Wait until next spring to even think of feeding. What exactly were you thinking of feeding them on? The one in the ground should need no more than mulching whilst the one in the pot could have some ericaceous compost forked in gently. You may find the magnolia in the pot is less happy than the one in your soil.

For the one in a pot, I would probably use a timed release product--something like Osmocote 19-6-12--in early spring, just before the buds expand. I'm with MG for the one in the ground, since Magnolias in the ground need much less food than those in pots. Note that the one in a pot will eventually need to go in the ground, or get very skillful pruning, in a massive (1 meter wide and deep) tub.

chicken poo manure is very good and a reasnable price . i actualy water my plants with pond or tank water and replace it and as fertilizer my pond pellets that are very small seam to do the trick realy well . infact my front garden looks like a jungle lol .

Sorry NP chicken pellets are the wrong sort of fertiliser for a magnolia.

ow fare enough moon grower you learn something every day x . it is good stuff thow .

Very good stuff, can't be used for everything though.

Thanks All, very helpful. Meant to say the Magnolia is a Stellata, I assumed it would be a spring feed but as the buds are actively growing now thought I'd ask the question.

The buds on our Stellata have formed already, perfectly normal they will sit through the winter and then open in spring.

Thank you Interesting MG as I have one in ground and 1 in a pot still very little new shrubs this year .

A lot of shrubs and trees form their buds in autumn, this is normal natural and nothing to worry about. Looking around our garden I can see lots of buds.