Bay Tree Care Guide

Bay trees, Laurus nobilis, also known as Sweet Bay or Bay Laurel, are popular garden trees. Their evergreen foliage is smart and easy to clip, making them ideal for training into topiary shapes, while the richly aromatic leaves can be used in cooking to flavour stews and soups. If you are looking to buy a bay tree or already have one, our guide has all the instructions you’ll need to care for your bay tree and get the best from it.

Bay Tree Profile

Bay trees are native to the Mediterranean and are easy, undemanding trees to grow. Here are their key features:

• They are hardy down to about -5℃
• They should be grown in a sheltered spot in full sun or a partially shaded location
• They can be grown in any well-drained fertile soil
• They require only moderate watering
• Prune for shape in spring or summer, using secateurs
• Harder or regenerative pruning is best done in spring
• Feeding is best done during the growing season
• They can be grown in the ground or in containers
• They are available in many shapes and sizes; for example, twisted bay trees have stems that are trained in a single spiral, while double spirals combine two stems in a helix formation
• They are slow-growing but can reach heights of up to 8 metres. However, they respond well to pruning and are easy to keep at a manageable size

How & where to plant a bay tree

Choosing the right spot to plant your bay tree is important: bays like sun, and their leaves look best with shelter from strong wind. They grow in any well drained soil, and mature plants are drought tolerant.

Bay trees are well suited to growing in containers, a classic for placing around outdoor seated areas in summer, and moving to a sheltered spot for winter.

How to plant out a potted bay tree in the ground

Planting a bay tree in the ground is best for the tree, and it can grow very big:

• Dig a planting hole that is slightly larger than the plant’s root ball
• Improve the soil in the planting area by digging in some compost

Top tip: if the soil is heavy clay, do not dig anything in to improve it

• Sprinkle some mycorrhizal fungi on the bottom of the planting hole
• Tease a few roots loose from the root ball if they are circling around the bottom, or slice them in a couple of places if they are root bound.
• Place it in the planting hole upright (a bamboo cane in the planting hole can be helpful)
• Replace the soil in the planting hole and firm the soil around the rootball
• Cover the rootball with 1-2cm of the surrounding soil: do not leave the top of the rootball exposed, but don't bury the stem of the plant 
• Water well

Only established bay trees are drought tolerant; keep new trees watered regularly for the first year, then in very dry Summer weather for 

Feeding your bay tree

Generally speaking, bay trees are not greedy, but those grown in pots do need regular feeding throughout the spring and summer. Add slow-release granules to the soil every couple of weeks or apply a liquid foliar feed, well-diluted, watered onto the leaves. Repot container grown trees every couple of years in early spring; changing the soil will provide extra nutrients to help them flourish.

Watering your bay tree

Being native to the Mediterranean region, they do not require excessive watering. Still, you will need to water young bay trees regularly during the first year of growth until they are fully established. Water thoroughly every couple of weeks; you can check if you need to water by digging a small hole near the tree to see if the soil is dry. The care of bay trees in pots is slightly more demanding in that container grown bay trees need to be watered more often, every two days or so in the summer. They hate being waterlogged, however, so avoid overwatering and do not let the roots stand in water.

How and when to prune a bay tree

The best time to trim a bay tree is in Spring and Summer when it's in growth; regular clipping will encourage bushy growth and maintain a tidy shape.

But you can prune anytime of year, perhaps avoiding the extremes of peak summer heat and winter freeze.

• Use sharp secateurs on single bay trees for a great finish
• Make your pruning cuts between leaf nodes, avoid cutting through leaves
• Prune new shoots to a bud facing in a good the direction: up and out
• In spring, after the last frost, prune off yellow or brown stems and leaves. 

Mature bay trees can be hard pruned in early spring (renovation pruning). This is usually done over two or three seasons to avoid shocking the tree.

Harvesting your bay tree

Harvest bay leaves for home cooking by hand, year round.

Used fresh or dried, the dark green leaves of Sweet Bay are a versatile addition to the spice rack, adding a delicious peppery warmth to savoury dishes as well as also being used to accent mulled wine and sweet dishes like rice pudding.

Along with parsley and thyme, bay leaves are an essential component in bouquet garni, the traditional flavour bomb of herbs used in classical French cuisine.

How to protect a bay tree in winter

Although bay trees are hardy in the UK, they can suffer cosmetic damage from frost and cold winds. Bay trees in pots tend to be more sensitive than those in the ground

Bay tree winter care tips:

• Plant bay trees in sheltered locations in the first place
• Move smaller pot grown bay trees to shelter: a frost free but unheated greenhouse or garage with windows is good
• Use horticultural fleece or bubble wrap to protect young or exposed container grown bay trees over the winter

Is tomato feed good for bay trees?

Tomato food is sometimes recommended for pot grown bay trees, but is not necessary.

Slow release fertiliser granules are the best way of providing a gradual supply of essential nutrients to your plants over the growing season.
Don't feed them during winter.

Should I remove brown leaves from a bay tree?

Brown leaves on a bay laurel tree look unattractive and could be a sign that it needs some extra care. Remove brown or yellowing leaves from the tree, taking a closer look as you do so. Affected leaves may be discoloured due to frost or wind damage, excessive heat or nutrient deficiency.

If the leaves are curling at the leaf margins and beginning to turn yellow, the culprit may be bay sucker, one of the most common pests that affect bay trees. These tiny grey-white insects can be found on the underside of the leaves, but they do not usually cause long-term damage to the health of the tree. Pick off affected leaves and try to attract beneficial predators to the tree, or use an organic pesticide to control a serious infestation.

Key takeaway

With their fragrant, evergreen foliage that gets used in the kitchen, bay trees are great specimen trees and hedge plants!

Bay responds well to regular trimming, so you can keep this naturally large multi-stem tree it at the height and shape you want, starting from small simple topiary shapes in pots either side of a door.

Bay trees are fuss free, with straightforward watering and feeding needs. 

Whatever kind of laurel bay tree you are looking for, whether a bush that you can train, a ready-made standard lollipop or a twisted stem bay – Ashridge’s bay tree selection offers plenty of choice.