I have a magnolia stellata in a pot which I believe needs ericaceous compost. Can I plant it into my alkaline soil?
It will tolerate, only, slightly alkaline soil. To be safe, I would have it tested, and adjust the pH, accordingly.
These articles will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/testing-soil.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/lower-acid-soil.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/magnolia/magnolia-tree-care.htm
One of them looks nearly bare. Should I use a hose and deep water them? They receive six minutes of sprinkled water every other day now. Until three weeks ago when our water rationing was lifted, they received only three minutes of sprinkling every other day.
The short answer is yes, use a hose and deep water to rescue them.
The bigger concern I have is for the long term sustainability of these large growing trees with a minimal watering program of a few minutes every other day. These are southern magnolia, they are not drought tolerant and they require a lot of water to keep them healthy.
The tree in the photo at the bottom of a slope on the edge of a retaining wall has extremely poor growing conditions. There is not sufficient flat soil surface to absorb and retain water. If it were to survive it will crack and break out that block wall within five years. I can't see the site for the other tree, but consider if you have good growing conditions for summer water loving trees like this
I pruned the tree after it stopped flowering in June; now some leaves have black markings on them & it stinks so much that it is attracting flies. It is 10 years old and never had this problem before. We did have a wetter than normal spring.
Uh oh! This sounds like a bacterial infection, but I also see signs of a severe fungal infection as well. Wet conditions will, certainly, make this worse!
Once it is this far along, the tree will usually perish over the next few years, unfortunately. You can still attempt treatment, though.
Dolomitic lime, and wettable sulfur, when used together, can help combat and prevent soil infections. Using these once or twice per year is ideal.
Otherwise, you can try fungicide sprays for the soil, and all portions of the tree that you can reach. This article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/info/using-fungicides-in-garden.htm
This article will giv eyou information on the care of Magnolia trees: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/magnolia/magnolia-tree-care.htm
Also, I just noticed it has scale insects. This may be the feeding insect causing the sugary deposits on the leaves. You can just brush them off.
Steve
http://www.treestylearb.com
Hi.
The black staining is likely to be fungus feeding on sap deposits on the leaves. Usually the deposits are from feeding insects such as aphids. If you have recently pruned it the resulting regrowth may be a little dense. If you thin it out to create a more airy crown then this helps with general health and would discourage pests.
Steve
http://www.treestylearb.com
so in my one of my magnolia seed pods I had red vibrant seeds in one pod, and I did in another one today, and they were mostly orange with some orange spots in the middle. There were two I threw out that were brown and completely smushy. Should i throw that batch away, or can I get some magnolia trees to grow from them?
They should be bright red and fully ripe. Once magnolia seeds dry out, they will not germinate. It will be necessary to start from a fresh seed directly harvested from the "cone". This article will help: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/magnolia/propagating-magnolia-seeds.htm
lt normaly only flowers once before leaves appear early in year
It's not uncommon for magnolia trees to have repeat blooms during the summer. Enjoy!
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/magnolia/magnolia-tree-care.htm
It is about 3 years old and the trunks are 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter.
Yes, you can, but it must be done slowly over time. If you can't isolate one stem for the trunk, you can still use two or three and make it look like a tree. Here's how:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/shgen/pruning-a-shrub-into-a-tree.htm
The leaves turned brown and fell off. However the limbs still seem to be flexible not dry and brittle like I expected.
Is it getting sufficient water? Another problem might be the acidity level. Magnolias prfer a neutral to slightly acidic soil. Have your soil tested to find out if there is a nutrition or pH problem. Your local coopertive extension agent can help with a soil sample.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/magnolia/yellow-magnolia-leaves.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/magnolia/magnolia-tree-diseases.htm