Steel magnolias.

It's hard to forget Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLain, Darryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts and the resilience they showed when confronted by life's challenges. Magnolia's can offer a challenge or two but they return your investment when established with years of spectacular blooms that will lift your heart.

How to grow magnolias in a garden

1. Choose a spot that gets full sun to part shade.
2. Clear any grass or ground-covering plants from the planting area to about a metre across, then dig in plenty of soil improver, manure based fertilizer and good quality compost into the soil.
3. Create a planting hole that’s about twice the width of the pot and approximately the same depth.
4. Carefully take the plant out of the pot with care (magnolias hate root disturbance) and sit it into the planting hole.
5. Position in hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down.  Form a raised or doughnut shaped ring of soil around the outer edge of the plant's root zone. This helps keep water where it's needed.  Always water in well after planting to settle the soil around the roots and keep the soil moist for several weeks while the new plant establishes.
6. Mulch with an organic mulch, such as bark chips, sugar cane or pea straw around the base of the plant, keeping it away from the trunk.
7. Water deeply, once or twice a week, depending on soil and weather conditions.
8. During the flowering period, feed every 1 to 2 weeks with a liquid plant food.  Feed in autumn and spring with soil improver and fertiliser to ensure strong root development.

 
How to grow magnolias in a pot
Be sure to choose dwarf or small varieties.

1. Choose a pot at least double the size of the root ball. Position in full sun to part shade and fill with quality potting mix and some  water storage crystals to assist with soil moisture retention.
2. Remove the shrub from the container, taking care not to disturb any of the roots.
3. Position in hole and backfill, gently firming down. Water in well.
4. Water deeply, twice to three times a week, depending on soil and weather conditions.
5. During the flowering period, feed every 1 to 2 weeks with a liquid plant food.  Feed in autumn and spring with soil improver and fertiliser to ensure strong root development.

Growing tips

• Because magnolias hate being dry, it can be helpful to add some Yates Waterwise Water Storage Crystals into the planting medium before planting out.
• Summer heat and drought often cause most seasonal damage to magnolias and it’s not unusual for the leaves to develop brown edges in late summer. Good watering and mulching will reduce this problem. 
• Keep plants watered during dry weather but don’t let too much water sit around their roots. If unsure, check the soil prior to watering.
• Mulch annually after flowering with a thick layer of organic material. 
• Evergreen magnolias can be trimmed back, but seasonal pruning should be avoided with most of the deciduous varieties unless absolutely necessary. 
• Apply some Yates Soil Wetter Concentrate in spring and summer; its soil wetting properties will ensure that moisture gets straight through to the roots which is important during the hotter weather.

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