The house I moved into this spring has a beautiful magnolia tree in
the back yard but there is essentially no grass under the tree. It
was a little sunken and I filled with top soil and reseeded with a
shade mix early in the summer. The grass came in well but then died.
We had a fairly wet summer and I didn't fertilize after the starter
fertilizer so I don't think I "burned" it. I checked the pH and it's
nearly neutral. Is there something about magnolias that would keep
the grass from growing well?

Also, there's one branch that's a bit low and I'd like to prune it.
Should I do that in the fall or the spring?

Chris Nelson wrote:
The house I moved into this spring has a beautiful magnolia tree in
the back yard but there is essentially no grass under the tree. It
was a little sunken and I filled with top soil and reseeded with a
shade mix early in the summer. The grass came in well but then died.
We had a fairly wet summer and I didn't fertilize after the starter
fertilizer so I don't think I "burned" it. I checked the pH and it's
nearly neutral. Is there something about magnolias that would keep
the grass from growing well?

Also, there's one branch that's a bit low and I'd like to prune it.
Should I do that in the fall or the spring?

Magnolia grandiflora (which is what I think of when I read the name) or one
of the other several dozen varieties?

--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com

On 9/21/2008 2:13 PM, Chris Nelson wrote:
The house I moved into this spring has a beautiful magnolia tree in
the back yard but there is essentially no grass under the tree. It
was a little sunken and I filled with top soil and reseeded with a
shade mix early in the summer. The grass came in well but then died.
We had a fairly wet summer and I didn't fertilize after the starter
fertilizer so I don't think I "burned" it. I checked the pH and it's
nearly neutral. Is there something about magnolias that would keep
the grass from growing well?

Also, there's one branch that's a bit low and I'd like to prune it.
Should I do that in the fall or the spring?

Where are you? That is, what is your climate?

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

On Sep 21, 5:56 pm, John McGaw wrote:
Chris Nelson wrote:
The house I moved into this spring has a beautiful magnolia tree in
the back yard but there is essentially no grass under the tree. It
was a little sunken and I filled with top soil and reseeded with a
shade mix early in the summer. The grass came in well but then died.
We had a fairly wet summer and I didn't fertilize after the starter
fertilizer so I don't think I "burned" it. I checked the pH and it's
nearly neutral. Is there something about magnolias that would keep
the grass from growing well?

Also, there's one branch that's a bit low and I'd like to prune it.
Should I do that in the fall or the spring?

Magnolia grandiflora (which is what I think of when I read the name) or one
of the other several dozen varieties?

Damifino. It has pink and white flowers.

On Sep 21, 8:38 pm, "David E. Ross" wrote:
On 9/21/2008 2:13 PM, Chris Nelson wrote:

The house I moved into this spring has a beautiful magnolia tree in
the back yard but there is essentially no grass under the tree. It
was a little sunken and I filled with top soil and reseeded with a
shade mix early in the summer. The grass came in well but then died.
We had a fairly wet summer and I didn't fertilize after the starter
fertilizer so I don't think I "burned" it. I checked the pH and it's
nearly neutral. Is there something about magnolias that would keep
the grass from growing well?

Also, there's one branch that's a bit low and I'd like to prune it.
Should I do that in the fall or the spring?

Where are you? That is, what is your climate?

North of Albany, N.Y.

On 9/21/2008 7:16 PM, Chris Nelson wrote:
On Sep 21, 8:38 pm, "David E. Ross" wrote:
On 9/21/2008 2:13 PM, Chris Nelson wrote:

The house I moved into this spring has a beautiful magnolia tree in
the back yard but there is essentially no grass under the tree. It
was a little sunken and I filled with top soil and reseeded with a
shade mix early in the summer. The grass came in well but then died.
We had a fairly wet summer and I didn't fertilize after the starter
fertilizer so I don't think I "burned" it. I checked the pH and it's
nearly neutral. Is there something about magnolias that would keep
the grass from growing well?
Also, there's one branch that's a bit low and I'd like to prune it.
Should I do that in the fall or the spring?
Where are you? That is, what is your climate?

North of Albany, N.Y.

If it lives okay in your area and also has pink and white flowers, it is
definitely NOT a M. gradiflora (southern magnolia). Instead, it's
possibly a M. soulangeana or M. stellata. In any case, it's most likely
a deciduous magnolia.

If it blooms in the spring, prune it right after it blooms. If it
blooms in the summer, prune it just as the leaf buds start to swell in
the early spring. Entire branches should be removed; a branch that is
merely headed will heal very slowly and might die.

Do not try to grow anything under it. Planting under it is not good for
the magnolia itself. It cannot take repeated disturbance of surface
roots (e.g., to plant annuals, divide bulbs and perennials, or aerate a
lawn) in its root zone. It also does not like foot traffic in its root
zone.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

On Sep 21, 11:22*pm, "David E. Ross" wrote:
The house I moved into this spring has a beautiful magnolia tree in
the back yard ...

Where are you? *That is, what is your climate?

North of Albany, N.Y.

If it lives okay in your area and also has pink and white flowers, it is
definitely NOT a M. gradiflora (southern magnolia). *Instead, it's
possibly a M. soulangeana or M. stellata. *In any case, it's most likely
a deciduous magnolia.

Yes, definitely deciduous.

If it blooms in the spring, prune it right after it blooms. *If it
blooms in the summer, prune it just as the leaf buds start to swell in
the early spring. *Entire branches should be removed; a branch that is
merely headed will heal very slowly and might die.

Well, where's a "branch" start/end? Can I trim it at any fork or do I
have to go back to the trunk? Should I seal the end where I prune?

Do not try to grow anything under it. *Planting under it is not good for
the magnolia itself. *It cannot take repeated disturbance of surface
roots (e.g., to plant annuals, divide bulbs and perennials, or aerate a
lawn) in its root zone. *It also does not like foot traffic in its root
zone.

Unfortunately, it's in sandy soil on a slight grade and I'm getting
erosion. I can live with it not being grass (so there isn't foot
traffic mowing and aeration, etc.) but I need something there to hold
the soil. A low-lying ground cover is fine. Any recommendations?

On 9/22/2008 7:04 AM, Chris Nelson wrote [in part]:
On Sep 21, 11:22 pm, I also wrote [also in part]

If it blooms in the spring, prune it right after it blooms. If it
blooms in the summer, prune it just as the leaf buds start to swell in
the early spring. Entire branches should be removed; a branch that is
merely headed will heal very slowly and might die.

Well, where's a "branch" start/end? Can I trim it at any fork or do I
have to go back to the trunk? Should I seal the end where I prune?

Trim to a fork. I use white glue (Elmer's, Willhold, GluBird, etc) to
seal any pruning cuts larger than the diameter of a pencil. Do NOT use
a tar-based pruning paint, which can cause further damage.

Do not try to grow anything under it. Planting under it is not good for
the magnolia itself. It cannot take repeated disturbance of surface
roots (e.g., to plant annuals, divide bulbs and perennials, or aerate a
lawn) in its root zone. It also does not like foot traffic in its root
zone.

Unfortunately, it's in sandy soil on a slight grade and I'm getting
erosion. I can live with it not being grass (so there isn't foot
traffic mowing and aeration, etc.) but I need something there to hold
the soil. A low-lying ground cover is fine. Any recommendations?

A low-maintenance perennial or woody ground cover should be okay. It
will also discourage foot traffic. My Sunset "Western Garden Book"
specifically says not to plant a lawn in the root zone but that
magnolias do well in shrub beds.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening pages at http://www.rossde.com/garden/

On Sun, 21 Sep 2008 14:13:38 -0700 (PDT), Chris Nelson
wrote:

The house I moved into this spring has a beautiful magnolia tree in
the back yard but there is essentially no grass under the tree. It
was a little sunken and I filled with top soil and reseeded with a
shade mix early in the summer. The grass came in well but then died.
We had a fairly wet summer and I didn't fertilize after the starter
fertilizer so I don't think I "burned" it. I checked the pH and it's
nearly neutral. Is there something about magnolias that would keep
the grass from growing well?

Also, there's one branch that's a bit low and I'd like to prune it.
Should I do that in the fall or the spring?


Magnolia trees produce dense shade. Grass needs sun, the more the
better. If you must, prune it after it blooms.

"Chris Nelson" wrote in message
...
The house I moved into this spring has a beautiful magnolia tree in
the back yard but there is essentially no grass under the tree. It
was a little sunken and I filled with top soil and reseeded with a
shade mix early in the summer. The grass came in well but then died.
We had a fairly wet summer and I didn't fertilize after the starter
fertilizer so I don't think I "burned" it. I checked the pH and it's
nearly neutral. Is there something about magnolias that would keep
the grass from growing well?

Also, there's one branch that's a bit low and I'd like to prune it.
Should I do that in the fall or the spring?

Pruning
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/tree_pruning

Troubles in the Rhizosphere
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT2003/shigo/RHIZO.html

Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Consulting Tree Biologist
www.treedictionary.com
and
http://home.ccil.org/~treeman
Watch out for so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology.
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, tornado's, volcanic eruptions and other
abiotic forces keep reminding humans that they are not the boss.

A low-maintenance perennial woody or ground cover should be no problem. It will also hinder the flow. My sunset "West Park book " clearly did not want the grass root zone of plants do a good job, but Magnolia shrub beds.