I'vbe bought a bay tree from the garden centre that needs a bit of TLC. Help me nurse it back to health please.....

[NomDePlume]

Went to the garden centre this morning and spotted a rather sad looking bay tree in the 'bargain' section, so I bought it (only went in for some bulbs ). It was half price and I've been looking for a bay to put by my front door but was put off by the sky high prices.

The tree is far from dead and is about 5ft tall (getting it in my car was fun). It just looks a little bit sad, the leaves are a bit yellowed (not all of them) and the odd one has been munched by something or other. It looks like it can be nursed back to health, but I'm not sure what to do to give it the best start I can. It is currently in a teeny pot (3l @ a guess) so I deffo want to re-pot it. What should I use to repot it ? Normal garden compost mixed with something ? Would it benefit from a feed with something like fish, blood and bone ?

TIA

I ahve a bay tree that started life as a twig 11 yrs ago - it's now 8 ft tall and has been pruned.
All we did was stick it in the ground.

So IMHO repot it and feed it as you suggested

oooh, thanks iota. Bath screens and bay trees, it's a thrilling life we lead, isn't it ?!

Should I just use normal potting compost then ?

have a google NDP \link{http://gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_september_3_bay.aspsome info here}

I think they are easy to grow from what I've read/done

damn those underscores

have a google NDP some info here

I think they are easy to grow from what I've read/done

oh mea culpa

no link wont work due to underscores

Was going to say that the page is taking an age to open on my pc.

"Prune to shape each spring - a pair of secateurs is all that is required. During the first two years, the leaves should be harvested in moderate amounts only for use as a herb in stews and other meat dishes. Aside from applying a long-lasting fertiliser to the surrounding soil for the first two years, and watering when conditions are dry, your Bay laurel tree will be happy to look after itself.

If any weeding is required around Bay laurel, do this by hand. This is because bay has a very shallow root system which can easily be damaged by digging too near the stem."

work damn you

and it does

Well I planted it up with a mix of ordinary garden compost and well rotted horse manure, watered it in well and it seems to be ok this morning. I was advised to fish, blood and bone next spring, by the person at the nursery.

beware of th bone meal etc....you'll get all sorts of wildlife shitting in/on/around it!
I learnt this from our old garden!!

rofl thanks for that Monty (Don)

possibly the one and only gardening tip I'm ever likely to give

Gardens are for sitting in....not working in and that should be the law!!

bloody hell....no it's not....I posted in Gardening the other day too.

Putting banana skins on your tomato vines help ripen them as per the LTH school of gardening.

God...maybe you should start calling me Monty