Features of magnolias
Magnolia is a tree or shrub native to North and South America and East Asia. They are grown as ornamental plants for their beautiful flowers. Most often, magnolia flowers can take on various shades of pink, there are also varieties with white, cream and even yellow flowers.
Individual varieties differ in flowering time. Most magnolias bloom from April to May, however, you can find varieties that bloom in March, as well as varieties with a late flowering period, that is, flowering in May and June. It also happens that at the end of summer magnolias bloom again.
Additional Information! Among the varieties of magnolias, there are tree-like ones, up to several meters high, suitable for planting in parks and large gardens. Lower grades are suitable for most gardens and plots. For small home gardens, you should choose dwarf varieties of magnolia, which look great when planted in a group.
How to plant a magnolia in the garden
Magnolias love warm, sheltered places. This is very important, especially in early spring, when frosty winds blow, which can damage flower buds. Plants can grow in partial shade, but bloom most profusely in full sun.
Planting and transplanting magnolias
Magnolias grow best in permeable, slightly moist, humus-rich, slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5-6). For planting, they dig a hole up to 40 cm deep and up to 50 cm wide. To maintain soil fertility, humus or compost can be added to the hole.
Note! Magnolias have a shallow root system and their fragile roots are sensitive to mechanical damage. These plants are known for the fact that their old specimens take root very hard in a new place. They don’t like transplants. Young plants can only be transplanted with a large clod of soil.
How to care for magnolias?
Proper care of magnolias is the key to their abundant flowering.
Watering Magnolia
The plant needs to be watered properly. Depending on the weather and soil conditions, magnolia should receive sufficient moisture. It does not tolerate drought well, so the substrate should not be allowed to dry out, especially in the summer heat. Water the plant regularly, but not more than once a week. Sufficient water must be used to completely wet the soil. It is worth mulching the root circle with a thick layer of bark or sawdust.
Fertilization
Depending on the type of magnolia and the soil in which it grows, it is necessary to apply different fertilizers. Usually mineral fertilizers are used. To maintain soil fertility, organic fertilizers, such as compost or humus, can be used.
From the end of March to mid-July, every two weeks they are fed with multi-component fertilizers or once in March-April with a long-acting fertilizer. It is best to use special fertilizers for magnolia.
Additional information ! Magnolia does not like excess calcium in the ground. They require slightly acidic soils with a pH of 5.0-6.0. Therefore, in no case should you use calcium fertilizers for magnolias. When magnolia leaves turn yellow and the plant’s roots die, it means there is too much calcium in the soil. It is necessary to acidify the soil, for example, with acidic peat.
pruning
Any pruning of magnolias is best done in summer, in dry weather. Magnolias should not be pruned at the times most often recommended for other plants, i.e. in spring, autumn and winter.
Magnolias do not require formative pruning. Cut only frozen, dry branches. On old trees, it is worth cutting off all branches 60-80 cm above the ground in order to beautifully expose the trunk.
Wintering and frost protection
Young plants need shelter from the frosty wind. In addition, it is worth protecting the sensitive root system from the cold by pouring a mound of bark or dry leaves around the base of the trunk. Frost resistance of plants increases with age.
How to protect magnolia from diseases and pests
Despite proper care, plants can be attacked by pests. Magnolias are attacked by spider mites, which can feed on leaf juice from May to the end of August. As a result, mosaic spots appear on the upper side of the leaves, and over time they first dry out and then fall off.
In addition to spider mites, aphids can appear on magnolias on the tops of the shoots and on the underside of the leaves. Affected plants grow less, have misshapen leaves, and become covered in sticky honeydew.
For proper protection of magnolia from diseases and pests, it is necessary to carry out regular preventive treatments of the plant, using special tools, to check it for pests and diseases.
How magnolia is propagated
It can be propagated by semi-lignified cuttings with a heel, layering or grafting over the bark. The recommended propagation method is cuttings, which allows you to quickly get more young plants. At the end of summer, the tops of shoots 8-10 cm long are cut off, and then part of the foliage is removed at their base.
The shoots are dipped in a rooting agent and planted in a mixture of peat and sand. After planting, water and cover with a transparent film. Leave for the whole winter, keeping the soil constantly moist. In the spring, when the threat of frost has passed, the plants should be transplanted to a permanent place.
Another way to propagate magnolia is by grafting. Species that lose their leaves in winter can be grafted over the bark. This treatment is carried out at the end of February or at the beginning of March, using Japanese magnolia as a stock. Plants grafted onto this rootstock are stronger than bushes grown by other methods.
