Hello. I just acquired a M. xloebneri Leonard Messel - it's about 3 feet, in a plastic container. I plant my maples in the fall, because of soil temps and root activity, but read magnolias should be planted in the spring. Can anyone confirm, and may be explain? I have a couple of M. stellata, about 3 feet, that came balled and burlapped. They were probably dug up. I intend to keep them in containers - can I pot them now, or do I need to wait until spring as well (can I keep them B&B ed over winter?) Thanks a lot for any help. Schusch
Plant both immediately. Never overwinter a hardy plant in a pot in preference to planting in the ground in fall. It will be much better off getting into the ground.
Yes - I thought fall planting was preferable, but then I read magnolias should be planted in spring. (I did read that bare rooted trees shouldn't be planted in the fall, because of desiccation issues, since there'd be no new roots until spring). I'm going to plant them now. One of the stellata came B&B and I intend to keep it in a container for some time, so I'll do that now as well. Thanks.
Spring only convention is for transplanting, not planting out from containers. The concern is that cut roots will rot over winter. However, I have transplanted a small deciduous magnolia in summer and found a vigorous growth of new roots later that season, same as with other kinds of trees and shrubs (the terminal buds were set already, when it was first dug).
I'll plant, and pot them now, respectively. As regards the possible rotting of cut roots over winter - it makes sense that spring root pruning is recommended then - but isn't fall a period of high root activity, and wouldn't that also work for cut roots - meaning wouldn't they also immediately set new roots?
