How to keep a bay tree alive?

[SuperCoop3r]

Any tips please? I live in a town house so no garden as such - merely decking. In a fit of madness, I've spent a lot of money on a bay tree. I have never ever had any plant before in my life - a bunch of flowers once a week in a vase has been my limit to date

So, how do I look after it please? I also bought some of those little bush things.. err buxus? Something like that

Do I feed them with stuff or just tip water on these living things each day? Thanks in advance

I have a bay tree in the open ground not a pot, if you have room I would plant it rather than keep it in a pot.
I personally have never been able to keep a tree in a pot healthy although many do.

I never water my bay but I think a potted one will need regular watering for sure.
I never feed it either.

One thing I would say is mine was originally planted in full sun in sandy well draining soil and did terribly, then winter hit it and it did even worse.

I then moved it near my pond, clumpy clay soil, not well draining at all and lightly shaded and it loves it there and is gloriously healthy.

We have a bay tree in a pot. I water it every few days. Don’t do anything else. It has survived a few years so far!

Can't plant it unfortunately as living in a town house means we have no grass at all. That'll change when we eventually sell this place and move as we are buying house with a garden which will help! So for now he has to stay in his pot!

The ticket round the pot said to water daily? No idea if this is the best thing to do

And what is 'well draining soil?' A pot with holes in the bottom?

I can’t help too much as I have sadly either killed or nearly killed every tree in a pot I’ve ever had!
I suspect it’s largely because I forget to water them, pots dry out quicker than open ground.

Well draining soil is a loose, crumbly, sometimes sandy soil that water drains through quickly.

That's very helpful @Doggydoggydoggy - I'm such a plant novice I fully expect a casualty on my hands at some point

Ours is pretty hardy, to be honest I’ve never even thought about looking after it! I just water it when I remember (it’s on my front door step so I just water it when I notice it’s starting to look a bit droopy). I wouldn’t worry too much!

Poster said no garden ! 🙄

I've had a bay tree in a large pot for about 10 years. It lives at end of garden under some trees and I totally neglect it. I did water it last summer when it was super hot. It's thriving.
On the other hand I've had an Acer in a pot for less than a year and it's dead already

I never think to look after ours, as such.

They are in pots either side of he front door. I might slosh in some water in the summer if I think of it as the front of our house is west facing.

We have a twisted bay in the back which is planted in the ground. This one gets zero attention.

They all seem to do just fine.

Well this all sounds very positive

I've had a bay for many years (although it succumbed to the heat while I was on holiday last year & I had to replace it - I lost most of my herbs TBH). I don't put it in a massive pot, about 10 inches across is fine. I water it with liquid tomato feed every few weeks from late spring to late summer.

You need a huuuge pot for it. 60cm cube at least.

Ours isn’t in a huge pot and is surviving just fine!

I have a bay tree in a pot that sits by my front door. Never do anything to it. Only water it when it's really hot. Seems to be indestructible!

Maybe sunonthepatio is thinking about catering more to its natural, adult unpruned size which is absolutely enormous?

I think a larger pot also will hold water better which is no bad thing.

We’ve never kept a bay tree over winter; think we get too severe frost here up north.