How to Prune a Magnolia

1. Branch pruning

Before planting, you need to cut off the old branches, yellow branches, and weak branches. This can reduce nutrient consumption and promote healthy growth in the future. After planting, carry out a strong pruning, leaving 5-6 main branches on each plant and 7-8 buds on each branch, which can promote branching and make the plant shape become fuller and lush. In the later growth, any yellowed, diseased or insect-infested branches should be removed as soon as they are found. Do not leave them on the branches to consume nutrients, which can also avoid infecting other healthy branches. Before winter dormancy, there is also a large-scale pruning, mainly on the branches.

2. Remove old leaves

During the seedling stage, some old leaves may appear due to metabolism during the growing season and need to be removed appropriately. This will facilitate the growth and sprouting of new branches and leaves, as well as later flowering.

3. Prune the roots

Root pruning is mainly done when transplanting seedlings, to cut off diseased roots and old roots, and to remove part of the overly densely growing roots to prevent the absorption capacity from being weakened.

4. Pruning the tree

When pruning trees, you also need to pay attention to the shape of the tree. For seedlings, the main shape is a natural straight trunk with multiple main branches. If it is a grafted sapling, the main trunk can have low branches.