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Sad looking potted magnolia

WildFlower_UKWildFlower_UK Posts: 236
in Problem solving
My Magnolia x soulangeana is looking rather sad, with yellowish leaves and crispy brown edges. It's always had quite a yellow tinge to the leaves but it's definitely not looking it's best. It's not ever flowered but I understand they can take years before flowering? 

It's been in the pot for two years and about a month ago I added some shrub feed and 2inches of fresh compost to the top. However I'm wondering whether it just needs a pot upgrade and fresh compost, and its nothing more serious? I'd like to keep it in a pot if possible as I dont have much available space to plant it out. It's in full sun.


"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need"

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    How often do you water it and do you use hard tap water? 

    They like acid to neutral soil so you should water regularly and with rain water if possible or the alkaline content in other composts/soils and tap water wll prevent them taking up iron and magnesium and make them chlorotic.   If you can, buy some liquid feed for ericaceous plants which will correct the deficiency.

    You can also give it a foliar feed of 15ml of Epsom Salts dissolved in 5 litres of water.  Pour it over using the spray rose on your watering can.   
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I have 7 magnolias including that variety and all but one are now in the ground (I grew them in pots for several years first) and look just like yours with many brown, crispy edges.  In my case it is simply due to the late frosts we had a few weeks ago.  Just keep them well watered and they will shed the most damaged ones and replace them with new leaves.
    However, I agree with @Obelixx that they look chlorotic which won't be helping and they will benefit from being better fed.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • WildFlower_UKWildFlower_UK Posts: 236
    Thanks both! I'm afraid I do use tap water from my outside tap. We do have a water butt but with so little rain recently I dont know how much I'll have left, but will prioritise the Magnolia as long as I can! I'll get some ericaceous feed Asap too, along with Epsom Salts.

    @BobTheGardener - how often did/do you repot? And at what time of the year? 

     :) 
    "If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need"
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I re-potted every year into slightly bigger pots and used a mix of garden soil and a JI#3 compost with about 10% added well-rotted manure (the plan was always to eventually put them in the ground though.)  Once the pot size increases led to them being too heavy to easily move, into the ground they went.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • WildFlower_UKWildFlower_UK Posts: 236
    Sounds like I need to repot very soon. What time of the year is best or can I just do it now? 

    Also I had added Toprose Rose and Shrub feed to the Magnolia about 4-6 weeks ago which contains iron and magnesium. So I'm thinking the feed isnt so much the issue rather than the putting mix is just completely spent?
    "If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need"
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Calcium in the tap water interacts with your magnolia's roots and locks up iron and magnesium so they are inaccessible, hence the advice to seek out a liquid feed with chelated or sequestered iron that will be available to the plant.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • WildFlower_UKWildFlower_UK Posts: 236
    I see, thanks so much! 
    "If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need"
  • WildFlower_UKWildFlower_UK Posts: 236
    Thanks to everyone's advice! Hard to see from this pic but my magnolia is looking healthier after being repotted into a larger pot, with a soil mix 50% JI3 potting compost and 50% ericaceous soil. Much greener in colour than before and I'll only use rain water from now on! 
    "If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need"
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