Impressed with the bay tree topiary? Here is everything you need to know about growing your bay tree and decorating your house with it.
Don’t we love bay leaves? Be it for culinary use, or ornamenting your house, the tree sure comes handy! As a family of Lauraceae, they are a native of the Mediterranean region and can be dated back to ancient Greeks and Roman who considered it sacred. The dioecious plant might not be easy for you to grow from seed, but you can plant one with a stem cutting. Here is a step by step method to grow your own Bay Laurel in your home.
The Right Temperature for Bay Plant-
Bay trees are usually hardy bushes, and once they have rooted themselves to the soil they can withstand temperature from -5 degree to 23 degrees C. if protected in a sheltered position, they can even survive colder temperatures.
The Right Soil-
Bay plants are utterly intolerant to waterlogging. Any soil that is fertilized and filtered can be ideal for growing a bay tree. Naturally bay prefers a slightly acidic ground for growth. If your soil is alkaline, it’s better to choose to pot it, rather than stub it in the earth. If you plan on placing it in the ground, make sure you have means to protect it from biting chills of winter. In potting, you can just drag it under shade to keep chilly air away.
Before planting your stem cutting, you must prepare the soil well. A bay tree thrives well in well-drained soil with full exposure to sunlight. Keep the pot with 300mm width and depth. Apply fertilizers and keep the soil moist before stubbing the stem in.
While choosing the stem cutting, always take the cutting at the end of summer to plant it. A healthy stem is all you need to make it grow into a plant.
Once you have taken your stem cutting, keep it in water to help it grow roots. When a network of root system appears from the stem, you can plant it in the already treated soil.
With the stem in place and ready, keep it outside with fresh air and sunrays to thrive upon. Do not let water log the roots, keep the drainage outlet checked always. Bay trees can be a test of patience as they take a lot of time to grow, but once a canopy starts forming, you can give a trimming to the tree to make it round like a globe to induce the foliage.
