How do I fix black/brown leaves of my magnolia plants?

[Pradeepk]

Am seeing that my magnolia plants are having brown/black leaves as seen in the image below. I got these magnolia plants only in the month of August and replanted them sometime in late September. They were fine when they were in the pots.

Please suggest some ideas to fix these plants.

[brendawebster44]

Hello, now I’m just a novice so please check my facts with Eric. It looks like rust to me in which place you will need a good anti fungicide as in copper sulfate. It’s a virus but before you go to WHO please check with Eric cos that’s who I stole it from. OR you could just be watering it too much.OR not enough causing stress on the plant. I know my plants are funny like that. I try to place them were they are happy. The other thing I do is when potting up is put broken stones at the bottom of the pot to help with drainage. How is your drainage? I just enlarged my photo and it does and doesn’t look like rust, I did say ask the experts.However too much water or not enough and a sunny position and drainage is all a factor for doing the right thing by your plants b🌺

[EricL]

Hello @Pradeepk

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. Thank you so much for joining us and sharing your question about how to fix the brown leaves of your Magnolia.

It's great that you've received some good advice from @brendawebster44. But before we go further with our diagnosis can you please tell me more about how often you water the plant? When you transplanted it into the garden did you use Scotts Osmocote 25L Garden Soil Premium Planting Mix? Are there other plants in the vicinity of your Magnolia that are in good health? Is it in full sun or in part shade? Any other details of your watering routine would be much appreciated. 

Once we have more information, we'll be able to better diagnose your plant.

Eric

[Pradeepk]

Thanks @brendawebster44 for sharing your thoughts and also directing me to Eric. Appreciate it!!

[Pradeepk]

Hi @EricL 

Thank you for responding to my post.

Yes, had used Osmocote 25L Garder Soil premium planting mix and blended cow manure . Have been watering almost weekly unless it has rained.

It gets full sun. 

There are two magnolia plants next to each other separated by a meter and both of them are impacted. Other plants in that section of the garden are roses. They seem to be doing completely fine.

Roses in the garden are well established, they have been for a couple of years.

[EricL]

Hello @Pradeepk

Thank you so much for posting the extra information about your Magnolias. If the other Magnolias are showing the same symptoms, it could possibly be a fungal infection. Your first photo did show some brown spots on the leaves and the third photo was showing that the leaves were turning brown. I suggest using Yates 200ml Liquid Copper Fungicide and cutting off the infected leaves. Please make sure to put them straight into the bin.

Let me tag our experienced members @BradN and @Noelle for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Pradeepk]

Thank you @EricL for suggesting the Fungicide. 

Have removed all those leaves which were infected. Just to be more sure about the cause, I have taken the photos and added them to this post. Let me know if you want me to try some other fungicides. 

Appreciate all your help with this.

[Noelle]

Hi @Pradeepk 

The dark discolouration in the third of your original images (dark colour between leaf veins) looks more like a nutrient deficiency of some sort to me.  I see you've used a commercial garden soil and manure but sometimes you need to use a complete fertiliser as well to provide those minor and trace elements that may be lacking.  I'd suggest either Osmocote Rose, Gardenia & Azalea Controlled Release Fertiliser OR Osmcocote Plus Organics Rose, Gardenia & Azalea Plant Food & Soil Improver to provide those nutrients missing from your current regime.

The damaged leaves may be as a result of disease or water stress - too much or too little.  Magnolias enjoy a cool, humus-rich soil that retains moisture without being water-logged.  A mulch over the roots will assist too. They are surface rooting plants that dislike hot, dry soil conditions, coming as they do from the cool mountainous regions of Asia in the main.

[brendawebster44]

Hi there,Pradeep,thankyou for your message. If you stay in our group you will learn soo much about everything from painting to how to trim a bonsai. Good luck brenda🌺

[Pradeepk]

Hi @Noelle 

Thanks for your suggestions. Will surely give it a try.

As you suggested, it might be due to a lack of water as well. 

Have learned a lot from these replies. Thanks again!! Appreciate your suggestions.