Magnolia - how to care?

 Magnolia is a shrub or tree typical of the wild areas of North and South America and East Asia. 

However, due to the beautiful, decorative flowers, which, depending on the individual varieties, take on different colors, and most often, like Siebold's Magnolia, pink in Europe, they are cultivated as ornamental plants. 

And although it is said that the climate here is too harsh, it turns out that properly cared for magnolias successfully decorate Polish gardens. 

Therefore, let's check how to cultivate these exotic plants, as well as when and with what to fertilize and water them.

Cultivation

Of great importance in the case of magnolia cultivation is the position we choose for it. Secluded places, sheltered from winds and frost, and at the same time well sunny, are suitable for these shrubs and trees. In the shade, these plants bloom poorly. A suitable soil is one that is permeable, humus, slightly acidic. 

It is important that after planting the plant, the soil around it is mulched with pine bark or garden peat. Thanks to this, the roots will be protected from freezing, and the soil will maintain proper moisture. It is also worth remembering that magnolia roots are extremely fragile and sensitive to damage, and their system is shallow, which results in the inability to transplant it.

Fertilization

From March to early July, it is recommended to fertilize magnolia with a compound fertilizer. To shorten the work, possibly at the turn of March and April, we can apply a slow-acting fertilizer once. As maintaining the acidity of the soil at the right level is not too easy, it is worth taking advantage of the phenomenon of mycorrhiza. 

It consists in the mutual coexistence of plants and symbiotic fungi, which in this case establish contact with the magnolia roots. It is enough to use special mycorrhizal vaccines for ericaceous plants, which often bring amazing effects that last for many years.

Watering

Magnolias need to be watered regularly, especially in the period from May to the end of July, when it is the warmest and most often there are droughts. Systematically, a solid amount of water should be provided to young bushes that we planted in the last two years.