Ripped up and transplanting crepe myrtles...help?!

[possumqueen]

I'm restarting this thread because I have a couple of crepe myrtles I need to move.

They were planted in dark shade RIGHT next to my porch, and they've grown to sixteen feet tall and spindly thin, reaching for sunlight. The ground around them is clay disguised as concrete. I KNOW they will be MUCH happier in the spot I've planned for them, but first I need to know:

1) How much root ball do they ABSOLUTELY need to move with, and how small can I go and still keep them happy

2) I know they need to be cut back because they're sooo stretched and skinny. How far back would that be?

 

[vfem]

Now, I'm of no help... mine took well actually... but I lost a lot of root in the move and I think they would have been happier if they had more. However, I did clean cut and ripped rooting.

I also watered them EVERYDAY and crushed up some aspirin to add to the water I watered them with. One aspirin per tree every other day at watering time.

Helped them destress the roots I think!