What would YOU do?

14 years ago

Okay..I have a HUGE problem.

When I moved into this house 15 years ago, there was a stick of a magnolia tree in my back yard. For YEARS this thing just didn't do anything. It took it 10 years to bloom and I only got 3 blooms that year.

Now, it's about 25' tall and will have hundreds of blooms this year...great! right?

Not so much.

It's starting to cast shade on my garden beds, which are about 20' away to the west.

If I cut it down, I'll have roughly another 2000 sq ft of garden space...

The only other sunny spots in my yard are 1. in the chicken yard and 2. so close to a live oak that I'd have to cut IT down within 5 years.

I don't NEED a magnolia tree but I sure am having a tough time deciding whether or not I should...

Keeping it will cost me my garden in full in 2 years. Pruning is an option, but I'd have to top it...hmmm.

Suggestions anyone? (I've thinned it out already as I have pineapples growing around the base and I get fruit from them every season)

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Comments (6)

amberroses
14 years ago
My suggestion is to make your decision in the middle of June. You will have a better understanding of your yard situation at that time.
akaj9
14 years ago
Thats good advice....I would also consider swapping the chicken yard and garden beds...The chickens would love that shade in the heat of our summers...and lets face it...the Chicken yard is already fertilized :) Win-Win...lots of work....but could be very rewarding...sitting in the shade watching the chickens..
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zzackey
14 years ago
I would ask a landscaper or tree nursery if they would buy it from you. Dig it up themselves with a machine designed for doing that. Your last idea sounds good too. We have two Rhode Island reds that are fun to watch.
crueltyfre
14 years ago
I find shade more than welcome most of the year here. And I've adapted to shade gardening, takes a bit more looking to find shade plants, but well worth it in August when the humidity is 100%
Lori
Tom
14 years ago
The tree is going to get much bigger. If you are bothered now five years from now it will be worse and ten years from now...

I love magnolias, I have three, but they are not the normal great southern magnolias that get to be over a hundred feet tall and just about as wide. I have a sweet bay and two Little Gems. I have them in places that are kind of out of the way.

If it were me, I'd probably cut it down and enjoy the gardening.
sharbear50
14 years ago
I was thinking the same thing as akaj9. Swapping the chicken yard for the garden. If it is too much work, yes waiting until mid-June is a really good idea.