The seeds have to be collected the right way, which is to collect them when they turn red just before they fall from the tree. Now you need to replicate what the seeds normally go through in nature. Since you have collected the seeds before they were fully ripe, keep them in a dry and warm place for two days.

Remove the outer layer of the seeds and soak them in water for three days. Alternately, you could rub them on a rough surface such as a screen or squeeze them firmly making sure that you do not crush them. Remove the oily film covering the seeds by washing them in soapy water and rinse them properly. Having removed both the coat and the oily film you now have to ensure that the seeds remain moist at all times.

Magnolia requires two to four months of cold period at 30-40 degrees Fahrenheit to get out of dormancy. You have two options now. Yu may chose to either plant them outdoors in fall or store them and let winter pass and germinate them in spring. Here is what you need to do if you choose to plant them in spring.

Rinse the seeds in a solution of one part chlorine bleach and nine parts water. Pack the seeds in moist sphagnum moss and store in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed plastic bag. You will have to check the bag regularly to ensure that the moss is evenly moist and not waterlogged.

In late winter before the advent of spring sow the seeds in half-inch deep soilless potting mix and cover with plastic or glass so that the moisture is retained within. Check for evidence of mold or fungus developing and replace the cover if you see it. It will be few weeks before the seeds germinate but if may take several months in some cases.