Instructions for Planting your Magnolia

Thank you for purchasing a new magnolia - soon we have a substantial collection of these beautiful plants in front yards and parks, and our city will be blooming.

It is extremely important to have a well-prepared planting area for your new magnolia. Ideally, magnolias require rich, acid, well-drained moist soils, which are not common is our part of the province. We have chosen cultivars that are more tolerant of alkaline soils, such as M. loebneri, M. stellata and M. soulangiana, but if you have heavy clay or other poor soil, please take the time to prepare your bed for your new tree.

NOTE: if you cannot plant your tree right away, place it in a large pot and fill with soil, and keep the roots moist. They will dry out if left exposed in the burlap ball.

Site considerations

All magnolias will grow in full sun, but will also tolerate some shade. They are naturally found at the edge of woodlands, and like the shelter of nearby trees for wind protection, or nearby structures like hedges our houses. This is a front yard project, so set your tree in a visible part of your front yard at least 15' back from the edge of the road (they do not like road salt, and the large snow banks will break branches on young trees). Magnolia roots are soft and close to the surface so they will not harm foundations. Keep in mind the adult size of the tree when planting (25-30 feet for soulangianas, 15' for loebneri, and 15-20 for stellata). Have a look at some of the mature specimens around town for a better idea - I like the siting of the wonderful soulangiana (cup-and-saucer) at 549 2nd Avenue East - it fits nicely on a small lot between driveway, sidewalk, front walkway and the house, and it has a fine natural shape.

Planting your tree

Mark out a circle about 4' in diameter, cutting out the turf to a depth of 2". Dig out the topsoil and subsoil to a depth of at least three feet - you can place it on a tarp. This is a worthwhile labour - remember that your tree will be here for 50 years so it is worth an extra hour with a shovel. Now you need to mix plenty of organic matter into the soil (peat moss works well to balance the alkalinity), horse manure, well rotted leaf mold and garden compost are good. I prefer to begin with a load of new topsoil - it is easy to work with and cheap (a garbage can full from Peer's is less than $5) and will make your magnolias first year much easier. As you backfill your planting hole, make sure that you tamp the soil down every 4" or so, because the new organic matter will decay and the soil levels will settle. The turf can be placed in the hole about 18" down. When you have backfilled enough to place your root ball in the hole, build a firmly-packed mound about 6" high for the root ball to rest on. The mound will allow the roots to spread out and will help to drain away excess water. Pick up the sapling by the root ball and set it on the mound. To confirm that the sapling is at the correct depth, lay a stake across the hole. If the stake is aligned with the old soil mark on the sapling's trunk, it will be at the correct depth when the soil is filled in. Cut the twine holding the burlap in place but do not remove the burlap -it will rot away eventually. Fill the hole almost to the top with amended soil and tamp it down well. Fold the cloth back into the soil or cut excess off so it will not wick moisture away from the roots. Continue filling the hole to the level of the old soil mark on the trunk and tamp the soil once again. Soak the root ball with water. The most common mistake when planting is the incorrect level of soil at the base of the plant. It is critical that the soil level only just covers the existing compost level, as the stem should have no soil covering yet no roots should be exposed.

Watering

Water the tree well immediately after planting to help settle the soil, and then throughout the spring and summer during dry spells (a long period of drought will stress any new planting as the roots are not deep enough to find moisture).

Mulching

You should place a thick layer of mulch over the base of the plant - it will keep weeds down, retain moisture, add nutritional value and it looks nice. Do not grow grass around the base of a young tree -lawn mowers and weed eaters will damage the tender bark at the base of the tree and it will die. Hostas are good for underplanting - they shade the roots, but don't plant too much at the base as the roots are soft and surface-growing and can be easily damaged.

Feeding

If the plant is mulched annually or biannually with well rotted horse manure, there is no need for any supplementary feeding or fertilizers, although an application of soil sulphur (not aluminum sulfate) will balance alkalinity.

Transplanting

Magnolias do not like to be transplanted, but it may be necessary if your tree has been planted poorly and is not thriving. Transplant only in very early Spring, moving the largest root ball possible immediately to a new location. Use rooting hormone, and water well.

Pruning

Compact magnolias like stellata and loebneri should not require pruning, and I prefer the natural growth habits of the larger magnolias trees. However, if you have crossing branches, or water shoots (vigorous shoots that come from the side branches and trunks of established trees), deadwood, or damaged branches, you may need to prune. Mid-summer is probably the best time for this, however if branches have been broken in winter, take them indoors and stick them in a vase of water - they will bloom indoors.

Winter protection

There doesn't seem to be agreement on winter protection - some gardeners like to wrap their trees the first winter and others prefer to leave them as they are. These magnolias should be hardy, so I don't wrap them in burlap but I tie up the lower branches so that deep snowfall doesn't break young branches when it settles. They can handle adverse weather on their own once they are mature. Keep in mind that you have purchased a tree at grower cost - there is no profit and therefore they cannot be guaranteed so take good care of them. Please remember the name of your specimen - I would like feedback on your trees for future plantings. Look for information and updates on our website (www.cityofmagnolias.com) which should be up and running later this summer. Send your friends and neighbours to our local nurseries for more magnolias, and remember that they make wonderful gifts.