Help me to save this bayleaf tree

[Iwouldrathernot]

I would be very grateful for any advice on how to save this bayleaf tree! For the past couple of months it's been dropping leaves and they have been yellowing, with some also getting darker spots on them.

It has been in the garden in the same spot for a couple of years now and we haven't moved it to a different position, so I don't think it can be that. Unfortunately I can't plant it in the ground due to lack of space.

I do pick leaves to use cooking once or twice a week, which I thought would promote regrowth, but should I be trimming it more often? Or re-potting it?? Any ideas would be welcome!

The green leaves look healthy enough? Mine was like this last year, yellow leaves blew off in high wind and new healthy ones grew.

If it's been in that same pot for at least two years it will have used all the nutrition in the soil. Re-pot it with fresh compost and a good feed.

Repot with new compost and make sure it has plenty of drainage.

Those leaves are far too pale. It needs feeding. So start by repotting it into new compost and feed with a general purpose fertiliser every 1 or 2 weeks, or with slow release granules every 6 weeks.

It is deficient in nutrients. Give it a dose of liquid seaweed - they sell it with fertiliser in garden centres - and then follow what @MereDintofPandiculation says.

That's really helpful, I knew Mumsnet wisdom would help. Thank you!!

Mum keeps lovely bays in post but she refreshes the compost annually.

Most things outside in pots need a lot of extra repotting or extra soil / feed regularly chucked on top. Yellowing leaves is a good indicator