How to Prune a Sweetbay Magnolia
There are many different types of pruning -- some methods promote the health of the tree while others promote shape and aesthetic details of the tree. Because the sweetbay magnolia is a summer-flowering tree, you should prune in the winter or very early spring for best flowering results. Magnolias also have tender bark, so you need to be careful not to damage the tree and you should shape only when the tree is young. Shaping a sweetbay may be necessary if the normally pyramidal-growing tree decides to branch out horizontally in youth. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Prune the branches of your sweetbay in late winter or early spring with a pair of hand shears for branches up to 1/4 inch in diameter or loppers for branches bigger than 1/4 inch but smaller than 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Sweetbay magnolias and other summer-flowering trees develop new buds during the spring just before blooming season; pruning later in spring could result in a loss of flowers.
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Thin the tree back to a main trunk, if necessary, by using the right size pruning tools for the branches. Cut the branch or branches approximately 1/2 inch from the trunk of the tree, leaving a very small nub known as the collar. Cutting too close to the trunk and not leaving the correct-sized nub will allow infection to enter the trunk and rest of your sweetbay. You only need to thin if your sweetbay is shrubbing out and you prefer a single trunk.
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Head back your sweetbay if its size is getting out of control or too thick. To head back your tree, cut the branches or twigs back to a desirable height, always leaving a small amount of branch above a bud or flower.
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Take care when using sharp pruning tools on your magnolia -- any small accidental cuts could turn into serious scars.
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References
Resources
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