Standard Bay Tree - Pruning?

We currently have a standard bay that has recently starting to drop it's leaves and become quite bare inside the 'ball'. There is a lot of new growth but the stems are becoming quite woody and weak. Older leaves are turning yellow.

Can I cut back the new growth quite severely to keep the shape? Im slightly concerned that I may kill it if we have a heavy frost later in the year.

In addition, the same has happened to a large 'bottle brush' and oleander which are both in large containers. The new growth looks healthy, but below the stems are quite leggy and bare.

As you can probably tell, Im quite new to garderning, but would love to be able to revive these large plants that have been rather neglected in the pruning stakes. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

I dont think pruning is the answer to your problem.

check the pots. When was the last time they were repotted. Is the compost wet or dry or just right - goldilocks compost. what situation are they in. Did they suffer in the drought/ hot spell earlier in the year. If they were short of water thy could have shed leaves as a protect not to lose water and started into growth again with all the wet we've been having

Its not easy to kill bay trees.

Bottle brush can be cut back hard in the spring and it will develop new growth

 

As hasbean has mentioned the clue is in the fact that the same has happened to the other plants in pots.


The only way to check the moisture is by sticking your finger in it, If it feels like you have just wiped it with a damp cloth it is fine.

You can prune them but leave it till Spring.

 

Once you've got the watering regime sorted out, you will need to prune your bay but now is not the best time.

Here's my bay which I've grown in a pot for over 30 years



It gets a heavy top prune and a light root prune each spring and then a continuous trimming process throughout the summer.

 

Nice bay flinty. Looks good and the pruned leaves are good for the bolognese sauce!

 

I think it looks great LM... Heres a pic of mine, there's a few yellow leave's in the centre but i just pick them off.. ill give them a prune next spring..

 

Yours certainly looks as if it was in the Mediterranean area, Youngdaisydee. Lovely!!

 

Very nice bays youngdaisy,have you been looking at those snails and turning them to stone?:D

 

Thanks Strawman :thmb:

:lollol: Walnut..

 

I second that Dee, you have an eye for colour, bright red against white, devastatingly gorgeous.

The whitewashed decking is perfect-I am not a decking fan, but you have definitely done the right thing with it( to my eye anyway).

 

Thanks Lolli, What a lovely thing to say :thumb:

 

Credit where credit's due Dee. Beautiful choice.


For the yellowing leaves, it might just be Autumn causing it ( as I am more than sure you know), mine benefit from iron sulphate added periodically through the growing season-I think we both benefit from being in the north, at least as far as the green-ness(?) is concerned, maybe we are both a little pale lol.


We are more alike than I originally thought-I too have a red door, white house and two bay trees on either side.

 

Mine have just had the same as the other plants, Miracle Grow once a week, Ill try the iron sulphate tho.. Love to see a pic of yours Lolli..

 

As per my original post.......picture of problem neglected bay, which has now been repotted.

And 'leggy' growth with long bare stems (probably not bad as I previously described):-



Certainly not as lovely as flinty and younfdaisydee though !!!

 

I would Dee, my camera is broken-I haven't been able to enter any of the comps recently either ( at least that's ,y excuse lol). And wouldn't you know it's out of warranty.

Might be a birthday prezzie job.