Is Holly Tone good for magnolia trees?

Magnolia trees are gorgeous large and full trees that love acidic soil. Holly-tone is one of the organic fertilizers on the market that people love. You may be wondering whether Holly-tone is suitable for your magnolia tree.

Holly-Tone is an excellent fertilizer for most magnolia trees and other acid-loving trees and shrubs. The best time to use it is in the Spring and in the late Fall. Use 1 cup per foot of leaf canopy diameter. Pull back the surface mulch, sprinkle the Holly-Tone around the drip line (outside perimeter), and water thoroughly.

Keep reading below to learn about the benefits of fertilizers like Holly-Tone and whether it’s good for your magnolias.

What is Holly-Tone?

Holly-Tone is an organic fertilizer made by Espoma Organics that feeds acid-loving plants like magnolia trees, crepe myrtles, dogwoods, hydrangeas, and more. These plants prefer acidic soils, and the fertilizer helps keep the soil how they like it.

Acid-loving trees like magnolia trees will love Holly-tone and the nutrients it provides. Using this will give you healthy foliage and fragrant flowers all season long.

What kind of soil do magnolia trees like?

“The ideal soil for most magnolias is rich, porous, acidic (pH 5.5 to 6.5) and well-drained. Most tolerate moderate drought and some tolerate wet soils. Magnolias should be planted in full sun or partial shade.”

Clemson Cooperative Extension, Magnolia

The best fertilizers for a magnolia tree

To achieve a strong tree trunk and healthy blossoms, you need the right tree fertilizer. Some of the best fertilizers include the following:

• Espoma Organic Holly-tone
• Dr. Earth Acid Lovers Organic Fertilizer
• Down to Earth All-Natural Tree & Shrub Fertilizer

Feed acid-loving plants any of the above fertilizers for great results. Magnolia plants thrive on these because of the equal ratios of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium.

Can you use Holly-Tone on trees?

You can use Holly-Tone to fertilize many types of trees. Here are some trees you can use Holly-tone to fertilize:

• Dogwood
• Fir
• Hemlock
• Magnolia
• Mountain Ash
• Oak
• Pine
• Spruce

Read the instructions and be sure to lay it down over the drip line and not directly near the tree’s trunk.

Feeding with Holly-Tone

Holly-tone and other organic slow-release fertilizers are a great option for feeding your magnolia trees throughout the growing season. The natural makeup of the fertilizer and the slow-release qualities make it perfect for these acid-loving plants. Use it in the spring, early summer, and toward the end of the season to ensure that your trees get nutrients when needed.

How to choose the best fertilizer for a magnolia tree

If you want a magnolia tree with solid branches full of cup-shaped blossoms, your tree needs to be well cared for and fertilized. These trees often absorb phosphorus and potassium before they absorb nitrogen; therefore, they sometimes bloom before new foliage emerges. Nitrogen is needed for healthy roots, trunks, branches, and new leaves.

The best way to provide the nutrients your tree needs is to purchase a slow-release fertilizer that will spread the nutrients over time. A more balanced fertilizer will do the job best in the absence of a garden soil test, especially with a magnolia tree.

• Nitrogen is a critical component in creating chlorophyll, which is how you get your green foliage in the spring and summer.
• Phosphorus plays a crucial role in the strength of your tree. The more phosphorous your tree gets, the stronger the roots and branches will be.
• Potassium helps circulate the water, nutrients, and carbs throughout the plant.

Fertilize a magnolia tree throughout the spring and summer to keep them nourished. Use a slow-release fertilizer with an equal balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the ingredients.

Which type of fertilizers are available?

There are several different types of fertilizer that can be used on your precious plants. Each has different qualities, and plants prefer them based on how slowly or quickly they release nutrients. Use this and other research to determine the best magnolia tree fertilizers.

• Liquid Fertilizers – These fertilizers come in liquid form or a water-soluble form. This fertilizer goes directly to the root and drenches the irrigation system quickly. Be careful with liquid fertilizers because of over-fertilization. They are more economical but aren’t necessarily better for your plants.
• Granular Fertilizers – These break down slowly with the help of soil microbes. Moisture and soil temperature also affect how quickly these nutrients are absorbed into the soil. Depending on these factors, the granules release nutrients throughout the whole growing season. These are great options for magnolia trees because of the slow-release feature.
• Fertilizer Spikes – These are very convenient to use, mainly if you have many potted trees on your property. The spikes are easy enough to press into soft soil, but the soil around Magnolia trees gets compacted quickly, so these may not be the best option if your soil is already compacted.

Bottom line: Research which fertilizers to use with which plants before placing them in your soil. Fertilize magnolia trees using an appropriate tree fertilizer and plant food. Don’t overfertilize, as “more is better” does not apply to fertilizer.

“Applying more than 40 g N/m2 (8.3 lb N/1,000 ft2) per year resulted in no increase in growth for southern magnolia over a 4-year period.”

Fertilizer rate and type impacts magnolia and oak growth in sandy landscape soil, by Edward F. Gilman, Thomas H. Yeager, and Donald Kent, Journal of Arboriculture, May 2000.

FAQs

References

• Clemson Cooperative Extension, Magnolia
• Fertilizer rate and type impacts magnolia and oak growth in sandy landscape soil, by Edward F. Gilman, Thomas H. Yeager, and Donald Kent, Journal of Arboriculture, May 2000.