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[Help] Bay tree (Laurus nobilis)



AmexRuislip

Trainee Spy 🕵️‍♂️
Feb 2, 2014
33,727
Ruislip
Got given a nice wee (1ft tall in a small pot) Bay Tree for Christmas and will plant outside in the Spring.
However a bit of horticultural advise wanted please.

i)Where best to keep indoors in the interim
ii)Do they need/like acid soil?

any advise graciously received

TNBA

TTF

This. Bay trees will grow anywhere outside, and are virtually unkillable.

A few years ago we had one - about eight feet tall - where the leaves basically appeared to die and turn to gunk (technical term). I chopped all the branches back and cut the trunk down to the stem. A year later it was back flourishing and producing healthy leaves.

This :thumbsup:

We have one on our allotment plot, it's been there for ten years.
Give it the old Chelsea chop, wont do it any harm.
 


knocky1

Well-known member
Jan 20, 2010
12,948
I am the least green fingered chap you’ll ever meet.....never repotted but I water them and did give them some plant food during the summer....but just about given up on them now !
Having said that we’ve moved to a new house with a much bigger garden, do you think it’s worth planting them in the ground now ?

Not unless you have a tortoise. I wouldn’t put one in the ground personally. They take over...

Ours is the most labour intensive bit of our garden. The ****er grows like I can't tell you. I hate it but we have to keep it because it offers summer shelter for the tortoise

Sent from my STF-L09 using Tapatalk
 


LamieRobertson

Not awoke
Feb 3, 2008
46,487
SHOREHAM BY SEA
Put it out doors. It won't like it in doors. They are as tough as old boots.
Soil can be any type. Why wait to plant it in the spring unless it's really wet and cold where you are?
Water once a week from April to September, then forget about it.
Once it gets going, it will grow like wild-fire.
When you plant it, allow it enough room to breath when matured.

You need look no further than this post....oh and mine :whistle:

Be prepared for lots of children later on in its life
 


Cheshire Cat

The most curious thing..
I used to have three bay trees/bushes in large pots outside. They were virtually indestructible except when the temperature dropped to minus 20c for a week a few years ago and the roots froze, which ultimately killed them. Until then they had withstood everything.
 


PILTDOWN MAN

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Sep 15, 2004
18,607
Hurst Green




Albion Prem

Active member
Nov 23, 2018
285
Lindfield
Not unless you have a tortoise. I wouldn’t put one in the ground personally. They take over...

We have had two during the past ten years,started in large pots then after 4/5 years transferred to the garden in the spring they are now about 8/9 feet tall ,need prunning twice a year to
stop them getting too high.
 


Tony Towner's Fridge

Well-known member
Aug 22, 2003
5,384
GLASGOW,SCOTLAND,UK
I used to have three bay trees/bushes in large pots outside. They were virtually indestructible except when the temperature dropped to minus 20c for a week a few years ago and the roots froze, which ultimately killed them. Until then they had withstood everything.

We had the Beast from the East last March and I dutifully protected the base of my potted large fig tree. My olive tree was 5 ft tall and left , due to my ignorance, to it's own fate.
Cue , full recovery from the fig and a complete leaf shed from the olive. The olive looked absolutely knackered in April and I was about to throw it away when my youngest lad spotted a wee shoot. It has now formed a superb bush form and is four foot tall and looking in very rude health.
Shows that you should never throw living things away.

TNBA

TTF
 


GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,473
Gloucester
1). Stick it in the garden.
2). Make sure you've got a good hedge trimmer, in good working order - you'll need it.
3). Try and find a local greengrocer who will take bulk supplies of fresh bay leaves, because you'll have more than you'll ever need ......................
 






Jack Straw

I look nothing like him!
Jul 7, 2003
6,847
Brighton. NOT KEMPTOWN!
We had the Beast from the East last March and I dutifully protected the base of my potted large fig tree. My olive tree was 5 ft tall and left , due to my ignorance, to it's own fate.
Cue , full recovery from the fig and a complete leaf shed from the olive. The olive looked absolutely knackered in April and I was about to throw it away when my youngest lad spotted a wee shoot. It has now formed a superb bush form and is four foot tall and looking in very rude health.
Shows that you should never throw living things away.

TNBA

TTF

Fig trees are an enigma. Although associated with Arabian countries, they do very well in inhospitable places here, especially in that difficult-to-grow-anything situation, right on the seafront. There's a huge one opposite the Banjo Groyne by Concorde 2 that gets blown to death by salt winds constantly, but it grows and grows.
 


Tony Towner's Fridge

Well-known member
Aug 22, 2003
5,384
GLASGOW,SCOTLAND,UK
Fig trees are an enigma. Although associated with Arabian countries, they do very well in inhospitable places here, especially in that difficult-to-grow-anything situation, right on the seafront. There's a huge one opposite the Banjo Groyne by Concorde 2 that gets blown to death by salt winds constantly, but it grows and grows.

Well Jack, although I live on the West Coast of Scotland it is surprising , even not in direct contact with the Gulf Stream, how we can grow sub-tropical and some tropical vegetation. The fig tree started life on my South facing conservatory and has thrived since being outside. With severe pruning comes good growth and some figs, although I seem to always get to them after the birdies.
I have an orange and a lemon bush in the conservatory and have tried to grow three avocados over the last 12 months, all top no avail.

Any suggestions for a challenge for 2019?

cheers

TNBA

TTF
 




D

Deleted member 2719

Guest
Well Jack, although I live on the West Coast of Scotland it is surprising , even not in direct contact with the Gulf Stream, how we can grow sub-tropical and some tropical vegetation. The fig tree started life on my South facing conservatory and has thrived since being outside. With severe pruning comes good growth and some figs, although I seem to always get to them after the birdies.
I have an orange and a lemon bush in the conservatory and have tried to grow three avocados over the last 12 months, all top no avail.

Any suggestions for a challenge for 2019?

cheers

TNBA

TTF

Listen to Jack on this one he knows what he is doing and by the way he has a very impressive beanstalk.
 


osgood

Well-known member
Apr 17, 2011
1,508
brighton
one can also make bay leaf tea ,
add dozen or so leaves to pan of cold water , and bring to boil ,
very refreshing !
im sure its not everybodys cup of tea ,
 


ferring seagull

Well-known member
Dec 30, 2010
4,606
Got one outdoors planted in chalk soil. Needs pruning twice a year, they can grown really big. Next door has one that’s totally out of control, ours is pegged to about eight foot tall. If anyone needs bay leaves they are very welcome!

Do you, or does anyone else know if all varieties of Bay are suitable for culinary use ?
 








Jack Straw

I look nothing like him!
Jul 7, 2003
6,847
Brighton. NOT KEMPTOWN!











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