How to cultivate and propagate magnolia? A detailed guide to the methods

  Magnolia is a traditional famous flower of our country. The sapling's crown is beautiful, the flowers are large and fragrant, blooming before the leaves in early spring, the whole sapling covered in blooms, crystal clear as jade, with a delicate fragrance like orchid. In courtyards, whether by the window, in a corner, beside a path, or by rocks, it can be planted singly or in groups; in large gardens, a specialized magnolia garden can even be created, and when blooming season arrives, the magnolia saplings form a forest, with jade flowers stretching endlessly, even more enchanting. This sapling has a certain resistance to toxic gases, so it is also suitable for greening factory and mining areas.

  Propagation:

  Magnolia can be propagated by sowing, cuttings, layering and grafting. For seed propagation, collect seeds in late September, treat and dry them, then stratify them in sand storage, and sow in the following spring; if conditions permit, sow in a sand bed in a greenhouse. The density should be such that the seeds do not overlap, cover with river sand about 2 cm, and keep moist. After germination, transplant the seedlings into paper containers, and after about 1 month plant them in the nursery. Cutting propagation can be done during the rainy season; the cuttings are selected from the current-year branches of young saplings, the cutting medium is river sand, with shade above. Layering propagation can use different methods such as soil mounding or air layering depending on the situation. Grafting propagation can use methods such as cleft grafting, side grafting and bud grafting; generally, Huangshan magnolia, wild magnolia saplings and seedling-grown plants are used as rootstock, and the scions are selected from superior plants, with cleft grafting in late autumn giving a higher survival rate. When transplanting, the fleshy roots must not be damaged; large saplings need to be moved with a mud ball, and care should be taken to dig large holes, apply deep fertilizer, and plant the sapling shallowly. The best transplanting time is half a month before the buds sprout or when the flowers have faded but the leaves have not yet unfolded.

  Cultivation:

  Magnolia does not tolerate transplanting well; generally, transplanting 10 to 15 days before budding or when the flowers have just faded but the leaves have not yet unfolded is more ideal. Water the sapling thoroughly once 4 to 5 days before lifting the seedling; this not only allows the plant to absorb sufficient water, which helps it survive after planting, but also helps the soil form a ball when the seedling is dug out. When digging, damage as few roots as possible, and the wounds of broken roots must be smooth to help the wounds heal. In addition, note that no matter what size the sapling is, it should be moved with a soil ball, and the diameter of the soil ball should be 8 to 10 times the ground diameter of the sapling; it must not be too small, as too small a ball cannot protect the roots. After the soil ball is dug, it should be tied well with straw rope to prevent it from breaking apart during transport.

  Before planting, dig the tree hole; the tree hole should be large rather than small, because if the tree hole is too small, it is not only troublesome to plant, but also unfavorable for root growth. The subsoil at the bottom of the tree hole is best if it is matured soil; if the soil is too clayey or if the pH value or salt content exceeds the standard, foreign soil should be used or the soil should be improved. The cultivation soil must have good permeability, must be sufficiently fertile, and must be able to supply the plant with enough nutrients; there must also be no debris such as bricks, tiles or lime in the soil.

  The planting depth should be appropriate when planting; generally, the planting depth can be slightly higher than the original soil ball by 2 to 3 cm. If too deep, it is prone to stifling the buds; if too shallow, the roots will be exposed and the tree can easily be blown over by wind. Large-size saplings should have supports set up in time; triangular supports can be used to prevent them from being blown askew by wind. After planting is completed, water immediately, water a second time after 3 days, and water a third time after 5 days; after the third watering, normal management can begin. If the planted sapling has flower buds, the flower buds should be cut off to prevent flowering and fruiting from consuming a large amount of nutrients and affecting the survival rate.

  Magnolia is an early-spring flowering tree species with both color and fragrance. When planting, the timing must be grasped well; it cannot be too early or too late. Planting 10 days before budding in early spring or after the flowers fade and before the leaves unfold is most suitable. When transplanting, regardless of the size of the sapling, the roots must be carried with a mud ball, and care should be taken to damage the root system as little as possible, so as to ensure survival. Before planting, sufficient fully decomposed organic fertilizer should be applied in the hole as a base fertilizer. After planting, firm the soil and water thoroughly in time.

  Magnolia relatively prefers fertilizer, but dislikes heavy fertilizer; during the growing season, applying fertilizer twice is generally enough to help flower bud differentiation and promote growth. One application is in early spring, and the other is in May to June. The fertilizer is mostly fully decomposed organic fertilizer. Newly planted saplings do not need fertilizing; wait until after leaf fall or the following spring to fertilize. The root system of magnolia is fleshy and does not tolerate waterlogging. During flowering and the growing season, the soil should be kept slightly moist. After autumn begins, watering should be reduced to delay magnolia rooting, promote branch maturity, and help it overwinter. In winter, generally do not water; water only once if the soil is too dry. Magnolia branches have poor wound-healing ability, so pruning is generally not carried out. However, for the sake of a reasonable tree shape, water sprouts, dead branches, diseased and pest-infested branches, and branches that hinder the beauty of the tree shape should still be cut off in the early leaf-unfolding stage. In addition, after the flowers fade, if the seeds are not to be kept, the remaining flowers and fruit spikes should also be cut off to avoid consuming nutrients and affecting next year's flowering.