I put the pot in my herb garden where it got morning sun and afternoon shade. Before long, the little specimen outgrew the pot. Throughout the summer, I repotted it several times. By autumn, the bay tree had grown well over a foot with multiple branches. Bay has been grown in the Mediterranean region for so long that when we think of bay, we associate it with the Mediterranean. Bay leaf benefits are almost unlimited. From the culinary arena to medical research, bay is attracting the attention of cooks, medical professionals, and herbalists.
There are other varieties of bay, including California bay, Umbellularia californica. California bay is native to California and is in the same family as avocados. The difference between bay laurel and California bay is both visual and sensory. True bay has large, somewhat rounded pointed leaves and, when dried, has an herbal, slightly floral, eucalyptus-like flavor. California bay leaves are more pointed and slender, with a much stronger flavor.
When we were in Italy, I saw bay trees over feet tall. Practically speaking, though, bay trees are grown either as a topiary or a large shrub.
No worries here. If your climate is agreeable, ordinary garden soil with good drainage will provide a happy home for your bay leaf tree year-round. Since I live in southwestern Ohio in Zone 6, I grow my bay trees in containers, and treat them as tender perennials, bringing them indoors when the temperature dips consistently to below 15 degrees. I like half potting soil and half cactus soil, which allows for good drainage.
Let the soil dry out between waterings. Upgrade your bay when it outgrows its pot, and prune its branches back, if they become too large and top-heavy.
Fresh bay leaves can be harvested all season long, just be sure to leave enough leaves on the plant for good growth and plant health. You must be logged in to post a comment. This site may contain content including images and articles as well as advice, opinions and statements presented by third parties. Sun Gro does not review these materials for accuracy or reliability and does not endorse the advice, opinions, or statements that may be contained in them.
Sun Gro also does not review the materials to determine if they infringe the copyright or other rights of others. Reliance upon any such opinion, advice, statement or other information is at your own risk. You can also grind them in a mortar and pestle if you wish, but I always use bay leaves whole. Dried bay leaves are very fragrant and do not disintegrate during the cooking process. They are removed before eating the cooked recipe. In warmer zones, grown bay laurel as a tree.
It can used in topiary to create ball shaped plants. The stems are also grown twisted and they are grown as hedges, too. Since bay is only hardy to zone 8, Bay Laurel is often grown as a houseplant in colder zones. For best results re-pot a container plant every years. Thankfully, bay laurel is resistant to most pests and diseases.
Weak plants can attack scale and aphids. Treat infected plants with an organic pesticide. Common problems with bay leaf plants is simple over-watering, cold temperatures and lack of sunlight.
The plants take a long time to germinate from seed. Normal plant propagation is from cuttings or air layering. The cuttings need to root in a heated propagator with high humidity.
In addition to using bay leaves in recipes, they are also used in many other ways. The extract of bay laurel has been used in astringents and even as a treatment for open wounds.
Bay leaves soaked in water and formed into a poultice has often been used to treat poison ivy , and other poisonous plants. Bay leaves and extracts are often used in massage therapy and aromatherapy to give some relief from of symptoms of arthritis and high blood pressure. It is common to see the shape of a laurel crown on trophies. In early Greek and Roman times, crowns were created with stems of the plant to crown the athletes and rulers.
The links to products below are affiliate links. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you if you purchase through an affiliate link. Would you like a reminder of this post for how to grow bay laurel? Just pin this image to one of your gardening boards on Pinterest. Admin note: this post for growing bay laurel first appeared on the blog in December of I have updated the post to add new photos, a printable growing tips card, and a video for you to enjoy. Currently you have JavaScript disabled.
In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Thanks a lot for the very informative post on how to grow bay leaf. I am from the Philippines and hope to be successful in planting this herb. I have a 1 healthy Bay Laurel in a clay pot. After 6 years, It has 3 baby plants sprouting out of the soil.
I never saw "berries or flowers", indicating that it is a female. I wonder if the root balls propagates plants from underneath. Can anyone answer this question for me? Can I save it? How best to proceed? We live in northeastern Switzerland. The new leaves on my bay leaf plant are large and pretty but are thin, not thick and dark like usual. What could be the problem or is that normal in the spring. It is in a large pot indoors.
0コメント