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How train a bay tree

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  • #1

    How train a bay tree

    I used to have a nice bay tree. I think it was called a standard as it was a tall trunk with all the leaves in a big circular ball at the top. As I remember my son trained it, but he has moved down south now.
    The hard frost a few years ago killed it.
    I have grown another.
    It was doing well but last year the pot was too small and the leaves looked stressed.
    So I re-potted into a mixture of 1 third bought compost 1 third home made compost and 1 third rotted manure, plus a bigger pot.
    This year as you can see it's gone ballistic. You can still see the old yellow leaves.

    So to the question, how should I train this, there seems to be a nice strong main stem.

    Thanks
    Jimmy
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    Expect the worst in life and you will probably have under estimated!
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  • #2
    Usually standards are trained from the word go. The main stem is allowed to grow and any side shoots rubbed off as they grow. When it has reached the required height with a bit more to form the ball the top is pinched out and the side shoots at the top are allowed to form the ball.

    The one you have looks rather like a bush. You could cut off all the side shoots but I thing it will give you a rather messy trunk but it is worth a try.
    Gardening requires a lot of water - most of it in the form of perspiration. Lou Erickson, critic and poet

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    • #3
      Thanks for the prompt reply.
      I have some cutting perhaps I should work on those.
      Also is it too late to take more cuttings as from the picture there are many shoots.
      Jimmy
      Expect the worst in life and you will probably have under estimated!

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      • #4
        Instead of trying to reshape it into something it doesn't want to be, why not clip it into a ball on a pot (not on a tall stem).
        Take cuttings and grow those into the desired shape with one clean main stem - or 3 cuttings with their main stems plaited together.
        If you're going to prune it now, you may as well bung the cuttings in a pot and see what happens.

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        • #5
          What Ritolet said.
          I trained two bays into standards.
          You need to start taking the side shoots off from the start.
          I even staked a cane alongside the stem to make sure it grew straight.
          I am sure you will get cuttings to grow as it isnt too late yet.
          Take the tenderist ones as against any that are woody.
          Let us know how it goes.

          And when your back stops aching,
          And your hands begin to harden.
          You will find yourself a partner,
          In the glory of the garden.

          Rudyard Kipling.sigpic

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          • #6
            OK thanks for info. Will start snipping at weekend.
            Jimmy
            Expect the worst in life and you will probably have under estimated!

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