Brown bay tree

[monkeysmama]

The leaves on my small bay tree (about 3 ft) have gone almost entirely orangey-brown. They haven't fallen off (only a handful have) and it's still really bushy but it looks dead. It is potted in my front garden.

I have had a look on line and there are different suggestions - mainly that wind / cold and lack of water will have caused it. I saw a suggestion that feeding it with water and plant food could help but am not sure if I should do this now in the cold weather or not? I am in London if that makes any difference (am thinking weather wise)

Any advice?

Thanks very much in advance

Sounds like the frost has got it to me. Mine did that the year before last year and then snuffed it :(
Last year we put the (new) bay in the porch overwinter (with the tree fern) and it survived. They're maditeranean plants so don't take frost very well.

I saw about helping plants survive frost and it sais don't water them. They survive better as the roots don't freeze then.

Not an expert but have you checked there are no spots on the leaves from insect poo or fungal infection either.

How long has it been in the pot? Is it possible that it is pot-bound? You could try moving it to a larger pot with fresh compost.

It does sound near death. It could either be completely dried out, or it could have been waterlogged. Either way hard to remedy at this time of year when its going to be dormant and you don't want a pot full of wet compost to freeze solid. Can you bring it in to somewhere with a bit of shelter like a porch? Then assess dryness/ water logging and fix that, consider repotting. I'd also consider chopping it right back in the spring.

Or just chuck it and buy another. Or something else.

Mine died last winter
Usually it gets some frost damage and recovers, but two very cold years in a row = RIP (rest in pot)

Thanks for the replies. It doesn't sound good.