My poorly bay tree- help.

[cabbageroses]

It's about 20 years old- pyramid- and in a pot on a warm south facing patio.

Last 4-6 weeks the leaves are brown and shrivelled and falling. It's not the bugs which makes the leaves curl or go holey- it's looking all dry despite lots of water.

Any hope and what's wrong?

it survived the snow so why this now?

Ah, another one to add to the bay death list. Have a read through here

My beautiful bay tree died over the winter. I was very sad because it was given to me by a much loved relative before she died. I don't know anyone whose bay trees have survived this year.

Bits of mine went like this. I have chopped them off and am hoping it will recover. Seems to be a lot of it about and seems to have been caused by the long winter.

hm- interesting.

Looks like it might be dead. shame as it's about five feet high.

ah, shame..
mine was looking very dead, so I've pruned it hard, really hard and an hoping for a recovery.
Got to be worth a go imo

Mine too. .

I agree, cut back hard and repot in new compost.

They are tough as old boots but in pots they will suffer as the roots can't get deep enough so they can freeze.

Gardeners World just said 'hang in there' re bay trees- it's been the cold, apparently, and they should recover!

ah just chopped mine down!

Gardeners World just said to wait and wait for new growth to pop up underneath and then to cut back all the dead leaves once new ones were growing.

Mine's looking very dead too, have had to buy a new one because I use so many bay leaves for cooking but I am going to keep the old one a bit longer and see if it recovers, I have cut it back hard. I don't think it's the bay sucker thing, the leaves just look as though they all got frost bitten, I had it covered in fleece all winter though so a bit disappointing

I thought mine was dead; pruned it back hard (this is a potted tree, maybe 10 years old?), soused it with water & fertiliser - lo and behold there are new shoots coming up from the base! So hold on a bit longer if you can, I truely thought mine had passed on and was facing its' final journey to the compost heap.

if I prune it there will be nothing left- every leaf i s looking brown or spotty. I am going to keep watering with crossed fingers.

You don't prune until you see some new growth and then prune back the dead stuff.

Hark at me I only watched Gardeners World one time and now I am pretending I am the expert!

we've pruned ours to the trunk apart from 2 branches, the least ill looking.
It's now sprouting again and when it gets some growth on, I'll prune back the last 2 branches.