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Is my Bay Tree dead?

sammay52091sammay52091 Posts: 2
in Plants
Hello,  How can I revive my bay tree?  There is a green branch in the middle of the dead branches/leaves so this makes me think there is hope.  The other bay is thriving.  Any advise as to how to revive my dying bay would be greatly appreciated.  The dying bay was in a pot that wasn't lifted off the ground (the live one had pot feet), I've now put pot feet under the dying pot as I thought it may be waterlogged, what else can I do?

Posts

  • coccinellacoccinella Posts: 1,428
    If you slightly scratch the brown branches and there is green then the tree is not dead.

    Luxembourg
  • coccinellacoccinella Posts: 1,428
    If green you could try watering it with a nitrogen fertiliser for green plants and wait for the leaves to come back which is going to take 4 to 6 weeks. I also think that the pot is too small. I hope it recovers, it is pretty.



    Luxembourg
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I'd just leave it for the time being and see what happens in a few weeks.
    Some branches may be dead, but others may be fine.
    Once the leaves start to come out you'll be able to see what's dead and what's still alive. Then you can cut out the dead bits.
    The scratch test may also help, but as there is one green branch that means at least part of the tree is still alive.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    But in all honesty you have lost the shape...bays may be low maintenance but they need decent soil, good drainage and protection from sever cold winds. The plant was crying for help when it had sunk in the pot and had all that moss on the top. See what happens but that's how we all learn, by small horticultural disasters. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • sammay52091sammay52091 Posts: 2
    Thank you all.  I believe it's still alive, but yes shape will have gone.  I think I'll try repotting and feeding with a nitrogen fertiliser and perhaps plant it in the ground even and replace with new.   
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    Avoid feeding it but you can definitely repot or plant out. You want the plant to slowly improve instead of just growing lots of new green growth that may be damaged by a late frost. Think of it as the sick bay, lots of key nutrition from new soil and 🤞🏻
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    Might be hard frosts. Is the main trunk undamaged? Remove any really dead branches and wait.  
    For a pot mop-head, I think the pot /plant are in proportion.  
    Feed never helped a dying plant!
     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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