Cut black crepe myrtles like most other bushy trees. When all probability of a frost is over, trim branches that are too tall, too wide for sunlight to get to most of the tree, or any damaged or diseased branches by cutting them with a narrow blade saw, in an angle toward the trunk. In autumn, trim before the first predicted frost. I haven’t seen a video recently. Maybe you could post one on Hometalk.
Late winter (right now) is the best time to prune a crepe myrtle, because it's leafless and you can easily see all of the branches. It also blooms on new growth, so pruning now won't reduce blooming. In fact, it may increase it.
You've got the when, now to the how. Use good sharp tools that will handle the job. Depending on the size branch, you'll need a saw (for wider than 2"), a lopper (for 1/2 to 2") and pruners for the little stuff. Shape the shrub in your mind before you start so you can decide which large branches should get cut and how far back to cut them. Do that first, then work on the smaller stuff. If you cut something larger than 2.5 inches, it's a good idea to seal that cut to keep the plant from attack by insects or bacteria/fungus. You may see a lot of people just hacking off the tops, DON'T do that. It's very damaging to Crepe Myrtles. Depending on the type, they can be just a few feet at maturity to almost 25 feet. It's good that you're pruning to keep the shrub's growth in check. Remember the bottom branches are beautiful as the bark sheds, so try to go for a crown of leaves and flowers over the woven-look trunks. For that, you'll need to use the little pruners often in the growth seasons, too, to keep the suckers from getting too big. Treat with Neem oil for scale (little flat white insects) during the growth season, too. Your crepe myrtle will be a show piece!
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Cut black crepe myrtles like most other bushy trees. When all probability of a frost is over, trim branches that are too tall, too wide for sunlight to get to most of the tree, or any damaged or diseased branches by cutting them with a narrow blade saw, in an angle toward the trunk. In autumn, trim before the first predicted frost. I haven’t seen a video recently. Maybe you could post one on Hometalk.
Late winter (right now) is the best time to prune a crepe myrtle, because it's leafless and you can easily see all of the branches. It also blooms on new growth, so pruning now won't reduce blooming. In fact, it may increase it.
You've got the when, now to the how. Use good sharp tools that will handle the job. Depending on the size branch, you'll need a saw (for wider than 2"), a lopper (for 1/2 to 2") and pruners for the little stuff. Shape the shrub in your mind before you start so you can decide which large branches should get cut and how far back to cut them. Do that first, then work on the smaller stuff. If you cut something larger than 2.5 inches, it's a good idea to seal that cut to keep the plant from attack by insects or bacteria/fungus. You may see a lot of people just hacking off the tops, DON'T do that. It's very damaging to Crepe Myrtles. Depending on the type, they can be just a few feet at maturity to almost 25 feet. It's good that you're pruning to keep the shrub's growth in check. Remember the bottom branches are beautiful as the bark sheds, so try to go for a crown of leaves and flowers over the woven-look trunks. For that, you'll need to use the little pruners often in the growth seasons, too, to keep the suckers from getting too big. Treat with Neem oil for scale (little flat white insects) during the growth season, too. Your crepe myrtle will be a show piece!