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Beginners question about a tree - PLEASE HELP

schroedmschroedm Posts: 5
in Plants
Afternoon all,
mum a complete gardening beginner so am looking for some advice from the experienced green fingered of you out there!
We were kindly given a large bay tree that was dug (cut!) out of a nearby landscaping job. Do you think there is any chance of this being salvaged and recovering if we plant/pot it. If so, what would you advise? We don’t want to buy an expansive pot unless we know it’s likely to retake/recover. PLEASE can someone advise what we can/should do to make a success of this tree?!

Many thanks in advance
Mark

Posts

  • TheGreenManTheGreenMan Posts: 1,957
    I could be wrong here but I'm gonna say it's a goner!

    I'm hoping I'm wrong.

    Perhaps the suckers at the bottom might survive.....

    That picture makes me sad. 
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    @schroedm think the first thing to do is to get the roots in some water asap.I don't think there is enough root to support the top so will need some pruning. It will need some form of staking in the ground. If it were mine I would try but not sure if outcome would be positive. I would have thought a pot would be it's best chance.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Hello @schroedm and welcome to the forum  :)

    I'm sorry to say there's no chance of that tree taking root and growing.  It would need a large rootball to be able to support the top growth.  

    If I were you I'd cut off some sprigs and dry the leaves for cooking, and then get rid of the tree.  Take it to the tip.  They've given you the job of getting rid of it when they're being paid to do it.. 

    I think they've been really mean ... any landscaper worth their money would know that stands no chance.  If they'd wanted to they could have made a much better job of digging that out with a good rootball, but even then it would've needed experience and a lot of tlc to keep it alive.
    As it is they've done the dirty on you.  Sorry to have to be the one to tell you that.  :'(

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





  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    Wonder by the time you pruned the top you would have anything left. That is really sad that anyone let alone a professional could be so brutal with such an expensive plant that has taken so long to grow.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I agree, there's hardly any root left. It can't possibly support all that top growth. Give it back to them and say thanks but no thanks if they're still around.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Well it saved them the cost of disposing of it. You will end up cutting it up to get rid of instead. If you want a bay tree, go to a nursery and buy a potted one. It will be about 2ft high and have a better root ball than that one.  There is no chance that one will survive long.
  • UffUff Posts: 3,199
    Another member agrees with others, that the lovely tree will not survive. There isn't enough root to support it. The person knew what they were doing when they gave it to you. Most annoying. 
    SW SCOTLAND but born in Derbyshire
  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    I would find it difficult to chop it up hence my comments.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    What a pity. So sad.
    Not a hope of it growing.
    A tree like that would cost a fortune to buy in a garden centre.
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
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