Although they are generally low maintenance, there are some common bay tree problems to get to grips with if you are planting one or two of these evergreens in your garden.
Bay tree problems are usually not too complicated – their simple care regime is one of the reasons they make it. Best trees to grow in pots. However, if you notice yellow leaves, strange marks, loss of vigor or other unexpected symptoms on your tree, you may want to know the cause.
Below, we’ve provided top tips on how to identify and treat common problems with these structural, fragrant trees, so you can continue to enjoy them in your backyard.
1. Scale insects
If you’ve noticed strange spots on your bay tree leaves, they’ve turned yellow and started to fall off, or they’re coated in a slimy substance, scale insects may be the problem.
As noted horticulturist and gardening journalist John Negus explains, these are small, armadillo-shaped creatures that weaken trees by feeding on the sap while releasing a sticky, honeydew-like substance.
You can control them with pesticides that are safe to use on food crops. Based on rape seed oil, it closes the insect’s breathing holes, which kills it. It is recommended for many insects. Alternatively, John suggests spraying the tree with a mild solution of dishwashing liquid and water.
Additionally, it is a good idea to fertilize the plant with sulfate of potash from mid-spring to early fall. Spray it on the root area at the rate of 28 grams per square meter and water it.
This natural insecticide repels pesky bugs and is suitable for use on edible plants.
2. Restricted origin
If you a your bay tree a Garden plants And he looks unhappy, it may be the size of the pot that is the problem.
Your tree may suffer because its container is full of roots, so move the tree to a pot that is at least twice its current size. Water the compost to loosen food roots stuck to the side of the pot and gently remove the rootball.
Then, in the new pot, add a layer of sandalwood and plant the roots in 7 cm of soil-based compost, one-quarter by volume, mixed with grit. Add more compost.
Replant the bay at the same depth where it grew and water it well. Mulching A compost top with slate or grit will help conserve moisture.
3. Bay suckers
Brown, curling leaves on bay trees can be a sign of bay suckers—an insect that looks like a fluffy white star that eats away at the undersides of leaves.
“When fed, this animal develops a thick, deformed fungus on the leaves of the plant,” explains John Negus. “Fortunately, although this is unsightly, it does not cause irreversible damage to the bay.” However, severe infestations can cause premature leaf drop, and shoot death.
To control it, the best approach is to pick up and bin or burn the affected foliage. Also remove fallen leaves and other debris from the base of the plant.
You can also use an insecticide, although multiple applications may be necessary. If the leaves are used for cooking, remember to use one that is safe for food crops. Ideally, do this on warm sunny days in spring, when the adults cluster on shoot tips to feed before laying their eggs.
“Alternatively, encourage natural predators such as BirdsLadybirds, wasps and ground beetles frequent your garden,” says John.
4. Leaf spot
Leaf spot is a fungal disease that, explains John Negus, shows up as necrotic gray or brown spots on leaves.
“The best way to deal with it is good sanitation and improved growing conditions,” he says.
Start by removing affected leaves and picking up any fallen leaves. Then, give the plant a balanced fertilizer in early spring to encourage new growth.
These organic fertilizers provide balanced macro and micro nutrients, which help improve soil quality.
5. Winter damage
Bay trees are generally hardy to -5 degrees Celsius RHSand can withstand low temperatures if planted in a sheltered location. Simply wrapping the pots in two layers of heavy-duty bubble wrap, covering the compost surface with 7-10 cm of chipped bark and positioning the pots near a south-facing wall is usually sufficient.
However, cutting them back during cold weather is not a good idea. Frostbite can damage surfaces, resulting in possible death. Instead, it is necessary to trim the tree several times during the growing season, stopping in early autumn.
The RHS says harsh winter conditions can cause the bark to peel and crack, especially on the lower main stems of the plant. Although it can look unsightly, it is not fatal, and usually, the bass should recover by the following summer. If parts of the plant die, however, simply remove them by cutting off healthy wood or below ground level.
Bubble wrap might not be the first thing you think of as a gardening necessity, but it will protect your bay tree from cold weather.
These bay tree problems can be common, but by keeping an eye out for the above symptoms and following our expert-backed solutions, they’ll be back to life in no time.
For more gardening advice, read our guide Box blight or learn about Worst time of year to cut a hedge.
The original version of this article previously appeared on Gardeningetc, a sister website to Homebuilding and Renovating.
