[Keith g]

Hi all, I have recently purchased a beautiful flowering Magnolia Loebneri 'Leonard Messil' Have any of you got one of these magnolia's?

I have done quite a bot of reading regarding the care of this, my soils is heavy clay, although I do admit that I have to test it for ph.

I have my ericacious compost ready to go and I was wondering if there are any tips I could use before/after planting? I've heard about a tip of using used tea leaves to acidify the soil, any idea's?

I may plant it during the week, although I am afraid of late frosts.

It is currently about 6 foot high and flowering well now.

Thanks,

K.

[Greengage]

Buy a large bag of compost cut it in half bury the bag after making drainage holes and plant into the bag it will happily grow away for a number of years.

[Keith g]

Ah! a really good tip. I did'nt think of that. I assume that the compost will be ericacious compost?

And plenty of holes too for drainage, i'll see to that, thanks Greengage!

I think i'll leave it for a few weeks until the threat of frosts have gone, altough it is tempting to do it now, I have everything ready

Keith.

[Greengage]

yes ericaceous compost. I would do it now, the plant looks well established in the pot, check that its not root bound i.e the roots tightly bound in the pot and if they are going around they will keep going around even when in the ground and it will never eatablish properly eventually falling over, so cut the roots with a sharp knife.
Remove the plant from the pot and slash the roots in three different locations around the root ball this will stimulate fuberous roots which will grow out into the surrounding soil.

[Keith g]

Hi Greengage, yes thanks for your advice, I would say too the the roots are probably compcted somewhat, I'll do that

Let's hope for a decent summer for it to become established well

Thanks again,

Keith.