Have small young magnolia in my garden and wondering how best to feed it.
They do prefer slightly acidic soil. You can add compost to get it off to a good start.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/magnolia/magnolia-tree-care.htm
I have a number of little gems that are planted behind a retaining wall, they are about 4 to 5 years old and are now about 2.5 meters tall, about 5 months ago they started to lose alot of their foliage, we have a drip watering system that is working. They seem to come good and then it starts again I have attached photos
Some varieties of magnolia drop their trees seasonally. Yours may be deciduous. Here's an article about that:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/magnolia/which-magnolias-are-deciduous.htm
If they're turning yellow and dropping, this article may help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/magnolia/yellow-magnolia-leaves.htm
It is a tree about twenty few tall. Green leaves. More of a tree rather than a Shrub. Thanks!
My best guess is Magnolia salicifolia, or similar. It can be very difficult to pin the ID of a Magnolia but this seems a likely fit.
Here is an article that will help with Magnolia care
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/magnolia/magnolia-tree-care.htm
It is slender rather than spreading, deciduous and flowers seem to be elongated. (Tree is in centre in photograph)
It looks to be a Magnolia liliiflora, usually called a lily magnolia.
I have read that you should clean down your cutting tools with isopropyl alcohol, do I also paint/clean the cutting with the same?
A healthy tree should compensate for the cuts easily, so no need to seal the cuts. However, magnolias are slow to heal, so prune as minimally as possible. Sterilizing your pruning tools can help to prevent transferring any fungus, mold or other infection to these opened up areas. Here are two articles for more info:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/magnolia/pruning-magnolia-trees.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/magnolia/magnolia-tree-care.htm
Magnolia is a 100’ triple trunk beauty but the constant leaf drops are driving me crazy!
Magnolias shed old leaves all year. Here is more:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/magnolia/yellow-magnolia-leaves.htm
Let me preface this questions by saying I know nothing about gardening. I'd like to grow ground cover under my Magnolia, but only weeds take hold. For my latest effort I planted some ferns and lungwort from a neighbour and crossed my fingers. Any suggestions? I live on BC's south coast in a very shady, forested area.
Here are some groundcovers for shade, but acutally, the best thing you can do for the tree is just add a layer of mulch out to the dripline.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/shade/ground-covers-for-shade.htm