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Original poster

DH refuses to admit our bay tree is dead. Please see pic. I'm right aren't I?

42 replies

TheBayTreeMurder · 13/04/2023 23:17

We've had it about 6 years and it's done really well until about 2 years ago.

The leaves were deep glossy green but now they're pale, with chunks out of them (think we got a pest - I did try and spray and treat!) - it's also quite sparse and some leaves are brown

Husband won't accept it's dead, says it's fine.

I think it's dead and we should Chuck it

Who's right?

DH refuses to admit our bay tree is dead. Please see pic. I'm right aren't I?
DH refuses to admit our bay tree is dead. Please see pic. I'm right aren't I?
OP posts:
Stickmansmum · 13/04/2023 23:19

I actually might be with your DH. Scrape your nail on one of the branches and see if it’s black and dead under the bark.

Stickmansmum · 13/04/2023 23:19

I think it’s fine, just not happy in the pot.

ReadersD1gest · 13/04/2023 23:20

It's not dead.

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Original poster
TheBayTreeMurder · 13/04/2023 23:20

I'll try the scraping tomorrow!

But why are the leaves that colour? They were a deep green. And there's chunks out of every leaf - and sadly I don't think cute leaf cutter ants are the culprit

OP posts:
Original poster
TheBayTreeMurder · 13/04/2023 23:21

It was repotted about 4 years ago and is in a very large pot - you maybe can't see how big it is in the pic

OP posts:
APurpleSquirrel · 13/04/2023 23:21

Well, it doesn't look dead to me - it's not very happy, but not dead.
Try repotting it? Or planting it in the garden?
We have a bay tree planted in the garden & it is on triffid proportions, DH has had to lop off a good foot from the top; we also so have a standard bay tree in a pot & it's never done very well despite repotting, moving it round the garden etc.

ladybee2 · 13/04/2023 23:21

Feed it with maxicrop seaweed extract once a week.
Should be fine in a few weeks

Original poster
TheBayTreeMurder · 13/04/2023 23:22

What should I re-pot it into? The pot it's in is literally huge

Maybe it needs to somehow go in the garden then

OP posts:
Original poster
TheBayTreeMurder · 13/04/2023 23:22

@ladybee2 I'll give that a go thank you

OP posts:
Fizzadora · 13/04/2023 23:22

I wouldn't give up on it yet but you've got a massive dandelion in the pot competing for nutrients and the only way you are likely to get rid of it is to shake or wash all the compost off the roots, remove the dandelion then report the bay tree in fresh compost (preferably mixed with some topsoil and a bit of grit for drainage).

Original poster
TheBayTreeMurder · 13/04/2023 23:23

Ah yes. There is a dandelion there - that's a relatively new addition I hasten to add but I know it's not great

OP posts:
APurpleSquirrel · 13/04/2023 23:23

I can see the holes you mention, are they new? We have leaf cutter bees which are active in the summer, so the holes could be visible for a while after.
Or more likely is you have a pest problem - a caterpillar of some kind.

MeinKraft · 13/04/2023 23:25

It's not dead, but it's not fine either. Have you checked for scale?

anunlikelyseahorse · 13/04/2023 23:30

It needs a really good feed, it's leaves have gone yellow because of nutrient deficiency. Bays are pretty tough so if you want to keep it in it's pot, give it a light but regular prune through out May. Give it a good fortnightly feed through spring and summer, if keeping in the pot. Otherwise give the ball root a good soak and feed and plant out. It's not dead, just not very happy.

anunlikelyseahorse · 13/04/2023 23:31

Throughout and root-ball. Man I'm tired!

Kitkatandcoffee · 13/04/2023 23:46

anunlikelyseahorse · 13/04/2023 23:30

It needs a really good feed, it's leaves have gone yellow because of nutrient deficiency. Bays are pretty tough so if you want to keep it in it's pot, give it a light but regular prune through out May. Give it a good fortnightly feed through spring and summer, if keeping in the pot. Otherwise give the ball root a good soak and feed and plant out. It's not dead, just not very happy.

This is exactly what I was thinking. Needs looked after.

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 14/04/2023 00:02

By bay tree standards that pot is not massive, but it’s OK. Dont put it in the ground unless you want the whole of your garden dominated by a massive vigorous dark green tree - they are very enthusiastic growers, you see them well over the roof in sheltered london gardens.

Repot it with fresh compost (something soil based, look for John Innes) and give the poor thing a feed every so often. You will have to trim it to keep it small.

FictionalCharacter · 14/04/2023 00:07

Not dead! Give it some tlc. Top dress with fresh compost and feed. Some of the leaves on mine look like that - seems to happen when there’s been a lot of cold and windy weather, but it always looks better in spring.

GrannyAchingsShepherdsHut · 14/04/2023 00:13

I think it might be vine weevils, that's what it looks like has munched the leaves, and they have larvae that attack the roots I think.

Ilovetocrochet · 14/04/2023 00:13

If you think that is dead, you should see my cordylines which are totally dead after the cold winter! My gardener ( first year I have employed one but my mobility problems now prevent me doing much outside) had just chopped off the leaves and left the stumps in the pots! They look silly but I’ve been told they might regrow so I’ve given them a good talking to, warning them they have 12 months grace before I replace them! For this summer, I’m going to underplant with bedding plants.

gkd1234 · 14/04/2023 00:15

Do you water it?

LemonSwan · 14/04/2023 00:52

It’s not dead. But not happy either.

echt · 14/04/2023 01:15

Take it out of the pot. Cut back the roots so you can re-pot in something smaller. Make it very good quality compost with rock minerals added. Give it a good trim at the same time. Bays don't need big pots and, as has been said, don't plant the bugger in the ground.

dubyalass · 14/04/2023 07:22

You'd look like that after four years in a pot with no change of compost and no feed!

I used to work in horticulture and people would ask why their pot plants looked like shit. I'd ask them how often they fed/watered them or changed the compost and they'd look either blank or guilty. Plants can't survive on sunshine and rainwater alone in a pot, they need food as well. Nutrients in compost last four to six weeks. So yeah, take it out, get rid of as much compost as possible, add fresh (maybe with some slow-release feed mixed in) and repot.

Full disclosure: I am terrible at repotting or feeding my own pot plants as often as I should. Do as I say, not as I do 😁