Magnoliais a shrub highly valued for its beautiful flowers, appearing in spring. In some varieties of magnolia flowers appear in March, before the leaves develop. Then the magnolia is one of the first spring garden decorations. Sometimes, however, magnolia does not bloom. There may be several reasons for this problem. Seewhy magnolia doesn't bloomand what to do about it.
Why is magnolia not blooming?
Magnolia doesn't bloom because it's frozen over
First, remember that magnolias produce flower buds from late summer to early fall, and that flowers from these buds develop in the spring of the following year. The reason forlack of flowering of magnoliamay therefore be flower buds freezing in winter.
Magnolia's sensitivity to frost depends on the species and variety, so let's check the frost resistance of our magnolia.
Growing magnolias is not recommended in areas of the country exposed to severe frosts and cold winds (mainly eastern regions) . In our magnolia garden, you should also provide a warm and wind-protected position and do not fertilize with nitrogen in the fall, because the excess of this element in the soil increases the susceptibility of plants to frost.Nitrogen-rich fertilizers can be used from spring to July (including the period you can apply universal fertilizer or special fertilizers for heather plants), and from August, the so-called autumn fertilizers with a reduced nitrogen content, and rich in phosphorus and potassium.These two elements support flower bud formation and help the plant prepare for winter.
Magnolia doesn't bloom because it was sown from seeds
Magnolias bloom only after several years of cultivation. Whenmagnoliablooms for the first time depends on the species and variety, and how it reproduces. For example, the intermediate magnolia (Magnolia soulangeana), which is quite popular here, blooms in the second year of cultivation. The most common for sale are magnolias propagated by grafting, and these are the cuttings we should buy. They start flowering quite quickly, usually from the 2nd to the 4th year of cultivation.
However, if we have the plant longer, and stillmagnolia is not blooming , it is very likely that we bought the seedling received from sowing seeds. In this way, the Japanese magnolia (Magnolia kobus) is often reproduced. Magnolias propagated from seeds sometimes bloom only after 10 cultivation angle. Then we have nothing else but to be patient.
Magnolia is not blooming because you make mistakes in your cultivation
Lack of flowers may be the result of improper care of magnolia. Therefore, when growing magnolia, remember about the right, warm, sunny and sheltered position for this plant, as well as fertile, moist soil with a pH of approx. 5-6. For an abundantflower bud formation , magnolia needs proper fertilization. I have already written about the principles of fertilizing magnolia above, in the section on freezing. Let's also remember about watering. When fall is dry, new flower buds may just dry out.
The reasondoes not bloomcould be due to improper pruning. Magnolias do not tolerate pruning quite well, they often make this procedure sick, therefore they should not be cut too often or radically. Any care cuts can be made after flowering, which usually takes place in May. You can then cut off the tops of branches that have already finished flowering, behind the third leaf below the flower.The oldest, bare shoots, damaged or frozen, are also pruned. This cut will rejuvenate older shrubs. However, in young magnolia it is better not to cut it at all.
