Welcome!
This is generally an active forum although in winter it is like all others as we get busy with the holidays and indoor stuff.

Might want to check the pH of your water source too. My well is higher pH than rain water so I add well water to the rain barrels.
Check the local library and the used book stores where you'll probably find some great books specific to gardening
in this zone.
Pop in and give us updates of what works and what doesn't for you. Glad to have another enthusiast here!

Don't forget to put your non-gardening questions or stories
in the 'Conversations' section of the Carolina forum. If we
don't use it we'll lose it I'm afraid.

There's a really good used book store west of you on 74 in Stallings (Union Cty) opposite side of the road.
Anson and Union are big farming and poultry counties and you've settled about midway between the mountains and the beaches. What part of the NE did you leave to join the rest of us New England transplants?

I moved this chat to the Conversations section like suggested. Thanks. I'm sorry for my newness. I will get the hang of it.

I'm sorry..I didn't mean this topic. Just reminders that we have the Conversations forum for questions and topics that new residents might ask unrelated to gardening.
Very few forums have the Conversations/Exchanges extensions to their main forum. They are very helpful.

My experience with magnolia trees is once they are settled they really need no particular care except raking the leaves that fall. Do some research on-line to learn how close you can plant to its dripline and if it's not advised to be limbed up from the bottom. Seems I recall reading it should be left
to grow naturally unless it develops a double leader.

How big is the pecan tree? Do you see any old shells under it to indicate it is of producing age?

actually that bookstore is in Monroe on 74, check my answer to your post in the conversations forum.