Hi to everyone, i just couldn't stay away ;D
Just at a mate's at the moment who has a bay tree with a problem. I can't get the pic posted just now, but it's a fairly new plant (at christmas), has been repotted (with no obvious signs of any nasties) and has a few new shoots appearing from both the base of the main stem and also from one of the branches, so there's plenty of signs of life BUT the majority of leaves have gone all dry and brown and blotchy.
any ideas with the very limited description given ??
muchos gracias as always.
Is it outdoors or in?
Indoors. It's sitting by an internal glass door which leads to the front door, underneath a window (that doesn't get opened), is a good 6ft from any radiators.
I've just gone and had a feel of the compost and it's on the dry side of damp.
It's owner has a good reputation of keeping things alive, oh and we're in deep south london (if that makes a difference).
Ta !
They can sufffer from a type of sooty mould but I cant find a treatment.
As you are in London and bays are pretty tough I would get it outside ASAP, they will be happier. It may be worth wrapping the pot in bubble wrap to give the root ball a bit of protection at the moment.
Site it in a sheltered sunny spot as draughts can scorh the leaves a little.
My bay is about 16foot high and stands all the weather we can through at it to no ill effect.
Jerry
Mrs KP .... Sidcup?? :)
hee hee Lorna, currently the Nunhead leg of the round the world tour of the south east.
all that advice seems quite reasonable sandersj89. there's a huge yucca out in the garden that survives well (with it's winter overcoat on) so the bay will be joining it soon and see what occurs.
many thanks.
hi there folks, back in a very very sunny glasgow. forget spring, it was like early summer today and jolly nice indeed.
here's the bay tree if a pic helps any.
(http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/2687/10003541ad.jpg)
looks like a scorch of some kind, the way the end of the leaves are burned.
Hot or cold wouldn't like to put money on, but would go for cold.
Clifford
well it was sitting by an internal door near to the front door when i left it.
i've not asked about it lately, and the owner was going to put it outside under fleece.
i'll see if the situation has improved any.
Thanks Cliff.
I wouldn't have thought that cold would cause a problem like that. Mine (like Jerry's) grows outside blasted by cold winds blowing down from Snowdonia and I have never had a problem, seems to thrive in those conditions.. Mind you they don't like being in pots indoors much.. I kept mine indoors for a year or two and they were covered in scale bugs and then the associated sooty mould. Gave the leaves a wash down with meths dabbed on cotton pads and then planted it out the following spring and its thrived since then. I would wait a few weeks for the ground to warm up then get it out in the garden. Once your friend spots signs of new growth(just to make sure the plant is stronger) I would cut off all the dead and dying stuff.
that was the strange thing mimi, there were four or five good new growths (some around the base, some from branches) when i saw it.
apparently the tree is not looking too good (i asked this morning) , so i'll get her to put it in the ground and see if that improves the situation. she's down south so the weather will be warmer than up here (although i'm outside today and it's blooming lovely).
It definately looks like scorch of some kind, my bay tree was against a south facing conservatory last year and was not only wind burnt, but scorched by the heat of the windows.
I had to move it to a better location.
As for the sooty type mould, i sprayed mine with diluted washing up liquid, it was given a real drenching and within days it was clear. No problems since. I find that this soapy solution really helps with many things.
Hope it helps.
Is it in a cold draught?
it was sitting by an internal door leading to a very small hall leading straight to the outside. while the internal door was more often than not kept closed, it could have been a bit bitter sometimes i suppose. they also have an open kitchen which was only about 8ft in the other direction.
perhaps a bit of consistency might help ?
Definately looks like it has suffered some type of burn - wind or maybe reflected sunlight. Bay trees suffer terribly from scale insect which inturn leave sticky deposits which soon become covered in sooty mould.
I think bays trees are definitely better grown outside, preferably planted out in the garden NOT in a pot. I have a friend who has one in a pot. It looks poorly and suffers from scale insects. Mine, grown outside (in London), is so vigorous it needs pruning twice a year to keep it down to 6 ft.
Hi
We had a similiar problem last year withour potted bay tree, beleive the little devils were called mealy bugs or scaley bugs.
We over came by cleaning off the black sticky deposits by gently cleaning with a sponge & mild soap liquid solution, thus allowing the sunlight to get through to the leaves again. Then spaying with an insect killer.
Hope this helps
Dave & Eve
keep em coming folks.
just posting the link to my friend just now.
i know her tree was a pressie and would hate it to keel over.
::)
Then can do fine in pots, too, but must be outside and in a good position - sheltered, but not too hot. They will cope with a good deal of shade very well, but can suffer from wind burn. I have one planted in the ground in the shelter of a leylandii hedge which thrives, and another in a sunny spot in a big pot which also thrives in spite of never having any protection wrapped around the pot in winter - and this is North Yorkshire!
My friend says thanks muchly for all your advice.
Her OH was out spraying this morning so we'll keep our fingers crossed and see if the situation improves.
It looks as if the leaves have suffered from the dry atmosphere that you get inside modern houses, once you get it outside I would expect to see new growth come near the base and I would prune back to some of those.You could give it a very weak feed of a general pot plant food, just to help it on it's way.