Magnolia Tree HELP!

Hi,

I kind of "share" a magnolia tree with next door.

However its now started to take the shed down so we really need to prun it.

I've supplied a photo and what were hoping to do is cut the main stump and leave the smaller of the two which is growing up right.

My question is when i cut it is there anything i can do to help the tree recover?

When its in bloom its gorgeous so really want to keep what we can.



Thanks for any help

Adam

 

I think as Loofah mentions that a far easier option would be to move the shed and adjust the fence

 

Unfortunatly its a shared garden so the shed cant move.

If i cut the trunk is it likley to die?

 

Does the wind come from the left (in the picture)? If so I think it will only lean more, over time.

You can remove some "weight" on the right, but I think you will also have to winch it to the left to sort it out. (Winch = permanent rope or hawser of some sort to an anchor further to the left and which you can tighten periodically to bring the plant more upright). It will probably take a couple of years before the plant is sorted, and probably won't be popular with your neighbour in the meantime :(

I think you could probably prune it drastically and it would recover fine. But I would be inclined to do a half-this-year and half-next type deal, to give the pruned branches time to recover, and demonstrate that they are making new growth, before you attack the remainder.

 

I would cut it down completly and plant a replacement in a more central position in the garden, were it wont be interfeering with the boundary.

Cutting out half of the tree will leave a masssive wound that is unlikely to heal, and a still unnbalanced shape.

 

Spot on Paul no point in faffing.

 

It looks like it is growing from your neighbours side, in which case it`s up to him if he wants to pull it down completely or not, but I also wouldn`t cut such a huge gaping wound in it either. I know you say you can`t move the shed because it is a shared garden, but what does the person you are sharing it with think about moving the shed? In my opinion it would be criminal to pull that beauty down because of a bit of waneylap that you would need to replace anyway and a shed that`s probably knackered.


I agree with Paul and Walnut in no faffing about. It`s the shed or the tree.

 

Hi Adam,

If you remove that large leader that is leaning onto the shed the tree will die. It is never appropriate to remove more than 10-15% of the tree's leaf cover in any one growing season as it will fail. As previously stated just remove the tree, repair any damage to the fence and shed, then plant a new magnolia somewhere appropriate.

 

Well on reflection i thought it would be best to have another look at the tree before i did anything. The main leader isnt actually touching or leaning on the shed, its the angle that makes it look like it is.

So, i will get the ladders out and take a few small branches off to tidy it up and leave it as it is.

When the tree is in bloom its stunning, dont usally get tress like this in a city centre location so want to keep it.

Also the leaves in autum are great for the allotment!

Thanks for all your advice, can always count on GC