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How to care for my sick Magnolia Teddy Bear?

I purchased a Magnolia Teddy Bear a few months back from bunnings, the plant has been showing signs of some disease, almost all the leaves are turning brown and the plant doesn't look good anymore.

I have tried fertilisers etc and I have been watering it regularly since I bought it. Are you able to advise what I need to do to fix these issues?

Community manager's note: Check out How to diagnose a sick plant for expert advice.

Please see the photo below:

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Comments

MitchellMc

To provide helpful advice on your plant @AJ-DIYer, our knowledgeable members will need details surrounding its care. Please let us know what signs of disease you've seen, what fertilisers you've been using and the amounts applied, and how often and for how long you've been watering. Also, is it still planted in the pot you purchased it in? I see it's sitting in a larger ornamental pot, but there's a possibility it's rootbound if still in the small black plastic pot, it came in. If you can see fine roots on the surface of the soil, this indicates it's rootbound and needs a larger pot.

Based purely on the photo you provided, your plant could be suffering from leaf scorch or leaf burn, which can be caused by factors such as high temperature or strong direct sunlight and exacerbated by underwatering. Check the soil moisture level by sticking your finger into the soil about 50mm deep. If the soil feels dry, give the plant a thorough watering. If the soil feels moist, hold off watering for a few days.

Magnolias prefer partial shade to full sun. If the plant is in a spot that receives too much direct sunlight, it may be suffering from leaf burn. Move the plant to a spot with more in-direct sunlight. You have the plant in a dark pot, backed by dark screening on a dark deck. I'd imagine this corner gets exceptionally hot on warm days and could contribute to the plant's heat stress. I do not doubt it would need several waterings a week to survive under such conditions. It's incredibly hard to control moisture levels in small pots; it's always a good idea to remove plants from the small pots they are sold in and upsize as soon as possible. If the larger pot has drainage holes, I'd recommend you plant directly into it.

Excessive fertilization can also cause leaf scorch. Ensure you are not over-fertilizing the plant, and follow the instructions on the fertilizer package carefully.

I look forward to hearing those details on the plant's care, and please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

AJ-DIYer

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/26404#Comment_26404

Thanks @MitchellMc

Please see below my answers:

I moved the plant into a larger pot when I bought it. So it's not in the small plastic container anymore. The diameter of the current pot size is 50cm, the height is 40cm.

- I sprinked over some fertiliser around Sep last year. The fertiliser comes in small container and in a form of colourful little balls that Bunnings sells.

- I water about twice a week

I might have to move the pot as you suggested because it gets 4 to 5 hours of sun on clear sunny days.

I saw some root sticking out on the surface and I added additional soil to cover and fill in the pot.

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/75867#Comment_75867

I feel the plant would be easier to manage if it was in a larger pot @AJ-DIYer. It's great that you've already re-potted it, but it's still too small if it's the pot in the picture inside the larger aesthetic pot. I'd encourage you to plant it in the larger aesthetic pot. It will give the roots room to move, moisture levels will be easier to control, and the plant will be happier overall.

Twice a week sounds right for watering under normal conditions, but if it's hot, you might need to water daily. I recommend you water when the soil is dry instead of just twice a week.

With a larger pot, careful moisture monitoring and an adjustment to the position, I believe you'll see an improvement in this plant.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

AJ-DIYer

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/101763#Comment_101763

Thanks, will the plant eventually fix itself?

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/117843#Comment_117843

That's the hope @AJ-DIYer. The fully or mostly browned leaves can be trimmed off the plant. You might want to leave the partially browned leaves so as not to remove too much of the overall foliage. With time and corrections to the conditions, you should see new growth and the plant return to good health.

Mitchell

bazz

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/26404#Comment_26404

Hi Mitchell

I purchased 6 Magnolia Teddy Bears a few months ago which I planted in our raised garden bed. Five of them are doing well however one of them is not growing like the others and seems a little stunted in growth. It is also not as lush as the others and has yellowing leaves. I am a little concerned can you please advise on a possible cause of problem.

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/78623#Comment_78623

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @bazz. It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about magnolia care.

Check out these helpful guides: Growing, pruning and caring for Magnolias and How to diagnose a sick plant.

With all things being equal, we could presume that this might just be a plant that's struggled to establish roots as fast as the others. Sometimes, it just might take some time to catch up. I would be a little suspicious that drainage in that end might be slightly different to the rest of the bed. After watering, does that end stay damp for significantly longer than the rest of the bed? Or, does it dry out quicker?

I'm not seeing any obvious signs of disease, so it's likely a moisture issue or potentially an under- or over-fertilisation issue for that specific plant. Did you install irrigation that doesn't quite extend to the end of the bed, or perhaps you missed fertilising this plant?

Little me mention a couple of our gardening experts @mich1972 and @Noelle to see if they have any thoughts.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

bazz

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/103522#Comment_103522

Thanks Mitchell. I haven’t installed an irrigation system yet but I will check the moisture in that corner to see if there is an issue. Also, I have not yet applied any fertilizer. What would you recommend and how often?

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/118811#Comment_118811

Hi @bazz,

Scotts Osmocote 1kg Roses, Gardenias, Azaleas Fertiliser, would be the appropriate fertiliser for magnolias.

Keep us updated on those moisture levels; I'd just be interested to know whether that end would stay more moist or dry out quicker than the rest of the bed for some unusual reason.

Mitchell

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