Bay laurel driving me crazy

Bay laurel driving me crazy (post #12807)

Biscuit on Mon, 03/31/2008 - 13:29

Herbs

This is my second Bay laurel and I am doing something wrong, but I just can't think of what. Hopefully someone here is smarter than I am!

Okay - problem. Get Bay Laurel, which I love because I love fresh bay for cooking. So this plant is a useful plant, not just ornamental. Get it, keep it in a pot so I can keep it inside in the winter, but I usually take it outside in the summer. Plant is fine first year. Puts on growth, leaves, etc. I cut leaves occasionally for cooking, make sure it has adequate water (medium amount, not dry, not wet), occasionally a weak fertilizer.

Then, after about 2 years, the new leaves it puts on are smaller than before. And each year the leaves are smaller and smaller. Some parts of the plant actually die, from about midway up a stem to the tip. It gets less and less leaf growth, and the leaves that are there begin to brown and curl.

Now - I realize it's dying, but I can't figure out WHY. They aren't pot-bound, they get water and weak fertilizer occasionally, plenty of sun, and this process willl take awhile - 5 years for my first one, the second one is in it's 3rd year and the signs are unmistakably there that it's happening again.

Any thoughts or advice? These plants are not cheap, and in theory, I should be able to keep a bay laurel for life with proper care - I THOUGHT.

Statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities, and will diligently study them, and refuse to examine any refutations of them; and thus he will by and by convince himself that the war is just, and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process of grotesque self-deception.
- Mark Twain

"When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty." - George Bernard Shaw

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by photoperson in reply to Biscuit [original] on Mon, 03/31/2008 - 19:23

I have a huge Bay Laurel that I have had for years..also outside in the summer, inside in the winter. I really don't use much fertilizer, just granular fertilizer on the soil surface in the spring. It does well, (except for an insect problem in the winter) but I always cut it back drastically when I put it outside in the spring.

Also, in the past, I put it in successively larger pots in the spring and it now is very large and produces tons of new leaves in the spring/summer. It is about seven years old. I water it along with my flowerbeds once or twice a week.

Try cutting it back and go easy on the fertilizer.

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by Biscuit in reply to Anonymous [original] on Mon, 03/31/2008 - 20:17

Hmmm - worth a try! Thanks. I've always used a weak, organic (seaweed) based fertilizer "tea" on it (and all of my potted plants).

I will cut it back drastically and see what happens. Can't hurt. At the rate it's goiing I will have to replace it soon anyway!

Thanks for the advice.

"When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty." - George Bernard Shaw

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by ouzo in reply to Biscuit [original] on Wed, 04/02/2008 - 19:17

My bay leaf tree did not grow much when it was in a pot. Almost no growth in three years, holding steady at about 2' tall. When I moved it into the ground, to look at the rootball, it did not appear to be root bound. However, it has taken off in its new location and after 4 years it has quadrupled in size You might try a larger pot. It can't hurt.

Sorry that they aren't winter hardy in your area.

"The best tricks are the simplest and the simplest tricks are the oldest" -Simon the owl

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted - Aesop, The Lion & the mouse

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by DaylilyDreamer in reply to Biscuit [original] on Thu, 04/03/2008 - 16:40

Hi, new to the forum;

I totally agree with repotting that Bay Laurel. Even though you fertilize the soil's nutrients usually breaks down over the course of time. It needs to be refreshed or totally replaced and sometimes that means repotting every year. If your plant is very large and is difficult to move around, you can remove the first 4 to 6 inches of the original soil and then top up with fresh. I have over 50 potted house plant and believe me it makes a huge difference.

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by Biscuit in reply to Anonymous [original] on Fri, 04/04/2008 - 13:39

Hi! Thanks for the advice. I'll try repotting and see if I can get it to grow again.

"When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty." - George Bernard Shaw

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by bwf17 in reply to Anonymous [original] on Mon, 09/22/2008 - 17:41

I just arrived at this forum and was reading this old posting.

I have a bay laurel plant that was 6 ft tall. I know it had to be marked wrong at the garden store because it was only 19.99 and all of them were the same price....

It thrived the first summer and then I moved it to my greenhouse for the winter, but the top portion and many of the tips dried out. I was told to cut it back, which I did, but it just existed this summer. It got a few new small leaves, but that is all. I was hoping it would regain its stature.

I did fertilize it, but did not repot it. After reading this post, I repotted it today and moved it to the greenhouse untill next spring.

Am I reading correctly to remove the Top 5-6 inches of soil rather than the lower 5-6 inches of soil? I have never done this when repotting, but I did today.

Any other recommendations for caring for it during the winter in the greenhouse?

Many thanks to you all,

Mary

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by DaylilyDreamer in reply to Anonymous [original] on Mon, 09/22/2008 - 23:06

Hi Mary;

Yes, remove the top 5 to 6 inches of old soil and replace with new. Overwinter in the greenhouse or any cool place that is open to direct sunlight. Water moderately during this dormant period and do not use any form of fertilizer until Spring when new growth starts appearing.

Good Luck!

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by bwf17 in reply to Anonymous [original] on Mon, 09/22/2008 - 23:14

Thansk so much, unfortunately I added a bit of slow release all purpose fertilizer, but I will have to live with it.....thanks again.

Mary

Bay laurel driving me crazy