At this time of year, hundreds of well-meaning homeowners make the mistake of whacking large branches from their crape myrtle shrubs. This is actually the modern-day equivalent of a doctor who "bleeds patients with leaches".

Homeowners who disfigure their shrubs (or have it done) have the best of intentions ? they?ve bought into the myth that this somehow improves blooms and growth.

However, there is absolutely no research that shows this is the case. In fact, experts such as the Texas Master Gardeners, Howard Garrett (the "Dirt Doctor") and many botanic gardens and arboreta strongly advise against this. So does the highly-respected Texas Agriculture Experiment Station, the staff of the Wildflower Center, and John Cooper ? Denton County?s extension agent.

Instead, healthy twigs (of any plant) should be pruned only if they?re thinner around than your little finger. Thicker branches should be cut off only if they?re broken, rubbing on each other, diseased, or sticking out into a sidewalk. Or if it?s a "water sprout? growing from the buried root mass. Whenever pruning, try to cut the whole branch off at the ground, instead of somewhere along the limb. Pruning off part of a thick, healthy branch (particularly of a crape myrtle) weakens the plant, opens it up to diseases and insects, and directs the plant?s energy toward healing the injury, not toward healthy growth or blooming.

Actually, the most sensible way to prune your crape myrtle shrubs may be to not prune them at all!

Owen Yost is an area Landscape Architect specializing in designing low-maintenance landscapes incorporating native plants with hardscape such as decking, fences, terraces, walkways, walls etc. He is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), Keep Denton Beautiful and the Native Plant Society of Texas. His Denton office is at 4516 Coyote Point; call 940.382-2099 or 383-9655. E-mail, Yost87@charter.net