Content
Magnolia is an ornamental, flowering plant with a tree-like or bushy crown formation. It feels good in the southern regions, Crimea. Planting and caring for magnolia in open ground does not require special knowledge. With the right choice of location, compliance with the rules of agricultural technology, careful preparation for the autumn-winter period, it is possible to grow and achieve flowering in the Urals, Siberia, and central Russia.
Conditions for growing magnolia
Magnolia is a heat-loving, long-growing tree, 10–30 m high (depending on the variety and climate). It grows mainly in the southern regions, Crimea.It blooms from early spring to mid-summer.
For planting in central Russia, the Urals, and Siberia, hybrid frost-resistant varieties have been bred that can withstand winter temperatures down to -35 OWITH.
Growing and caring for magnolia in open ground is similar to the principles of agricultural technology for heat-loving fruit crops (pears, apricots, grapes):
- Spacious, well-lit areas protected from drafts and wind on the northern and eastern sides are suitable for planting.
- The soil should be light, moist, but without stagnant water. Its neutral composition will be optimal.
- The trunk circles of young seedlings are mulched. Magnolia does not like dry soil, it begins to hurt and wither.
- For the first 3–4 years after being placed on open ground, the tree is covered with soft burlap for the winter and protected from frost, wind, and rodents.
- Fertilizers begin to be applied from the second year of the plant’s life. An excess of alkaline or nitrogen fertilizers slows down growth, reduces immunity, and leads to the fall of leaves and buds.
- Magnolia does not tolerate pruning well. If necessary, crown formation and sanitary treatment are carried out in the fall, after flowering.
The use of magnolia in landscape design
For landscaping a site in the Urals or in central Russia, it is worth choosing frost-resistant magnolia varieties Siebold, Kobus, Sulanzha, Magnolia Nude, Lebner, Oostrennaya.
Hybrids can withstand frosts down to –27 – 33 OC, tolerate cold, windy winters well.
In open ground, magnolia is planted as a single shrub or in a design group in the foreground or middle ground. To create a composition, it is combined with thuja, linden, viburnum, juniper, and blue spruce.
Magnolia looks good with any annual or perennial flowers; it can decorate an entrance area, a gazebo, part of a garden or park with a mini-stream or waterfall.
Flowering trees decorate paths, parks and recreation areas.
What year does magnolia bloom after planting?
The shrub is considered to be slow growing. Magnolias obtained from seeds will bloom only in the 12th – 15th year of life.
Flowering of seedlings obtained by cuttings can occur in the 7th – 8th year after adaptation to open ground.
When replanting a tree in a new location until the magnolia is fully established, buds will not form. An adult, early flowering plant will bloom only next year.
How to plant magnolia
Not every region is suitable for growing magnolia. The ornamental plant is sensitive to frost, temperature changes, soil conditions, light intensity, and drafts.
In order for the tree to take root, survive the winter safely, and begin to grow and develop, you need to choose the right time and place of planting, as well as prepare the soil, taking into account the recommendations of experts.
When to plant magnolia
For placement in open ground, choose strong seedlings about 1 m high with 1 – 2 viable buds. Samples with a closed root system, protected from drying out, take root better.
Gardeners note that the optimal time for planting magnolia is the end of October, when the seedling is dormant and does not produce young shoots.Before frost, the tree has time to grow its root system and can more easily withstand harsh winter conditions.
Planting magnolia in spring is acceptable, but it is important to choose the right time:
- In the southern regions, Crimea, young shoots are brought to the site in April.
- In the middle zone and the Urals, it is better to postpone transplanting seedlings to open ground until the end of May, because there is a high probability of return night frosts.
- In Siberian conditions, magnolia is planted by the end of May - beginning of June. But there is a risk that the tree will begin to grow actively and many young shoots will appear on it. By winter they will not have time to become stiff and will freeze.
Where to plant magnolia
A successful choice of location for a tree in the garden will ensure its active growth, proper crown formation, and flowering.
Magnolia is a heat- and light-loving plant that does not tolerate drafts. For planting in open ground, choose a well-lit place protected from the wind. Young seedlings must be shaded from the midday heat.
Do not place magnolia close to other trees or shrubs. If the required amount of sunlight does not arrive, the magnolia will wither.
The soil should be moist, loose, with a slightly acidic or neutral composition. Close contact with groundwater is not desirable. Magnolia also does not tolerate waterlogging of its roots.
How to plant magnolia correctly
To place magnolia in open ground, you need to prepare a large planting hole. Its size should be at least 3 times the volume of the root system of the future tree.
When planting, create a good drainage layer so that excess moisture does not stagnate in the roots.
Complex fertilizers are applied in doses (no more than a handful). Their excess reduces and slows down the survival rate.
To properly plant magnolia in the spring, you need:
- Dig a hole 1.5 - 2 spade bayonets deep.
- Place a drainage layer 10–15 cm thick on the bottom.
- Sprinkle with sand.
- Add humus and another layer of sand.
- Mix peat, turf soil and sand (4:2:1).
- Place the seedling in the center, straighten the roots.
- Cover with a fertile layer so that the root collar remains above the surface of the earth.
- Lightly moisten the tree trunk space, cover it with dry soil, mulch with peat or rotted pine litter.
If several trees are planted on the site, the distance between them should be at least 4 - 5 m.
How to care for magnolia in the garden
A tree or shrub can produce abundant flowering and a dense crown only with proper agricultural practices.
Watering schedule
Magnolia is a moisture-loving plant that requires regular watering. Young seedlings in open ground are irrigated once a week, pouring at least 20 liters of water under one tree or bush. In hot, dry times, the soil is moistened more often - every 2 - 3 days.
The next day after watering, the tree trunk circle is carefully loosened. Deep digging is not advisable, since it can damage the roots, which in magnolia are located close to the surface.
How can you feed magnolia?
A flowering tree is sensitive to both a lack and an excess of nutrients.An unbalanced soil composition leads to yellowing of leaves, stunting of growth, and rotting of roots.
The first feeding of magnolia is carried out 2 years after planting the plant in open ground. The nutrient mixture is applied 2 times a year: in the spring (at the beginning of sap flow) and in mid-summer (after flowering). For fertilizer, take 1 kg of mullein, 25 g of ammonium, 15 g of urea per bucket of water.
An adult large tree needs additional nutrition. To stimulate abundant flowering in early spring, you can feed magnolia with organic compounds, and on the eve of budding - phosphorus-potassium.
Magnolia pruning
A flowering tree does not need to form a crown. After removing the branches, the plant takes a long time to adapt, gets sick, and does not tolerate winter well.
Sanitary pruning of magnolia is carried out in the fall or immediately after flowering. At the same time, dried inflorescences, damaged, dry shoots, branches growing inward and thickening the crown are removed. The cut areas are washed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, sprinkled with ash, and lubricated with garden varnish.
Caring for shrub magnolia when growing it in the conditions of Siberia and the Urals does not involve cutting even frozen shoots in the spring. With the onset of warm weather, the ornamental plant begins intensive sap flow. If the bark is damaged, the buds fall off, plant growth slows down, and the risk of rot, chlorosis, and scab increases.
Preparing for winter
Even frost-resistant varieties need protection from cold, wind and rodents.To do this, in early November, the lower part of the trunk up to the 2nd tier of branches is wrapped in burlap, special covering material, and spruce branches.
After the first frost, the magnolia tree trunk area is filled with a thick layer of mulch. If you do this earlier, mice will overwinter in the sawdust or straw.
Features of growing magnolia in different regions
A flowering ornamental tree does not grow everywhere. Magnolia is capricious, freezes easily, and does not tolerate drafts.
The plant takes root well and blooms in the open ground of the southern regions. In other regions, it is worth choosing frost-resistant varieties for planting, carefully monitoring watering, and covering the seedlings for the winter.
In Crimea
In all southern regions of Russia and along the Black Sea coast, the flowering tree grows under natural conditions. Low-growing hybrids (up to 10 m) are planted in parks, squares, and botanical gardens.
Growing magnolia in Crimea does not require special knowledge. Mild winters and a warm, humid summer climate allow you to plant any varieties in open ground and enjoy flowering from April to June without much effort.
The region has plenty of sunshine. Shaded areas near the northern or eastern wall of the building are suitable for planting.
Only young plants up to the 3rd year of life are covered for the winter. In mature, strong trees, the tree trunk area is mulched in the fall to prevent the surface roots from freezing and drying out.
In Siberia
It is difficult to grow magnolia outdoors in Siberia. Frost-resistant varieties are suitable for planting: Sulanzha or Siebold.
Frost can destroy seedlings in the first year after they are placed on the site, so planting material should be chosen carefully. Strong, tall shoots with 2 - 3 live buds are suitable.They are planted in the fall and well insulated.
Watering stops in September. Excess moisture will lead to freezing.
Siberian amateur gardeners often grow bush varieties in tubs. In the summer they are placed in open areas, decorating garden paths, and in the winter they are brought indoors.
In the Urals
The sharply continental climate of the region has a bad effect on the condition of ornamental trees. Severe winters freeze the shoots, and dry, hot summers dry out the crown.
When planting magnolia in open ground, the correct choice of site is of great importance. A free place protected from the wind near the eastern side of a building or fence is best suited for placement. The buildings will provide shade in the summer heat, protect from drafts and keep snow in the winter.
Caring for ornamental shrubs involves abundant watering as the soil dries. To retain moisture, the tree trunk space is mulched with sawdust or straw.
In autumn, both young shoots and mature trees are covered.
In the middle lane
For cultivation in the middle zone, frost-resistant hybrid varieties that can withstand low temperatures are chosen.
In open ground, magnolia is placed in sunny areas protected from the wind. The south side of buildings is not desirable. In spring, the buds will wake up too early, and return frosts will destroy the plant.
For the winter, the tree is wrapped up until the 5th year of life. The trunk space is protected regardless of age. It is covered with a thick layer of sawdust, straw, and non-woven material.
To help the plant overwinter better, phosphorus-potassium compounds are added in July–August.
When can you transplant a magnolia to another location?
The culture does not tolerate transplantation well, takes a long time to take root, and gets sick.
It is better to carry out the procedure in the spring, when the temperature is above 15 OC, and the risk of return frosts will be minimal. Experienced gardeners recommend removing swollen inflorescences so that the plant does not waste energy on them. There is no pruning this year.
If it is necessary to move the ornamental tree to another place, the site is chosen so as not to disturb the magnolia anymore. She may not be able to withstand repeated growth interference.
To replant a magnolia:
- The shrub is watered abundantly the day before digging.
- Prepare a planting hole: dig a wide hole, 2-3 times larger than the earthen ball of the plant, cover the bottom with a drainage layer, sprinkle with sand and fertile soil mixture. Lightly moisturize and add a handful of organic matter.
- Dig up the magnolia, trying to keep as much soil as possible on the roots. This makes it easier for the plant to adapt.
- Carefully transport the tree to a new location, place it in the center of the prepared hole, and sprinkle it with sand and peat substrate. The root collar should remain above the soil surface.
- The plant is generously filled with water, and the tree trunk circle is sprinkled with mulch on top.
If magnolia was transplanted in open ground in the fall, the tree and root space are insulated for the winter.
Flowering, as well as weakened, diseased, damaged shrubs cannot be tolerated.
Pests and diseases
Proper planting and care of magnolia will provide the tree with good immunity and resistance to pests and diseases. Violation of agricultural technology, improper preparation for wintering, pruning, transplanting to another place can lead to infection with parasites, weakening, and death of the plant.
Common diseases of magnolia in open ground:
- chlorosis;
- gray mold;
- scab;
- sooty fungus (niello);
- powdery mildew;
- seedling rot;
- death of shoots.
As the infection develops, the root system rots, the leaves turn pale, yellow spots appear, the crown withers, and the color fades. At the first signs of infection, watering is reduced, the tree or shrub is treated with fungicides, and damaged shoots are removed.
Flowering shrubs are sensitive to soil composition:
- suddenly yellowed foliage indicates an increase in soil acidity;
- excess nitrogen fertilizing leads to freezing and death of young shoots;
- a general overdose of fertilizers inhibits growth;
- with a lack of watering, the foliage withers and turns yellow; an overdried substrate can lead to rapid death.
Of the pests that attack magnolia in open ground:
- spider and transparent mites;
- rose thrips;
- peach aphid;
- scale insects;
- scale insects;
- snails, slugs.
If harmful insects are detected, the tree is sprayed with insecticides: Actellik, Aktara and similar preparations.
In the winter months, the bush suffers from mice and hares, which damage the bark under the snow. To protect against rodents, the trunks are fenced with netting, spruce branches, and a thick layer of felt.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for magnolia in open ground in the conditions of the Urals, Siberia, and the middle zone is possible and does not require special skills. In order to achieve growth and flowering, it should be placed in a sunny, quiet area, with high-quality watering and protection from frost. With the right agricultural technology, magnolia will decorate the garden with its blooms for a long time, without fear of withering and disease.
