Sunday, July 18, 2010

An Herbal Miscalculation!

Yesterday as we were driving home, my Herbal Companion, Bonnie said, I think your bay tree in the container is older than 5 or 6 years old!  I had to agree.  The bay tree is probably 10 to 15 years old.  Not in that same container.  We have sized up as we go.  I think the last time we root pruned it to keep it in the same pot.  Here is a really good root pruning video link from Fine Gardening magazine.  Hope you are having a great day wherever you may be.  Talk to you later!

9 comments:

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

I have a potted bay tree too. I'm not sure how old it is but maybe as old as yours. What do you feed yours? Mine may need a larger pot. I just love using fresh bay leaves for cooking.

Love your blue doors.

FlowerLady

Carol said...

I just bought my first Bay tree last month. It's very small and I put it in a pretty pot on the front porch. The challenge will be to keep it alive when I bring it in this winter. My mother-in-law lives with us and has dementia. She has a habit of watering my indoor plants with her diet Sprite. They don't like it at all }:>(

Lemon Verbena Lady said...

I asked The Herbal Husband, FlowerLady and he says he uses fish emulsion twice a month and some lime each spring and sometimes MiracleGro! :{

Carol, diet Sprite can't be good! Yikes! Have to find some way to put water in that diet Sprite bottle!

Thanks for stopping by ladies!

Martha said...

A pretty tree -- ours at Linderhof isn't quite as old but it is growing leaps and bounds this summer!

Your tree is awesome!

Lemon Verbena Lady said...

Thanks Martha. It is pretty cool! I didn't kill it this winter when The Herbal Husband was gone! Thanks for stopping by. Hope you are feeling better!

PeggyR said...

I have a bay "bush" in a pot that I bring in every winter. Sorry we didn't meet up, had it been under different circumstances that would have happened...

Lemon Verbena Lady said...

That's OK, Peggy. Your first responsibility is Norm. We will meet some day soon!

lifeshighway said...

Wait, you mean bay leaves I buy from the store come from these trees? I don't believe I have ever seen them at a garden center. Perhaps I do not know what I am looking at.

Lemon Verbena Lady said...

Well, LH, the bay trees are usually fairly small and expensive. Expensive because they are difficult to grow from seeds and take a long time to cultivate from cuttings. They may be hardy where you are they may even be hardy when planted in the ground! You need to know what Zone you are in. Bay trees are hardy in Zones 8 to 10. Once you grow your own tree, you won't want to use dried bay leaves again! Thanks for stopping by!