Hello - can anyone advise on what is the best thing to do with a bay tree about five foot high that is really quite a mess now. It had bay sucker for quite a while, then I finally realised what the problem was and sprayed with insecticide, but by that point it had lost about a third of its leaves. Then I stopped watering it for quite a while, and about another third of the leaves have either gone completely brown or dropped off.
Do you think the leaves will grow back if I repot it and start taking better care of it, or will those stalks always be bare? In which case I am probably better off shelling out on a new one.
Many thanks for any advice.
Clare
bay tree leaf loss
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
I'm no great expert but it seems that the bay tree is fundamentally unhappy with its environment, could be over-or under- watering, wrong compost, wrong size container. Until you get that sorted out there is no point in buying another one only to see that go the same way.
I can instance 2 situations. First I bought a bay tree in a pot as a small plant, except I was canny enough to find a pot in the GC (Highfield, Whitminster) that had about 10 cuttings all rooted but so crowded that they didn't stand a chance. Now after 2 winters we have got 5 survivors, one of which is now in a large pot with drainage holes, gritty compost and covered with new shoots and is now giving us suckers which can eventually be detatched and grown independently. We have been through an invasion of scale insects, removed by hand, a lot of forgetfulness in regards to judicious watering, some just didn't like winter.
On another tack, our lemon tree was plonked into a pot of multi-purpose compost and left on a capillary matting which never dried out. I did research on the web and found my mistakes, it doesn't like plastic pots as there is insufficient air to the roots, it has to be left mostly dry , not over-potted and a gritty compost, acidic if anything so we have sorted all those points out and now hope that it will recover.
I therefore suggest to do research on the web, find out in the 8,000,000000 or so pages someone who has studied bay trees that can give you the essence of success with their growth. I can only say what worked for us.
Allan
I can instance 2 situations. First I bought a bay tree in a pot as a small plant, except I was canny enough to find a pot in the GC (Highfield, Whitminster) that had about 10 cuttings all rooted but so crowded that they didn't stand a chance. Now after 2 winters we have got 5 survivors, one of which is now in a large pot with drainage holes, gritty compost and covered with new shoots and is now giving us suckers which can eventually be detatched and grown independently. We have been through an invasion of scale insects, removed by hand, a lot of forgetfulness in regards to judicious watering, some just didn't like winter.
On another tack, our lemon tree was plonked into a pot of multi-purpose compost and left on a capillary matting which never dried out. I did research on the web and found my mistakes, it doesn't like plastic pots as there is insufficient air to the roots, it has to be left mostly dry , not over-potted and a gritty compost, acidic if anything so we have sorted all those points out and now hope that it will recover.
I therefore suggest to do research on the web, find out in the 8,000,000000 or so pages someone who has studied bay trees that can give you the essence of success with their growth. I can only say what worked for us.
Allan
I have done lots of websearch, it turned out not an easy subject, partly due to too many people exploiting the name "bay tree" for business purposes. I have found more from my library.
On the whole bay trees should be relatively easy subjects as long as they are treated as not entirely hardy i.e. a sheltered, sunny position and if in a container it is best that they be indoors during the winter but with as much light as possible. The contained soil should be on the rich side (see Mabey herbal), I would prefer a reasonable amount of added grit or a JI compost, and feed is useful in Spring/Summer. Pests and diseases are scale insects, remove by hand, a spot of methylated spirit is sometimes used, pesticide could be used but persistence will do instead, Sooty mould will wash off with gentle rubbing.
If the tree is in a really bad state cut most of it off, there should be plenty of regrowth and some of these shoots will make cuttings, not easy and a moist propogator is essential. You might get suckers, any with a bit of root attached will probably grow on.
I have found a reward in all this inasmuch as it led me to the reference chart in Mabey's New Herbal which is in itself a mine of detailed facts about all imaginable herbs.
Good luck
Allan
On the whole bay trees should be relatively easy subjects as long as they are treated as not entirely hardy i.e. a sheltered, sunny position and if in a container it is best that they be indoors during the winter but with as much light as possible. The contained soil should be on the rich side (see Mabey herbal), I would prefer a reasonable amount of added grit or a JI compost, and feed is useful in Spring/Summer. Pests and diseases are scale insects, remove by hand, a spot of methylated spirit is sometimes used, pesticide could be used but persistence will do instead, Sooty mould will wash off with gentle rubbing.
If the tree is in a really bad state cut most of it off, there should be plenty of regrowth and some of these shoots will make cuttings, not easy and a moist propogator is essential. You might get suckers, any with a bit of root attached will probably grow on.
I have found a reward in all this inasmuch as it led me to the reference chart in Mabey's New Herbal which is in itself a mine of detailed facts about all imaginable herbs.
Good luck
Allan
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Geoff
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We were given one that had been sadly neglected in a pot in an office foyer. Planted it outside and gave it a bit of tlc and now we have to give chunks away so we can get down the path past it. So I would say it will recover.
Yes, given the right conditions they are usually very vigorous which is why the information was hard to find. I remember in my schooldays an enormous bay outside in the shelter of the building. I didn't know exactly what a bay tree was then.
Allan
Allan