Magnolia in Pot looking bad

12 years ago

Hi, I just bought a house and a potted Magnolia came with it. It doesn't look very good, so I was wondering if I should transplant it to the ground, prune it, etc etc.

I haven't done/add anything to it other than water. I live in South Florida, zone 10, my house faces east, the pot with the Magnolia is on the backyard.

Thank You so much!

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Comments (5)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
hi

welcome to GW ...

w/o a pic... my best advice.. get rid of it.. and buy a new one come spring ...

seriously .... if the washer [presuming it was left] didnt work so well.. would you keep it around.. and hope for the best..

or just go buy a new one???

why mess around wasting good energy .. on a no good plant????

use you psychic skills for better things in your new home... rather than worrying about this

otherwise post a pic.. and we can go from there

ken
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
12 years ago
We need some pictures before we can answer ANY of your questions.
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dologquesnel
Original Author
12 years ago
I couldn't figure out how to post pictures... Here are two I took yesterday. Thank You!

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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
12 years ago
i wouldnt bother with it ...

my guess.. the potting media has never been changed.. its old .. and can not support a tree of that size ... and the tree is severely pot bound.. malnourished .. and UGLY ...

you have tip damage.. from God knows what.. since you have no history of the plant ...

if you cant bear to simply get rid of it now .... stick it in the ground [i should say .. plant it PROPERLY] .. and hope for the best ... and then if it fails to perform ... next season.. then get rid of it..

or just cut the loop and get rid of it ... seems to be a redundant theme with me.. lol ...

the best day of gardening in my first house.. was 5 years later.. when i got rid of the last nightmare the prior owners left me.. what took 5 years.. looking back now.. is beyond me ... i would prefer that you do as i say.. rather than as i did ...

ken
karinl
12 years ago
If the house faces east, the backyard faces west, and in Florida that's got to be a lot of sun. That means the pot probably dries out badly.

Magnolias don't like root disturbance, but you can transplant them as long as you are not downright reckless. Maybe pick a place that is in a more sheltered spot (from the sun) so it can grow in without stress, and where it is not in the way of any garden plans you might have so you won't be tempted to move it again. If the roots are circling the pot (quite likely) then try to straighten them out - and spread them out gently - when you plant (read a concurrent thread about how to plant a tree here and one in the conifer forum).

Karin L