Well, it’s that time again, the time of year when crape myrtle trees are dormant and waiting for a proper trim. We want to stress that it is better to do nothing to these trees than to commit some of the atrocities that have happened to them more often than can be believed; this is sometimes referred to as crape murder.

Well-intentioned but misinformed individuals continue to maim or destroy these Natchez beauties since some people don’t realize that there can be dire consequences affecting the health of said trees as a result of bad pruning procedures. This has become commonplace and the long-term effects of bad pruning can be seen in various locations around town. Because of this unnecessary mutilation, Adams County Master Gardeners want to educate the public on the correct way to care for these trees.

At 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 18 Adams County Master Gardeners will conduct on-hand demonstrations of the proper way to prune crape myrtles. The public is invited to participate and learn from this activity. Several Adams County master gardeners will be on hand to demonstrate and offer assistance in this effort.

The first session will be on the campus of Co-Lin Community College. We will meet at the greenhouse at 9 a.m. and determine what needs to be done to keep these beauties at their best. Please bring hand pruners, loppers, gloves and kneeling pads. Don’t forget to clearly label your tools with your name. Additional teaching sessions will be offered at other locations throughout January and February. These locations and dates will be announced later.

If anyone is interested in becoming a master gardener, evening classes will begin on Feb. 22 at the Natchez Co-Lin campus from 6-8:30 p.m., on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and will continue until April 24. Call the extension office at 601-445-8201 to register for the classes or for more information.

And you might want to mark your calendars for our annual plant sale. Many wonderful plants will be available for purchase on April 21 at the Co-Lin greenhouse. More information will follow.
Rita Tebbetts is a member of the Adams County Master Gardeners.