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bay tree

pipSxnckVsFpipSxnckVsF Posts: 1
in Problem solving
my well established bay tree, could be as old as 45 years, growing in the ground has been going brown since mid-winter - after the heavy frost in December. It started at the top and I cut some of the branches off but more and more of the leaves are going brown gradually getting lower and lower. Now in April there is still no sign of new buds - is the tree dying?

Posts

  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited April 2023
    Where are you?

    There are signs of buds in my undamaged mophead bay trees (ca 40 years in pots).  I have pruned back the tree damaged at the top under a fleece,  but it is not yet showing any signs of buds. But green bark and a few leaves so I am confident of a full recovery.
     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."
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    Where I am in Cambridge we have had similar problems. But even if the entire top growth does die, they usually regrow from suckers from the base. I’d suggest waiting for a few months to see how far back you might need to cut to remove dead growth, and waiting for basal growth. It will take a while to reach a good size.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Mine did that last year,  we didn’t cut it down, impossible to reach  the top anyway,  dropped most of its leaves,  all came back though,  as it’s been very cold this year they are a slow in getting growing,  give it a bit longer but I think if it isn’t showing leaf buds by the end of this months,  it’s probably dead. 
    But,  like mine,  it’s stood there for 40 years,  it must have met colder,  longer winters before and bounced back, so give it time. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited April 2023
    Cambridgerose12 said:
    waiting for basal growth. It will take a while to reach a good size.

     If it was a trained tree, then good shape is more relevant.  That might take a long time.

     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."
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited April 2023
    Lyn said:
      it’s stood there for 40 years,  it must have met colder,  longer winters before . 

     It is not just the lowest temperature or the longest time, but the number of freeze-thaw cycles, and the timing and the state of sap-flow at the time.  Wind speed is also relevant.

     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."
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    edited April 2023
    Don't do any more pruning now.  Wait till the last frosts are over in May and then see if there are any new buds you can prune back to.

    I suspect the heat and droughts last smmer streed it and then the freeze-thaw pattern of this winter has added to its distress.   Leave it be for now while you wait and see if the die-back is terminal or recoverable as the upper stems, even dead, will protect new buds from further frost damage.

    If it does recover, make sure it doesn't go thirsty in hot and/or dry spells this comng summer.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    edited April 2023
    If you are at all COD, I would ignore Obelix's advice and do a good tidy-up prune.  End of May, in my part of Surrey, is a long time to be looking at an ugly plant.  Bays can shrug off the odd late frost, so no problems. 
     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."
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    It's mid May for the last frost in much of the UK and that's only 4 weeks.   

    Gardeners need to learn patience or to grow plants that are less susceptible to adverse weather, given the vagaries of recent droughts and odd winters caused by climate change.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
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