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Newly planted Saucer Magnolias, too much water or too hot. HELP

12 years ago

My husband and I live in Crowley Texas where lately we have had temps in the 100's and no rain with the heat index way up. We recently (about 8 weeks ago) planted two young Saucer Magnolias. After we planted them they did really well for about the first 3 weeks. Now most the leaves are brown and falling off and we have been watering them about every 2-3 days (soaking them). Is this too much. We did fertilize them but not at the roots just at the drip line. They are about 2' to 3' high and were about 1 1/2" wide. PLEASE HELP. I have always wanted Magnolias and these are my Mother's day gift.

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Comments (4)

Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
12 years ago
We recently (about 8 weeks ago) planted two young Saucer Magnolias.

Whoops. Hopefully they'll make it. Impossible to tell with info provided if too much water, check the soil moisture to find out.

Dan
brandon7 TN_zone7
12 years ago
Stick a finger down 2" to 3" into the ground to test for moisture levels. Be sure to check around and inside the rootball. See section 12 in the link below for more info.

Keep this in mind next time you go to plant a tree and try to pick a better time! Of course, if you didn't know what you were getting for mother's day, I guess you didn't really have much to do with the timing this time.

Here is a link that might be useful: Planting a Tree or Shrub
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IpmMan
12 years ago
The watering schedule sounds fine and Brandon7 is right about time. I am suspicious of the fertilizer. Never fertilize newly planted trees or shrubs for at least one full growing season. Sure the sales people will all tell you to fertilize when you plant but they are selling the stuff, and absolutely 100% wrong, wrong, wrong and should be ashamed of themselves.
Embothrium
12 years ago
Yes, they might have gotten dried out or they might have been burned by the fertilizer - if too much fertilizer was used, or something else about the application was not right. In addition to being burned directly by mineral salts in the fertilizer recently planted stock that has been given too much fertilizer can also burn during hot weather due to the high amount of fertilizer causing it to produce excessively lush and soft foliage that the plant's roots cannot keep adequately hydrated during high temperatures. In arid or semiarid areas non-adapted kinds of plants can also be damaged by mineral salts in irrigation water.

>wrong, wrong, wrongAnd much nursery stock purchased from retailers after it has been in their possession for awhile is nutrient deficient at time of purchase by the consumer.

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