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It sounds like a truism, but this knowledge is of the utmost importance for the successful cultivation of a magnolia: If the tree is to bloom profusely in spring, it needs the right soil. This does not only mean the soil conditions preferred by the magnolia, because before planting, the soil needs to be properly worked and loosened. Only then does the magnolia literally feel "at home"!
A pH value between 5.5 and 6.8 is optimal
Magnolias prefer a nutrient-rich, humus-rich, moist and slightly acidic soil with a pH value between 5.5 and 6.8. With a few exceptions, most magnolia species do not tolerate calcareous soils. Plants are best able to absorb nutrients in acidic soils, which is why deficiency symptoms quickly become noticeable in neutral to alkaline soils. However, magnolias become more tolerant of sub-optimal soil conditions with age, provided that the soil was first improved at a young age. In addition, the soil should not be too heavy - i. H. loamy - so that the roots, which grow shallow below the surface of the earth, can spread and take up nutrients without problems.
Some breeds are adapted to calcareous soils
In particular, the Kobushi magnolia (Magnolia kobus) and the large star magnolia (Magnolia loebneri) are quite insensitive to calcareous soils and can therefore be planted in such soils without concern. For this reason, the varieties mentioned are often used as a grafting base for lime-sensitive magnolias. Experience has shown that the star magnolia (Magnolia stellata) and the cucumber magnolia (Magnolia acuminata) are relatively tolerant to lime.
Prepare soil properly before planting
Whatever your soil, good pre-planting preparation will make it easier for your magnolia to take root and keep it thriving. Optimal preparation also includes thoroughly loosening the soil, clearing a large area of weeds and digging a sufficiently large planting hole. This should be about twice as wide and deep as the root ball of the magnolia. It is not necessary to put compost in the planting hole, but instead you should improve the soil with the help of commercially available rhododendron or bog soil. This is already pre-fertilized, which is why further fertilization can be omitted.
tips and tricks
Protect the roots of the newly planted magnolia from cold and dehydration by covering the tree pit (i.e. the root area) with a thick layer of bark mulch and/or brushwood.