Have I killed my bay trees?
Emily Westerman
Posts: 8
Hi, I'm in desperate need of some professional advice. I have two lollipop bay trees. In October I covered the trees in a shop bought frost cover and tied it loosely under the lollipop. They were then moved to my garage where they stayed until last month. As I removed the cover, a few crispy leaves fell to the floor and I was shocked to see that the leaves had changed colour and the whole lollipop had changed shape. I soon realised that I should have watered them and perhaps kept an eye on the throughout the winter. The leaves were a bright glossy green and the trees were very healthy before I put them away but I think they may have died from dehydration! I was once told that to give oxygen to the trees, I should trim the stems which grow from the bottom near the pot and although I dont know how much truth is in this, I have done it but doubt this is the cause. I have attached some photos of one of the trees. It has stopped shedding leaves but they are very crispy (but dont break) and far from the glowing green which they once were. The bark on the trunk looks fine and I can't see any damage. Please help, have I killed them?
Posts
Here are some more pictures.
Whereabouts do you live Emily? I'm in Norfolk and my bay tree stays outside and uncovered all winter - even in the very hard winter we had a few years ago - I just wrap the pot in bubblewrap and raise it off the ground a bit to make sure it doesn't freeze solid. However, it is in a much bigger pot than yours.
I would repot yout trees into pots at least twice the size that they're in at the moment. Use John Innes Soil based compost No 3, and add one third horticultural grit to improve drainage. Give the roots a good soaking before you repot and tease the roots out at the edges and bottom a little in case it's getting potbound.
Hopefully your bay will start to show new leaf buds and the old dead leaves will fall off - it will look very bare for a while but as long as there are buds it'll be fine.
I find that if my bay is looking a bit ropey, giving the leaves a weekly spraying with diluted seaweed fertiliser really perks it up.
This is a picture of my bay (grown from a cutting about 10 years ago) to show you the size of pot mine lives in now.
Apart from giving it plenty of root room, there's no way that'll blow over in the breeze!
Good luck
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
To check if it's still alive, make a small nick in the branches or trunk and see if it is green. If it is, it's alive. You will see if it looks dead.
They sound and look very much beyond life! However, miracles do happen!
Hi Emmily,
yes like dove from above i leave my bay out all year round and its doing fine, I have it bout 10 years and has withstood all weathers so they are a robust plant, hope it recovers, best of luck
Hi all,
Thanks very much for your help. I'm pleased to hear that they're not ready for the tip! I live in Sleaford in Lincolnshire so not too far from Norfolk. I was so worried that i'd lose them in the frost that I thought if I cover them and put them under shelter they're bound to be ok. I just can't believe I never thought to water them. Live and learn I suppose!
I'll get some new pots and some compost and I'll also look around for some seaweed fertiliser. Your tree is stunning Dovefromabove.
Thanks again all.
Emily
As with most Mediterranean plants, it's not the cold that kills them, it's the combination of cold and wet that sees them off - so put them in free draining compost, keep the pots off the ground so they drain well, and don't water them in the winter (some rain and snow is ok, but don't water them).
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I am in Lincolnshire and have a friend in Scothern who has a bay in a flower bed. It's been there over 20 years!