Grow Your Own Magazine

Hi,
i wonder if you could help me, i have a bay tree which i've had for about 4 years, with the weather being so bad the leaves have gone brown and withered.
if cut it right back do you think it will re-grow again?

thanks.

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Linda B xxx

Hi LindaB - yes, it sounds like it has got frost damage. The tree can be hard pruned in spring anyway, and the advice is to remove frost damaged leaves so I think you will be fine.

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Binley knows Best
"Fan Of DarkCrow's Manipulation Of Words Society"
Courtier to the Queen of Baking

brilliant,

thank you for your help, i was worried it could be a gonner. i'll prun it right back.

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Linda B xxx

But don't blame me if it dies off, Linda!

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Binley knows Best
"Fan Of DarkCrow's Manipulation Of Words Society"
Courtier to the Queen of Baking

Lol....

i wont, i did think about pruning it but wasnt too sure if it was 'ment' to be pruned.

we shall but see

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Linda B xxx

In my experience established bays are bomb proof. In exposed positions the leaves can go brown but I've found you can cut them right back to the ground and they will re-sprout. I took a chainsaw to the one in my garden last autumn cutting it as close to the ground as possible and despite the cold winter it now boasts a number of foot long shoots.

I've just bought a small bay pot which needs a bit of tlc. Hoping that I can get it going, seems to have a couple of good buds on it.

Thanks for you help.

i will cut it right back and see what happens

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Linda B xxx

I've always been brutal with my bay tree and it's still going strong - but a chain saw is something else!

Hi all thanks for the advice.
I too have the same problem with one of my bay trees. I moved to Dumfries and it is much more exposed here. Will prune today.
Mizjazzi.

I have aquired 2 bay tree's on 2nd lottie now I know what to do to them as they look a tad sad.

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Gardening ..... begins with daybreak
and ends with backache

I'm off to prune mine now, glad it can be pruned and am looking forward to seeing more sprouting in the spring/summer then.

Presume best covered in frost then, along with the acers?

We never cover our bay tree in frost or anything else - I really hope I'm not speaking too soon, but it's been fine for about six years now. It seems to thrive on not being fussed over. I 'naturally' prune it almost every day as I use the leaves in cooking all the time. Seems to agree with it.

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I don't roll on Shabbos