So you wanna grow magnolias? Well, let’s get serious then! You’ve come to the right place! If you already have magnolia trees on your property, or if you want to purchase them and cultivate, to grow your own, then read on.
Caring for a Magnolia Tree
A fully mature magnolia tree has few enemies, and isn’t prone to disease. If you have a mature magnolia tree on your property, then congratulations, you’ve managed to avoid a lot of work, because growing a magnolia tree is definitely a detailed process. One of the only problems a mature magnolia tree suffers is slugs. In moist weather, slugs can do a lot of damage to leaves, so in the spring, and more humid times of the year, set slug bait to keep them off your leaves, otherwise, they may prematurely rot and fall off.
Growing a Magnolia Tree
Unless you live ona giant estate or something, then you may want to avoid over-planting. Magnolias are very hearty trees, and most of the time, common sense is your best friend. Don’t plant too many, and don’t plant them close together. Avoid planting in valleys, because they’re prone to frost, don’t cover too much of the tree with soil, or mulch, or you’ll smother it. Also, when planting from scratch, rabbits are extremely attracted to the smell of magnolia sap, and they’ll eat the leaves, stems, and bark. You need to rabbit proof your yard, or at least the area around the saplings.
Magnolia trees are situated best in elevated areas, and they do well in acidic soil, which is why they’re found mostly in the south. Planting from scratch, with a bulb or “root ball”, or even just planting a sapling, is best done at the end of the summer, which is when magnolias begin their regenerative cycle. Magnolia trees aren’t fully mature until they’re ten years old, so you have to nurture them like an unusually healthy baby. They aren’t susceptible to many pests or diseases, but they still need to bed fed and fertilized, and planted where they can get the best sun, and aren’t going to be victim to frost of flooding.