This here Jane magnolia, it’s a pretty thing, ain’t it? But it gets all scraggly if you don’t keep it in line. Gotta know how to prune a Jane magnolia right, or you’ll end up with a mess. My neighbor, she messed hers up real bad. Looks like a chicken got ahold of it now.
First off, you gotta wait til after she’s done showing off them pretty flowers. That’s the best time to get in there with your clippers. See, if you go at it too early, you’ll be cutting off all the blooms. And what’s the point of a magnolia if it ain’t got no flowers? That’s like having biscuits with no gravy! You can prune a little bit during the other times, but do the big cutting after the blooms are gone.
Now, when you go to cuttin’, don’t just go hackin’ away like a crazy person. You gotta be smart about it. Look at where the branches are goin’. You want to cut right above a bud that’s pointin’ in the direction you want the new branch to grow. That way, it’ll grow out nice and full, not all wonky.
- Wait till after she blooms.
- Cut above a bud.
- Don’t cut too much at once.
And don’t go cuttin’ too much at once. You don’t wanna shock the poor thing. Just take off a little bit at a time. Maybe a third of the branch, no more than that. If you do, it can cause a lot of new growth, and that sounds good, but you get a lot of weak branches that way. It is bad for your tree. It’s like eatin’ too much pie, ain’t good for you no matter how good it tastes. Pruning a Jane magnolia ain’t hard, but you gotta be mindful.
Another thing, keep an eye on them branches that are crossin’ each other. Those gotta go. They’ll rub against each other and make sores on the bark. And that’s just askin’ for trouble. Bugs and diseases can get in there and make your tree sick. That happened to a tree a few years back. Had to call in a tree doctor. Cost a fortune. So, cut off those branches that rub together. It is the right thing to do.
Now, about waterin’. These Jane magnolias, they like their water, but they don’t like to be swimmin’ in it. Too much water is just as bad as not enough. If the leaves start turnin’ yellow, that could mean you’re drownin’ it. Or it could mean you ain’t givin’ it enough. It’s like Goldilocks and the three bears, gotta be just right. Make sure that soil drains good. You don’t want no puddles sittin’ around the roots. Prune a Jane magnolia is important, but so is water.
Keep the bottom of the tree clean, too. Rake up them old leaves and stuff. That’s where the bad stuff likes to hide. The bugs and the fungus and all that. It’s like sweepin’ your floor, gotta keep it clean if you don’t want critters movin’ in. You need to do this every few days. You don’t want to get trouble. It will save you a lot of time later.
And one more thing, never, ever cut the top off your Jane magnolia. That’s just plain stupid. It’ll make the tree go crazy, sproutin’ out all kinds of branches from the side. It’ll look like a bush instead of a tree. A big, ugly bush. My neighbor’s sister did that to her. Looks like a mess, and it won’t be blooming right again. It is the dumbest thing to do.
Pruning a Jane magnolia is not hard, just gotta do it right. These trees are old, been around for a long time. They know how to grow. We just gotta help them along a bit. If you do it right, your Jane magnolia will be the prettiest one on the block. Everybody will be askin’ how you did it. And you can tell ’em, “Just gotta know how to talk to ’em, that’s all.” And give ’em a little wink. They’ll think you’re some kind of tree whisperer.
You can also cut off any dead branches you see. That is just common sense. If it’s brown and brittle, it ain’t comin’ back. Might as well get rid of it. If you see some branches are rotten, cut it off. Do not let it stay there. It is not good for the tree. Do not cut branches that are too thick. You need to get the right tools. If you have a big Jane magnolia, you will need a big tool. Just remember to prune a Jane magnolia right after the blooms are gone. You will be fine.
It’s like when my old man used to say about fixin’ the tractor, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But if it is broke, fix it right! Same goes for these trees. Just pay attention, do what needs doin’, and you’ll have a beautiful Jane magnolia for years to come. And that’s all there is to it, really. It’s simple when you think about it. Just like most things in life.
