This year is the first time I’ve forced any branches for a spring feel. I cut forsythia and pussywillows for an arrangement in February (the willow rooted in the Oasis!). In March, I gathered pruned branches after a session working on my orchard trees, so had apple and cherry blooming for display at our club meeting. Then, this April we had our upper driveway asphalted. We have a 50 year old pink magnolia soulangea (Tulip Magnolia) that is planted close to the top of our driveway, but is large enough to be in danger of hanging branches being smacked by large vehicles. When the tar truck lifted, it broke a large branch from the tree just beginning to open into glorious spring bloom. Before the branch was taken to the landfill, I cut several branches to put in vases indoors.
Advice is to split the bottom couple inches of branches (not to macerate or pound) to allow them to take up water. (Most of these, I just pruned off with a straight cut.)
Three containers of magnolia blooms.
