Bay
A culinary herb that is really a tree: keep it clipped and sheltered, and don't overwater pots in winter.
Care
Sun to part shade, sheltered from cold, drying winds that brown the leaves.
Low-medium in the ground; in pots water regularly in summer but never leave it standing in water.
Well-drained soil or loam-based compost.
Clip standards and shapes in late spring and again in late summer with secateurs, not shears, to avoid cutting leaves in half. Old plants take hard renovation in spring.
A balanced feed monthly in spring and summer for pot-grown plants; in the ground rarely needed.
Semi-ripe cuttings in late summer; slow to root.
Month by month
Months change with the climate: in southern Italy tomatoes go out two months earlier than in England.
- MayClip to shape with secateurs. how ›
- AugustSecond clip; pick and dry leaves for the kitchen. how ›
- DecemberMove potted bays to a sheltered spot and wrap them in severe cold. how ›
Months based on climate: UK. Your choice stays on this device.
Months based on climate: Northern Italy. Your choice stays on this device.
Common problems
How to spot it. Leaf edges thickened, curled and yellow, with white fluff inside.
What to do. Pick off affected leaves in spring and summer; mostly cosmetic.
How to spot it. Bumps under leaves, black film on top.
What to do. Wipe or wash off.
How to spot it. Brown, scorched leaves after cold wind.
What to do. Trim in spring; shelter pots.
Questions
Bay: is it hardy?
H4: Hardy through an average UK winter. It survives down to −10 °C.
Can it grow in a pot?
Yes — classic topiary pot plant; pots are more vulnerable to frost than plants in the ground.
Bay: when do you prune it?
Clip standards and shapes in late spring and again in late summer with secateurs, not shears, to avoid cutting leaves in half. In the calendar for UK, pruning falls in May, August.
Bay: when does it flower?
In the climate of UK it flowers in March–April.
When do you feed it?
A balanced feed monthly in spring and summer for pot-grown plants; in the ground rarely needed. Feeding months, UK: April–July.