil surface.
Despite their toughness when it comes
to withstanding a Texas summer, crape
myrtles have two enemies among the
notorious “disease and pestilence”
crowd. Powdery mildew can become a
disfiguring nuisance if left unchecked. The absolute best way to deal with this
fungus it to not have to deal with it at all. There are many new hybrid crapes on
the market that are resistant to powdery
mildew. As a general rule, cultivars with
the name of a native American tribe will
be resistant to powdery mildew. If you already have a powdery mildew
susceptible crape myrtle growing
on your property, you can manage
the disease with a number of natural
or low toxicity products containing
potassium bicarbonate or neem oil. Synthetic options include the fungicides
triadimefon (Bayleton) and triforine
(Funginex).
This unfortunate type of pruning is
known as “Crape Murder”
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R e g i o n V III
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M arc h 2 0 1 3 Aphids are the second potential problem
on crapes. They feed on the leaf sap
and excrete a sticky substance known
as “honeydew”, quite a pleasant name
considering its origin! The honeydew
falls onto the leaves below and supports
the growth of a black sooty mold. Aphids are controllable by a number
of means including dislodging them
periodically with strong blasts of water,
insecticidal soap sprays, and a number of
other organic and synthetic insecticides. I cannot end without a word about
pruning. Crape myrtles are probably
the most “butchered” plants in the
landscape. It is a common practice to
cut the new growth back to its point
of origin each winter. This results in
unsightly stubs, which ruin the natural
shape and beauty of the plant and
promote decay of the interior wood.
The preferred practice is to train the
plant into a natural, gracefully branching
form. This is accomplished by
removing selected branches along the
trunk or major limbs where they join
another branch, rather than stubbing
off the ends of all growth. Crapes really
need very little if any pruning to look
good and bloom well. Sucker shoots
emerging from the base should be
removed, along with shoots emerging
from the lower trunk area. This is done
to allow the natural beauty the smooth
trunk(s) to be seen. Old bloom heads
and twiggy growth can also be removed
if you have a lot of time on your hands,
cutting much of this growth back to
“pencil size” shoots. Personally I think a
mature crape myrtle that has been well
trained really should hardly be pruned
at all. During the summer season, spent
bloom can be removed to promote
better repeat blooming. n
5
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6
M arc h 2 0 1 3
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R e g i o n V III
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T e x a s N u r s e r y & L a n d s cap e A s s oc i at i o n
Revised Water Use
Management Plan
Update: On September 20,
2012, Austin Water held a public
workshop to get input into developing
rules to support provisions of the
Water Conservation Code. Drafts
of each proposed rule can be found
at the links below. Austin Water will
accept public comment on these
proposed rules until at least February
14, 2013. Please submit comments to
watercon@austintexas.gov.
• Facility Irrigation Assessments
• Fines and Fees
• Fines and Fees Appendix A and B
• Waiver of Rights
•Splashpad Operation
• Reclaimed Connection Hook-up
• Carwash Efficiency
• Authorized Irrigation Inspector
Austin Water encouraged the public,
organizations, and businesses to assist
in developing revisions to this water
use management strategy by attending
workshops to provide input about ways
the city should regulate water use in
times of drought and review specific
restrictions. Click here to learn more
about these public workshops.
With this updated strategy, Austin
Water is striving to continue
strengthening conservation efforts
while also protecting the City’s urban
landscape and tree canopy. Water
conservation efforts, including policies
for responsible outdoor water use, help
maximize limited resources as Austin’s
population grows.
Conservation also ensures an adequate
water supply during times of drought
for public health and safety needs, such
as firefighting.
Highlights of the updated water use
management strategy include:
u A default conservation stage that
allows for two-day-a-week watering
u Four drought response stages that
ramp up water use restrictions
during times of drought to maximize
water conservation. These stages
are aligned with drought triggers
such as lake levels and/or water
consumption
u Provisions for watering trees
and vegetable gardens during
droughts n
Status
• Automatic and Manual Irrigation
System Definition
On August 16, 2012, the Austin City
Council voted 6-0 to revise Austin’s
water use management strategy. This
strategy is made up of two parts: the
Water Conservation Code and the
Drought Contingency Plan. Both
documents together outline how
commercial and residential customers
of the City’s water utility may use
water in and around their homes and
businesses.
T e x a s N u r s e r y & L a n d s cap e A s s oc i at i o n
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M arc h 2 0 1 3 7
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M arc h 2 0 1 3
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R e g i o n V III
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T e x a s N u r s e r y & L a n d s cap e A s s oc i at i o n