The common name for Lagerstroemia is Crape or Crepe Myrtle, which is a genus from the Lythraceae or loosestrife family. These plants, although native to the Indian Subcontinent, are also widely cultivated in the United States.
Crepe Myrtle plants are renowned for their long blooming periods and large clusters of flowers resembling crinkly and delicate crepe paper. Given proper care and a warm climate, they can bloom for four months straight.
Everyone wants to get the most of this plant’s summer blossoms as they are exceptionally beautiful to look at. But getting their best bloom without the best fertilizer is not an easy task since they require some caring and planning.
Best 5 Fertilizers for Crepe Myrtles in 2022:
Gardening work can be hard as well as easy at the same time. It all depends on the type of plant you are growing and the fertilizer being used. Sometimes it is tough to pick the suitable fertilizer for a specific type of plant.
That is why we have handpicked only the top 5 plant foods for your precious Crape Myrtle so that it grows to become the most beautiful blooming tree in your garden.
1. Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food
As the most well-known among fertilizer producing brands out there, Miracle-Gro stands at the top. They provide many types of plant food for all kinds of growers. As the first entry in our list of best fertilizers, we’ve included one that is all-purpose plant food.
This fertilizer is very easy to use but takes much more time for application since it needs to be applied more often than others. Every bit of nutrition that your Crepe Myrtle will ever need throughout the year is present in this fertilizer. Miracle-Gro guarantees this item won’t burn your plant leaves or its roots in any way.
Fully soluble in water and rich in nitrogen, this all-purpose plant food needs to be applied to the plant once every two weeks. It can be applied both with a garden feeder as well as with a watering can depending on which suits you best.
If you prefer a garden feeder, simply fill it with the fertilizer and attach the hose. Soak the base of the plant with several feet in perimeter with your favorite spraying pattern. And make sure not to use more than one tablespoon of the fertilizer for every gallon of water if you use the watering can.
- Water-soluble and all-purpose fertilizer
- The roots or the leaves don’t get burned
- Once every two weeks application needed
- Has all the essential nutrients
2. Carl Pool’s Crepe Myrtle Plant Food 24oz 8-55-7
Scientifically formulated for optimum plant growth, Carl Pool’s Crepe-Myrtle Plant Food was specifically crafted with crepe myrtles in mind. It is designed to nourish the health of plants and promote their healthy growth.
This fertilizer is formulated with a balanced blend of micronutrients for optimum plant growth. The fritted vitamins your Crepe Myrtle need will be released slowly but consistently, making it stronger overall.
Extremely high levels of phosphoric acid in this fertilizer decreases the pH level of the soil and thus making it acidic, which is suitable for a Crepe Myrtle. This acid provides superior results with all flowering trees and promotes blooming. It also helps plants to bloom more frequently, leading to larger and more colorful flowers.
Carl Pool’s plant food has the five most important micronutrients that are needed to sustain optimum flowering and growth in a plant. So, if you have a more mature Crepe Myrtle with troubles getting enough blooms, this brand is highly recommended for you.
- High phosphorus acid content causes frequent bloom
- Essential 5 micronutrients make leaves healthy and dark green
- Excellent for all types of trees, shrubs, and plants
- Can be applied with no-clog hose-end feeder
3. Osmocote 277960 Smart-Release Plant Food
The Osmocote 277960 is manufactured to work equally well on both flowering plants and vegetables. It promotes strong root development and vigorous top-growth since it contains a mix of balanced nutrients. These nutrients help to promote healthy growth along with larger and more colorful blooms.
Furthermore, the formula of this fertilizer is so gentle it won’t burn the roots or the leaves of the plant. Osmocote is also very easy to apply thanks to the water-soluble coating it has.
The coating consists of nutrient granule, which is a semi-permeable resin. When the temperature rises, these nutrients get released into the soil, leaving an empty shell.
A must-have product for all vegetable and flower plant gardeners, Osmocote is applied by sprinkling 3 tablespoons of it per 4 square feet of soil. Then the area is watered after mixing the fertilizer with the top 1-3 inches of soil.
The slow-release formula makes it able to feed the plants for up to four months. This is great as you don’t have to spend too much time fertilizing the plants. To enjoy bountiful vegetables and beautiful blooming flowers all season long, make sure to use this smart release plant food.
- Great product for perennials
- Feeds the plants up to four months
- Have a slow-release formula
- Promotes strong root development and top-growth
4. Nelson Crape Myrtle Food NutriStar
The Nelson fertilizer for Crape Myrtle has a perfect blend for many nutrients suitable for all types of blooming trees and vegetables. It is a slow-release and low salt plant food that has been professionally made. Because of its constant release rate and different nutrient sources, it is also a horticultural fertilizer.
This fertilizer blend includes nitrogen, phosphate, potash, and many other minerals like zinc, copper, iron, manganese, etc. Besides these, there are numerous other complex blends of these elements present in this NutriStar plant food. All of them help to promote strong stems, branches and roots, incredible health, and blooming.
Nelson’s crepe myrtle plant food is the best choice for many other flowering trees like crab apples, mountain laurels, flowering pear trees, etc. Each of the minerals ensures timely blooming with larger and vivid looking flowers.
This slow-release fertilizer is able to nourish the soil immediately after application and continues nourishing up to four months. The best timing for applying NutriStar is early spring. However, the subsequent applications should be made every two months in order to achieve the best results.
- Contains numerous minerals and nutrients
- Perfect for all types of flowering trees
- Gives an immediate boost of nutrition to the soil
- Constant feeding up to four months
5. Dr. Earth FlowerGirl 101 Bud & Bloom Booster
Founded over two decades ago, Dr. Earth is a company that is focused on the use of the safest and all-natural compounds for fertilizer and soil. Since organic gardening is now becoming mainstream, many people prefer Dr. Earth over most other fertilizers.
This item from Dr. Earth has been rightfully named the Bud & Bloom Booster. Because this fertilizer produces fantastic results with its all-natural and organic materials, right off the bat, you will easily notice that this Bud and Bloom Booster cares about the environment.
Made from feed-grade ingredients, this plant food is enriched with nutrients that are naturally found in ocean and land plants, fish and fish bones, and mined minerals. All these elements combined together release nutrients quickly and last up to several months.
Its ultra-premium scientific formula is ideal for all types of trees and flowering plants. Since no synthetic elements, chicken manure, or toxic ingredients are added to it, this fertilizer is totally safe for pets too.
The nutritionally balanced organic formula it has is capable of making the soil very rich and healthy. As a result, you’ll get the healthiest vegetables, fruits, trees, and flowering plants in your home and garden.
- Made from 100% organic materials
- Slow-release plant food
- Have 7 strains of PRO-BIOTIC microbes
- Promotes healthy and strong root and stem development
- Safe for pets and people
Factors Need to Consider While Choosing the Best Fertilizer for Crepe Myrtles:
Crepe Myrtles need adequate sunlight, PH in the soil, and large amounts of nitrogen and adequate fertilization, among other things, for fostering perfect growth. Let us now look at some of the major considerations to make before buying crape myrtle fertilizer.
Nitrogen Content
Although Crape Myrtle requires very low maintenance, what they can’t do without is nitrogen. They need a large quality of nitrogen to produce the greatest number of flowers. So, we suggest that you choose an all-purpose garden fertilizer with 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 formulation.
This fertilizer formulation works better with big flowering trees like Crepe Myrtle. Besides, if applied at a lesser rate, 12-4-8 or 16-4-8 formulation can also be acceptable.
Check Soil pH
These trees will depend largely on the soil it is planted in. Therefore, consider a soil pH analysis before getting the fertilizer or planting the tree. Crepe Myrtles grow better on slightly more acidic soil, which ranges from 5.5 to 6.5 on the pH scale.
If the pH level of the soil is more or less than this range, consider buying fertilizer with more acidic content in it. Organic compost or compost mulch can also help maintain the acidic level of the soil.
Besides, you can add pelletized limestone to the soil if you want to raise the pH level. And if it needs lowering, apply some Aluminum Sulfate, Soil Sulfur, or Chelated Iron.
How to Properly Fertilize Your Crepe Myrtles?
Even with very low maintenance, Crepe Myrtles can blossom beautifully. But sometimes, feeding will make your plants look a lot better.
Crepe Myrtles will mostly do fine when fertilizers are applied above the soil. Sometimes, depending on the condition of the soil, you might have to use more or less of the plant food.
Granular products work best for these plants. When planting the tree, spread the granular fertilizer around the perimeter of the planting hole. Using just one teaspoon of it per small plant is enough, assuming they are planted from a one-gallon container.
You can increase or decrease this amount depending on the size of the plant. Repeat the process monthly. Make sure to water the plant well after applying the fertilizer. The best option is to apply it just after a rainfall.
If the plants are big enough and established, use one pound of 10-10-10 or 8-8-8 fertilizer per 100 square feet. But if the formulation is 12-4-8 or 16-4-8, then cut this amount into half.
When Should You Fertilize Crepe Myrtle?
The best timing to apply fertilizer to Crepe Myrtle is during the spring season when it starts to get new buds and is ready to bloom.
During Springtime, leaves in the trees start to appear, and they become heavy feeders. Apply fertilizer every month from spring to late summer, although some gardeners repeat this in the autumn too. This process will promote optimal growth in them.
Apply fertilizer less and less in the later fall. This process prepares the Crepe Myrtle to prepare for winter dormancy by tightening up the plant. As a result, it will be able to withstand the colder and drier conditions of the winter.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the best location to plant crepe myrtle?
Crepe Myrtles like to grow in a warm climate and need average soil nutrition. So, find a place that gets a lot of sunlight for planting them.
2. What is the best time to plant Crape Myrtles?
The perfect timing to plant any plant, as well as Crape Myrtle, is summer or spring, as these are the two seasons when most plant growth occurs.
3. How often should I water my plant?
When planting, watering the Crepe Myrtle once a week is the best way to move forward. But if the weather is too hot and dry, at least 3 to 5 times watering per week should be enough.
If taken care of properly, Crepe Myrtles provide brilliant coloring flowers for many years. Crepe Myrtle needs a large number of nutrients to properly bloom. And the crepe myrtles fertilizer makes sure you get to enjoy its natural beauty for many years to come.