I’ve noticed that my bay tree has a lot of brown patchy leaves, we’ve had a cold winter and snow (which I covered the plant for. Is this wind / cold damage or something else?
This has come up before about bay trees. Ours in the SW doesn't show this but the cold and heavy frosts that happened for many days in many areas has had an effect on growth. However bays are great at getting back into growth.
Thanks for the reply. I’ve recently moved house so this was its first more northerly winter (from being in the south east), which probably explains why I’ve never seen it before!
A lot of posters mention snow. The weight of snow can damage plants, but snow also protects from frost. Many alpine plants in the mountains survive because of snow.
Bay leaf damage is only temporarily disfiguring. Look for damage to the main stem; that can be serious.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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A lot of posters mention snow. The weight of snow can damage plants, but snow also protects from frost. Many alpine plants in the mountains survive because of snow.
Bay leaf damage is only temporarily disfiguring. Look for damage to the main stem; that can be serious.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."