Hello & Help Please!!

[looblee]

Hi I’m an amateur gardener hoping to learn tips and advice.

I do have one problem though that I am hoping someone can help me with.

I have two bay trees about 1.7m high. The leaves started to go brown and drop off one, I was advised to re-pot with suitable compost and feed with a liquid seaweed (which I have done) although it wasn’t clear how much to give as a feed in water. One tree is showing new shoots where the old leaves dropped off and looks to be in recovery, the other has brown leaves that wont pull off and looks pretty dead.

I don't think I over water and the pots they are in are well drained. They did get some wind burn/snow burn over the winter though.

I am really upset as they were a gift and people tell me its really hard to kill a bay tree I have also been told the pots are too small, but they look proportional to the tree size at about 40cmx40cm.

Can anyone help?

1.Is the one with the brown leaves that wont come off dead? What can I do to save?

2.Is there anything I need to do to the other tree to maintain its re growth? i.e how much feed/water should it get?

Thank you for your help

[ginger ninger]

Firstly welcome to the vine, secondly, lets hope we can help you, the liquid seaweed i use is around 1 table spoon of liquid to every 10 litres of water, once a week, when the plant's in full growing mode i.e fruiting, new growth (on older plants) etc. I never water seedlings with it, its too strong for them.
If at all possible could you pop a photo of your poorly bay on for us, that way we can see what might be wrong with it.
It sounds like your pots are the right size for your trees, have a rummage round in the bay with the brown leafs and see if you have any little cream colored grubs in the soil, keep us posted and let us know about the grubs. xx

[Two_Sheds]

Bay needs a sheltered, pref. west-facing spot against a wall. It absolutely hates wind.

[NOG]

How many times did you feed it???? and how long was it in the pot before you fed it?

[looblee]

Photo's

Hello,

Thanks for the replies.

I have now moved the plants to a more sheltered position. The don't appear to have any form of disease either.

I only watered it once since it was re-potted about two weeks ago it has been raining quite a lot and thankfully only used a small amount of Seaweed liquid feed in the water.

Some photos are attached.

Can you advise how often I need to feed/water the recovering plant and if there is anything at all I can do for the other poor thing.

Thank you.

[ginger ninger]

That one sick tree.....did you have a look for little cream grubs in the soil? I don't think there's much you can do for the tree with the brown leaves, i could be wrong, but it really doesn't look well at all.

[Two_Sheds]

I only watered it once since it was re-potted about two weeks ago it has been raining quite a lot

Hmmmm. Although it's been raining, I doubt that much went into the container ... it would hit the leaves and run off to the ground (think of how dry it is under a tree when it rains)

I would water them by standing them in a tray so they can have a good drink.
They ought to be in a bigger container too, one which holds more moisture. The dead one doesn't even look like it has enough compost in the pot ... it doesn't appear to go right up to the sides.

I think it may be terminal

[looblee]

Hello and thank you to everyone who replied - I wondered whether the pots were too small they are only marginally bigger than those that they came in.

I am going to re-pot them both and give them a good water (how often would you recommend watering bays?)

I think the 2nd one is a gonner but no harm in trying I suppose.

Thanks again

[Two_Sheds]

how often would you recommend watering bays?

Um, when it's dry
Seriously, lift the pot and if it feels light, it needs a good soak (in a tray if you can)

If you can't lift the pot, then stick a finger down in the soil. If it's very dry under the surface, then it's thirsty.

[bobleponge]

It just might be possible to save that one. I had a bay that was also a gift, that I left outside to deal with itself. It turned like yours.
Eventually I moved it round to the southern side of the house, in shelter, and started to water it, I also dropped 2 comfrey leaves in the soil.
It took a full year but I finally got green leaves back on it.
Dont give up on it till its a decomposed pile of brown sludge, there's always hope.
Oh and welcome btw