Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

I think I killed it!

len-tikularlen-tikular Posts: 10
in Problem solving
I think the frost got to my beautiful Bay Tree and it looks pretty much dead!  All the leaves turned brown and crispy and dropped of. Will it ever recover.

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited May 2021
    Hi @len-tikular and welcome to the forum :)

    Unless you live somewhere with very low temperatures I doubt if frost has killed it.  Mine lives outside here in the East of England, exposed to the Beast from the East and all the other cold spells we've had for the past 17 years ... I wrap the pot to protect it when extreme low temps are forecast, but not the tree.   It does sulk if the roots get too dry tho' ... although bay trees need really good drainage, they do need regular watering ... mine gets a couple of gallons of water at least twice a week between March and the end of September ... more in warmer spells ... sometimes every day.  

    I must say those branches look dead to me ... have you tried scraping a little of the bark of the trunk with your thumbnail ... if it's green underneath it's alive ... although possibly only just. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • len-tikularlen-tikular Posts: 10
    Thanks for the reply, It's looking pretty terminal from what I see. I'm in the Scots Border Village of Denholm and we did have some pretty severe frosts. I'm gutted because last year it had such a beautiful bonnet of lovely shiny leaves.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Oh dear ... that does look a bit sad.   :'(  I think it's an ex bay tree .... sorry to give you such sad news on your first visit to the forum.  I hope it's not the last time you visit us ... 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    You didn't kill it. The frost did. Although, you may have been an accessory😉
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • didywdidyw Posts: 3,573
     :'(@len-tikular  
    Gardening in East Suffolk on dry sandy soil.
  • len-tikularlen-tikular Posts: 10
    Many thanks. Oh well I must try harder next time. Now I'm still assuming frost because my large Camelia did not flower this year. Again, frost damage is what I put it down to. I do think it will recover though. I promise to take more care this year. I moved to the Borders 5 years ago and never gardened in my life. But to the Villages surprise I took a IInd prize for my longest Carrot and a IInd for my Kelsae onions so something must be working.
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    Did you make a load of coleslaw?
    In London. Keen but lazy.
Sign In or Register to comment.