Growing magnolia "Susan"

Magnolia "Susan" attracts gardeners with the delicate beauty of its inflorescences and a pleasant scent. However, an ornamental tree requires specific care, and therefore not everyone can breed it.

Hybrid magnolia "Susan" ("Susan") is a deciduous tree, the height of which reaches from 2.5 to 6.5 m. This variety was obtained through the hybridization of magnolia star and lily magnolia. The lifespan of a culture sometimes reaches 50 years, but only when kept in favorable conditions. The pyramidal crown becomes slightly rounded over time. It is formed by thick leafy plates of a juicy green color with a glossy sheen.

The flowering of the hybrid magnolia starts in April-May, and can continue until the end of the first summer month. Their appearance slightly resembles the inflorescences of large glasses looking up. The diameter of one flower with six petals can be 15 cm. The light pink buds have a bright and very pleasant aroma.

Planting the Susan hybrid magnolia is best done in mid-autumn. This is explained by the fact that the tree goes into hibernation somewhere in October, and therefore it is much easier to endure all traumatic procedures. In principle, the culture can be planted in the spring, but you should be prepared for the fact that sudden frosts will destroy the plant. A planted or transplanted tree is always tightly covered, since low temperatures are destructive for it. The soil where the magnolia will be located should be enriched with peat, chernozem and compost. The culture does not like limestone or sandy areas.

It is better to organize the bed in a fairly lit place, which is protected from strong gusts of wind. Too moist soil, as well as too dry, is not suitable for "Susan". Before planting, the ground is moderately watered. The surface is dug up and enriched with wood ash. After that, a hole is formed, the depth of which reaches 70 cm.

The seedling is carefully lowered into the hole and covered with earth. The soil around the trunk is compacted, after which the planting is watered abundantly with warm water. At the end, mulching takes place with peat.

The cultivation of a capricious culture has its own specifics. For example, it is imperative that the acidity of the soil remains either high or medium, otherwise the crop will get sick. Besides, high nitrogen content of the soil leads to the fact that the frost resistance of "Susan" decreases.

Weekly irrigation should be plentiful, as the high concentration of nutrients in the soil contributes to the drying and yellowing of the leaf blades. Moreover, Drying out of the soil is often the main cause of spider mites. The first three years after planting a sapling, magnolia is watered so often that the soil remains constantly moist, but not wet.Waterlogging will very quickly destroy a young tree. When Susan is older, she can be watered four times a month, that is, weekly.

The water should be warm, which can be achieved simply by keeping it in the sun. The older the magnolia, the more it requires moisture, but it should be irrigated only when the ground is dry. In order for the liquid to be better absorbed, the soil should be loosened before watering. It is better to do this superficially, since the root system of the culture is not too deep.

There is no point in forming the "Susan" crown - she herself is developing very harmoniously. Hygienic pruning is carried out in the fall, when the tree has already bloomed and began to prepare for hibernation. Sharp disinfected tools should be used that will not leave creases or harm the bark of the tree. The resulting wounds are treated with garden varnish.

If fertilizers were applied before planting, then for the next two years you don't need to think about fertilizing. However, from the third year of magnolia's life, they should be carried out regularly. A universal fertilizer is a mixture of urea and nitrate, taken in a ratio of 2 to 1.5.

Susan Hybrid Magnolia can be propagated using three basic methods: seed, layering and cuttings. The seed method is suitable only for warm regions, since even with high-quality shelter, the seed will not survive the cold season. Seed propagation is quite troublesome. They will have to be planted immediately after collection, not forgetting to first pierce with a needle or rub the too hard shell with sandpaper. And also the planting material will need to be washed with soapy water from the oily layer and rinsed in clean water.

For planting, you will need ordinary wooden boxes filled with nutrient soil. Each seed will need to be deepened into the ground by about 3 centimeters. The planted seeds are harvested in a cold place, for example, in the basement, where they are left almost until March. In the spring, the boxes will need to be removed and placed on a fairly illuminated surface, ideally on a windowsill.

The material for grafting is cut at the end of June. It is important that this happens at the end of flowering. For reproduction, you will need healthy branches, on top of which there are at least three true leaves. First, the stalk is immersed in a liquid enriched with a growth stimulant, and then transplanted into a substrate composed of peat and soil. The containers are covered with special plastic caps, and then transferred to a room where the temperature is maintained from 19 to 21 degrees Celsius. After a couple of months, the roots will have to germinate, and the cuttings can be placed in the garden in a permanent habitat.

Reproduction by layering takes a lot of time. In springtime, the lower branches of the Susan magnolia will need to be bent to the ground and buried. It is important to secure the branch with high quality so that it does not straighten, but at the same time leave it intact. By the fall, the roots should already sprout from the layers, however, it is allowed to separate the seedling and transplant it to a new place only after a few years.

Of the pests, "Susan" magnolia is most often attacked by mealybugs and spider mites. Rodent damage is often found.Getting rid of insects occurs with the help of insecticides, for example, acaricides. Timely mulching will help from the effects of mice attacking the trunk and roots of the tree. If the rodent still managed to break through, then the damaged area should be treated with a solution of "Fundazol".

The Susan magnolia can be planted as a single shrub or become part of a design group in the foreground or middle ground. It is customary to combine it with crops such as thuja, linden, viburnum and juniper. The combination of magnolia and blue spruce looks extremely advantageous. The tree will look good with any colors.