Magnolia challenge

Some say magnolia and dogwood are unsuitable for bonsai. I disagree. Therefore I challenged myself to see if I could successfully develop both. I trunk chopped a dogwood at the wrong time early this spring and lost it. I will try dogwood again in time.

But, I've had this Magnolia for about a year now. Got it from home depot specifically because it looked so weak, thin and sickly at the time. I tell you I was determined! Well, it sort of sat there last summer in the garden, 5ft tall in a 5 gallon plastic pot, getting sunburned, abused by birds and basically going nowhere.

It's shown good vigor this year as I have been really pushing organic fertilizer. While doing this, I also made major branch cuts systematically over several weeks to reduce the stress of the process and keep things moving.

So today was the final big branch cut, followed by a quick and very wet repot while disturbing the roots as little as possible. The roots were reduced by about 1/3 and as such I will keep the tree in shade and pretty much sopping wet for at least a week or two watching intently for any signs of trouble.

Also note I was VERY pleasantly surprised to see gorgeous, balanced radiating roots all around an elegant flare at the base (which had been under the soil line thus far). So this one will have an absolutely excellent base of exposed roots.

Topside, I'll "leave it go" for the remainder of the summer, hoping the final round of budding may produce a new branch or two just above the graft line, one of which would become the new leader. Regardless, I will leave the current top so I can enjoy flowers again next spring, then start basic branch development.

There is also the potential to air layer the current apex to make a shohin tree after new branches develop closer to the graft scar. Pulling that off over the next year or 2 would be a great victory for me, as I have always loved Magnolia.

I thumb my nose at the old ghosts who tell us this or that tree is "unsuitable" for bonsai. If you love it, grow it and enjoy it! Can't wait to add a pic of this tree in bloom next spring...