where are you

whats your native soil

what has a soil test indicated regarding the pH of your soil ...

do you have a link supporting that Mags need acid... i have NEVER given mine such ...

you plant is in SEVERE TRANSPLANT SHOCK ... do nothing other than provide proper water ...

see link and lets discuss how you planted it.. and how you have watered since ...

i can not see any scale in your pix... maybe others will

ken

https://sites.google.com/site/tnarboretum/Home/planting-a-tree-or-shrub

BTW.. its not hungry.. no fert ... and did you add any in the hole at planting???

ken

Your tree does not look all that bad for a first-year planting making it through its first summer. I transplanted my magnolia this year and the leaves turned all sorts of ugly colors, but it bounced back. Magnolias are pretty vigorous. I'd just make sure it sees a good dose of water a couple times per week (rain or hose) while the weather is still hot. Bugs are eating everything this time of year. You do not have significant bug damage IMO - most of my established trees have more leaf-nibbles than your magnolia. I would not bother with oil or pesticides.

Hi guys,
Thanks for answering me.
I planted without amending the soil. I know my soil is alkaline, but never bought a test to know how much, I just ran a really home made test kit with baking soda and vinegar to see if it was alkaline or acid. I did dug a hole as big as I could to plant my tree and mulched 3 inches with space for water to flow to the root ball.
I leave in Chicago, and it is raining like crazy this year, so i watered my plant just once.
I am very happy to know that you guys did not see any scale in the pictures. I was ready to run to the store.

My soil is in general very fertile with lots of worms and nice drained black dirt. However, where I planted my magnolia I noticed that the soil was more yellowish rather then black, but still had a lot of worms around.

Here says that Magnolias have preference for acid soil.
http://homeguides.sfgate.com/care-jane-magnolia-tree-40093.html

The white spots are lenticels, and are perfectly normal.

Magnolias don't need acid soils in order to thrive....just good drainage. And I think that your tree looks fine for something that has been planted so recently.

Hopefully, the tree has been planted properly and given time, will do just fine.

Doesn't look like Magnolia scale (which will kill it if untreated). They look like lenticels. Botany - lenticels

I'd hardly say that Magnolia is having "severe transplant shock" IMO, haha.