August Guide: Deep Water, Sun, and Light Touches for Crape Myrtles

In August, crape myrtles should stay healthy with deep, infrequent watering during extended heat, 6–8 hours of sun, and minimal intervention: avoid major pruning in the heat, deadhead only if you want a possible extra bloom flush, and monitor for pests such as aphids, Japanese beetles, bark scale, and sooty mold. Maintain steady watering and a mulch layer to conserve moisture, skip late-summer fertilizing, and reserve significant pruning for dormancy in late winter to help plants finish their summer display strong.