although about 5ft tall it is very straggly and has no shape! Any advice??
2007-01-13 01:39:10 · 9 answers · asked by kaznaid 6 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
Hello Kaznaid.
You've been given lots of conflicting advice, and I suppose I'm just going to add to it. I do believe I'm right though!
Wait until early summer before you touch your Bay tree. It responds well to hard-pruning. Consider opening the bush by removing some of the oldest stems in the centre. This will let the sun in and encourage a more bushy growth. Also, you'll be able to use the soft ends of your trimmings as cuttings.
DO NOT prune it in the winter-time as was suggested. Pruning in the dormant season is for deciduous trees, not evergreens.
Good luck, x
2007-01-14 23:54:37 · answer #1 · answered by Riskyt69 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Prune to train very young bay (Lauris nobilis) trees in the Spring.
Prune and shape established bay trees in the summer. I checked with the RHS, just to confirm.
If it's straggly then it needs some encouragement.
A lot of bays are grown in pots. What most people don't realise is that the soil in these pots dries out quickly, needs feeding and when the plant out-grows its pot, it should be re-potted in a bigger pot and given fresh soil.
If it's getting plenty of light, then make sure you feed it and mulch it in the Spring and ensure it's kept moist during the Summer.
As general rule, if you cut out the tips of the branches to a bud, this will encourage the branch to bush out. The tips of the branches contain a growth hormone that suppresses the growth of the buds further along the branch. If you remove the tip, you remove the chemical suppressor of the other branches, so they can then compete for dominance.... they bush out!
Hope this helps.
2007-01-15 05:24:54 · answer #2 · answered by Ian. Garden & Tree Prof. 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try this guys site: I forget the exact name of his web site, but I know how you can get there. head to iBtraveling.com and scroll down and on the left look for "free plant tips" or something to that effect. Sign up for his newsletter or email him..or check out his site for info. I know I've gotten a newsletter before stating exactly how to prune trees and plants and such. Wish you luck!
2007-01-16 22:47:05 · answer #3 · answered by babbles 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Any time from Autumn to spring but if frost is expected do not do it. After pruning it needs 5 days at least to seal the cut ends or the branches will die back another 6 inches.
2007-01-13 01:47:32 · answer #4 · answered by ANF 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
sorry the best time was at 2pm today, you missed it.
anytime when it is cold enough so as parasites are not about to get into the sap to cause harm,winter autumn,early this year although snowdrops and daffodils are out here in south uk.
2007-01-13 01:49:44 · answer #5 · answered by matured 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Winter is best, before the sap starts to rise big time again. Before March, at any rate.
2007-01-13 01:42:58 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
In the fall.
If fruit is what you're after, then it's not going to have a nice "tree-like" shape to it.
2007-01-13 01:44:47 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
middle of the day
2007-01-13 06:11:24 · answer #8 · answered by Clint 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_september_3_bay2.asp
This link as all the info you need.
2007-01-13 01:43:47 · answer #9 · answered by richard_beckham2001 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋