Transplanting a Volunteer Magnolia Grandiflora

Question: I am about to transplant my neighbor's volunteer magnolia grandiflora which is a foot away from her foundation. near some foundation planting. We are giving the tree to another neighbor.  It is May, and not planting season (!) and I would like to do it ASAP having just found it a new home. It took so long to find one-we are unfortunately now well into hot weather.
What is the best way to proceed?  How big a root ball should we create - that I can lift (!).  How big should the new tree pit be and how should it be prepared? How best to manage this move even tho it is occurring in the growing season - as opposed to fall?  The person who is receiving the tree is not an expert and I would like to help her.   What advice should I give her to help the tree survive.?  We are digging it up thi Saturday - the day after tomorrow! Help.

responder: Answered by theHome and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied May 03, 2024, 9:52 AM EDT
response: Wow, the lucky recipient should be very happy!  Now is not a bad time to try and transplant, and spring is definitely better than fall for broadleaved evergreens, including Magnolias which need to go into the winter as well-hydrated as possible. It gives it the whole growing season to try and establish more roots.  It is difficult to judge the size of your Magnolia volunteer. If the diameter of the trunk is larger than 2-3 inches you might consider having a professional help you or root-pruning and waiting to transplant in the future. If you plan to go ahead, water both the tree and the new planting area well today. Before you dig the tree, make sure that the re-planting hole is already dug at the new location- your goal is to keep it out of the ground for the least amount of time. You will want to take as large a root ball as you (and maybe some helpers) can manage- they can get very heavy very quickly).  You could try and manuever it onto a heavy tarp and drag it to your vehicle (trying not to handle it by the trunk) and get it as close to the new hole as possible before unloading. Here is our page on Planting Trees with lots of helpful information:  https://extension.umd.edu/resource/planting-tree-or-shrub/  Water the planted tree well and give it a 2-3 inch (no more than 4) layer of mulch, but keep it pulled back from the trunk. Monitoring the tree for water needs is important for the entire first 18-24 months that a new tree is in the ground. (Last season we had significant drought that killed a lot of new trees and stressed even mature ones.  Here is our watering information:  https://extension.umd.edu/resource/watering-trees-and-shrubs/ Good luck!   Christine

responder: The Question Asker Replied May 03, 2024, 10:10 AM EDT
response: Thank you Christine!!!!! Margaret

responder: Answered by theHome and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied May 03, 2024, 12:18 PM EDT
response: You're welcome. Good luck!

responder: The Question Asker Replied May 07, 2024, 6:17 PM EDT
response: What should we do about the holes in the leaves of the magnolia. I don't see the culprit...weevils? Slugs? Want to make sure tree survived shock of transplant and does not die due toPests.   Margaret

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied May 08, 2024, 9:37 AM EDT
response: Hello Margaret,  We can't tell from the photo what caused the leaf holes (both weevils and slugs are unlikely for this species), but they do not look concerning. Southern Magnolia doesn't have any serious leaf-chewing pests in our region.  Miri

responder: The Question Asker Replied May 08, 2024, 10:07 AM EDT
response: Thank you Miri.  Margaret

responder: Answered by the Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC), University of Maryland Extension. For timely gardening information and tips, subscribe to our Maryland Grows blog and quarterly newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Replied May 08, 2024, 10:10 AM EDT
response: You're welcome.