Q - I have some crape myrtle trees planted in containers on my pool deck. Last year the trees bloomed well but this year none have flowers. Do I need to fertilize or put them into bigger containers?

P.K.

A -- To support a tree the size of small crape myrtle, the container needs to be big. For every foot of tree canopy you need 2 cubic feet of soil. So if the top of your tree measures 8 feet wide, your container must hold at least 16 cubic feet of soil.

You also need to make sure there is slow-release fertilizer in the soil and that you replenish it every 6 to 8 weeks. The fertilizer is activated by heat so it often doesn't last as long as the time indicated on the label.

Good drainage is also essential and so is full sun.

Next year in late February or early March, you can prune back the limbs a little and remove small and crossing branches. But don't decapitate the tree with the severe across-the-top sawing we see everywhere. It produces thin branches.