Magnolia help please

Hi
I have just bought a magnolia grandiflora ( exmouth) which was in the reduced section of a garden centre and need some advice!

It is rather leggy with about three branches and looks like it could do with a really good feed.I could also be tempted to give it a prune...

Any advice on planting and care would be much appreciated!

I also read that it doesnt flower for about 10 years!!.......is that correct?

Thanks again!

 

Wilroda, I wouldn`t worry about flowers just yet. Let`s get it healthy first.:D Is it in the ground or still the pot? As for pruning, go for it, any chance of a pic before you start so that we can work out the best pruning pattern?:thumb:

 

Wilroda, always wanted one myself but never had the space.

I dont think they take ten years to flower, just as long as its grafted and not seed grown.
They are however a long term tree, that needs space and warmth to do well, I think.

I would think now is a very good time to plant, the soil is still warm and roots are still growing.
So any starvation that it may have suffered should very quickly be sorted out once planted.

 

Hi and thanks.
I dont have a picture for you but i will describe it to you as best i can!
It stands about four and a half feet tall in a 3 litre pot!!! - its VERY pot bound to say the least and can barely stand upright!!

It has two branches arising from close to the base - sort of a y shape. Off one of these side shoots is another small branch.
There are no leaves except on the ends of these branches and they look relatively healthy considering!!

I have acidic soil here so it should be fine.
I would love to prune it down so that it is not so leggy but am not sure if this is the correct time to do it

I was considering keeping it in a large container until it gets going....

 

Wilroda, cut it down to about 2ft. Leave the side shoots alone, feed it and nurse it through the winter. Pot it on into a 5 litre pot.

 

I'd bung it in the ground and not prune.
Its a tree not a bush, so I'd tend to live with it and see how it does next year.

Sounds like its been out a winter or so in its pot at the garden centre, so to plant it out would really get it going next year.

 

I wouldnt prune, grandiflora is a slow grower, and needs warmish summers to ripen the wood.

I know of people who have a lot of trouble trying to grow it in Cornwall, as whilst the wintes are mild, the summers dont harden it off enough.

 

Thanks everyone! I have repotted it into an enormous pot and will nurse it for a while to see how it goes.
Daitheplant - i agree that pruning would do it good and am very tempted to give it a go - maybe pruning a little to encourage a more balanced shape for next year. At present i must admit that it is really rather ugly!!
I will keep you posted and thanks again

 

There is a great one just down the road from where I work.
Suprisingly its flowered well this year, even though it not been a good summer.
Its not massive, probably about 15ft high but spreads probably 25ft.

 

Wilroda,


I had trhe same situation, and pruned it hard, bearing in mind where I am it was quite exposed, and it could have been anything that caused it but it died.

 

Oh dear - lollipop73 - what a shame.
I had better be very careful with it . I live in a sheltered spot on the south coast so hopefully it will be ok.

 

Personally, I would prune it. People shouldn`t be afraid of cutting plants. If it dies, how much have you lost?:D

 

I agree daitheplant - I love my secateurs!! - and I have given it a light prune to encourage a better shape in future.

 

That should help it send out more side shoots.:thumb: