Avoid These 5 Five Mistakes When Growing and Planting Magnolias 

Hi Kristen, you are very welcome. Thank you for your comment. Kind regards Simon

Thanks for the comment, I am a big fan of these early flowering species and cultivars. Simon

Thanks for the advice Chandra. Simon

You are very welcome David, and thanks for your support. Simon

Thanks for you comment Elaine, you are very welcome. Simon

Wow, that must look incredible in full bloom. Simon

Hi Sadiyah, and thanks for your comment. Red Lucky is a great choice. Good luck with that. Kind regards, Simon

Hi Eamonn, you are very welcome. Simon

You are very welcome, and we are glad we were able to help. Good luck with your new specimens. Just check the mature sizes so they are not planted too close together. Kind regards Simon

Thank you Malik. Simon

Thank you for your great comment and you are absolutely right, seed grown Magnolias can takes decades to flower which is why commercial nurseries graft cultivated varieties onto suitable rootstock bringing flowering forward to just a couple of years. This is why you can find many Magnolia tree forms in as small as a 10 litre pot in flower, in the spring in your local garden centre. Kind regards, Simon

Yes, I love these.🙂

Hi Bobbi, Magnolias don't generally hybridize without help from breeders. An experienced plantsman may be able to tell if a Magnolia is a hybrid by seeing a characteristic that isn't recognised. However for everyone else it will have to be be DNA analysis. Kind regards Simon

Hivzdebra and that's for your great question. There are a number of issues that could cause this but unfortunately this comment board isn't suitable to go into the depth needed. However it has given me an idea for a video. Watch this space! Simon

Hi Ming, unfortunately Magnolias are factory grown in huge quantities nowadays, simply because they are so popular. Back in the 20th century when I was first selling these they would have half a dozen sturdy stems and be 24-30 inches high. Today they are mass produced, small and weak. I assume that yours was mail order as a small size equates to cheaper postage but 1 to 2 stems is a bit sad. You are probably best investing in a larger plant from a reputable garden centre. It will cost more but at least you will have a decent flower display next year if not this year. Otherwise, it may be 3-4 years before you get a good show on the one you have. I hope this helps. Kind regards, Simon

Thanks so much for your reply!!!! You are right ! I ordered it online as I couldn't find some in the garden centre near my area! I will take your advice. and much appreciated for your generous advice. Wish you all the very best！

Yes, I love these trees. Simon

Hi Paula, when they talk about sizes it's generally over a 10 year period. However under favourable conditions a sweet bay Magnolia can eventually reach 30 metres tall, so returning your plant is probably your best course of action. Kind regards, Simon

Hi Rosemary, sorry about that. Try watching on a different device, the sound should be fine. Simon

Sorry about, I know that this can be distracting depending on the device you are using. We have dropped the volume on all our current videos ti help reduce this. Kind regards Simon

Hello Mo, and thanks for your question. Firstly that's a great cultivar you've chosen. Secondly, you are right to question this. I would definitely lift this plant because if the root system is subjected to long-term waterlogging it is likely to be killed off. At least you have picked a good time of year to lift it. Try to keep the rootball as intact as possible and with a bit of good luck it will still bloom in the spring. Good luck and kind regards Simon

@@walkingtalkinggardeners Thank you SO VERY MUCH for responding to my question! ☺ I did end up following my instincts, and we pulled it up yesterday. ..And THANK GOODNESS we did because, when we returned home from buying a new 25gal pot and ericaceous soil (etc), we found our "little Maggy" sitting in about a foot of muddy water! 😯 Luckily she pulled up pretty easy and I think we were still able to maintain a fairly in-tact root ball. 🤞FINGERS CROSSED!!! - Now we wait! 🙏😇🌈⛅🌱 My current plan is to allow our little tree to grow for a few years inside the pot and then transfer her back into the ground, once she is quite a bit taller... and after we've amended our yard a bit for better drainage... and dealt with the gopher situation! I enjoy your videos and tips! I also recently planted a "Black Tie" Camellia, after watching your video on camellias! Great stuff!!! 👍👍🌹 👏😁

Hi there, and thanks for the great question. You can, but I would prefer to use some kind of sterilised manure. It will be richer in nutrients as well as having an acidifying property as the nitrates and nitrates break down to form a mixed nitric acid. Kind regards Simon

Thank you for your prompt reply

That's no problem. You are very welcome.

Hi Kip, sorry to hear you have been caught out by wrong info on the label. Take it back for a refund if you can or re-sell it on something like Facebook market place. Have a look at Magnolia liliiflora and its cultivars. It has a similar look but only grows to about 12ft in ten years. You can always cut back back mid-sommer to early autumn if it gets too big. Simon

Thank you Ladijane.

Hi Chandra, that's a great cultivar. Moving them shouldn't be a problem if you've just planted them. Good luck. Simon

Alright. There's no need to shout! Unfortunately, some of our earlier videos did have volume issues with the music, which we have resolved. However, the volume issue occurs depending on the device you are using. Try watching the video on a different device, and that should sort it for you. Kind regards, Simon

Hello Mr. Round and thanks for your question. Mature Magnolia soulangeana are already coming into bloom however small specimens can struggle with a cold winter and may not be mature enough to bloom. If you bought it in flower and it hasn't bloomed then it may be in the wrong position or poor soil. Hopefully it has tight leaf bud on it to show its still alive. Kind regards Simon

@@walkingtalkinggardeners it wasn't in flower when bought but had leaves still on it. It looks like there's buds on it but not 100% sure if they are new or the old ones from last years we shall see in the coming months. It has been very wet through the winter in Worcestershire so fingers crossed not too much damage and the soil is clay 👍

Clay soils are OK but tend to be cold and prone to water logging. I would suggest lifting it now while it is still cold and move it to a warmer, free draining position. If the whole garden is clay then consider creating a raised bed or very large pot as it sounds like your plant may be struggling where it is. Simon

@@walkingtalkinggardeners I'll give it some time to see if it takes when the weather gets a bit warmer

Agreed! Simon

Hello Khaidrashid, all the videos have a transcript option below the description. Simon

Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Simon 🙂

Hi Hadi, thank you for your comment. These are fantastic plants. Simon

Hi Stephen and thanks for sharing your experience on this. Have you tried using soil acidifiers around the drip line of the camellias canopy? That might help a little, check out my video on using diluted urine - it's a real thing! Simon

It's not difficult to amend your soil though. This is pure laziness.

Sorry about that, I was new to the editing when we made this. The recent videos have a much lower level for music. Simon

@walkingtalkinggardeners just planted my first magnolia today, no mistakes so far 😁. Thanks for tips mate 👍

No problem, you are very welcome.

No need to shout!

Hi Wobbly, you are absolutely right. We are aware of this and while we are not able to change the sound on a published video we have addressed this in all.out later videos. We hope you will check out some of those too. Kind regards Simon

Hi Robin, I am sorry to hear you are having an issue with the music. It sounds like you may have an issue with you device as I'm struggling to hear the music myself. I suggest watching the video on something else. Kind regards Simon