Hi
I'm wondering if there is anyone in my area (Kaiwaka to Whangarei - the nearer Waipu the better!) that might have a bay tree and would be willing to give me some cuttings or a seedling? I want to start growing bay leaves; as another member has pointed out, there are endless uses for this aromatic herb.
Susan
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Daniel, I've tried heel cuttings numerous times and suckers are infinitely easier to grow on. The one that I have growing indoors was already throwing out its own suckers when it was only 15 cm tall. I sacrificed them to encourage growth in the main stem. Still haven't got around to uploading photos, will make an effort this weekend. Susan, have you been to Wellington yet? Be interesting to compare the growth rate of suckers versus heel cuttings.
I looked up how to do them on the internet and it states that you take them as heal cuttings which basically is where you pull the length from off the parent plant taking with it a small portion of stem apparently they take up to a year to root, i'm impressed by the sucker idea though i think it would speed up the process of establishing a plant as the sucker would already have roots there is a tree at the school i work at i think is a mature bay tree i will have to look the next time i am there and see if there are any i can dig out.
Thanks for this tip - I will hopefully be able to get some suckers when I am in Wellington shortly...
Megan said:
Hello Susan, am in Queenstown so unless you or a friend is coming down this way can't help with the bay cutting. However, you will be pleasantly surprised how easily they take without any fussing over. Just find someone with an established tree, preferably one that hasn't been trained as as standard (or a standard belonging to someone who hasn't attacked it recently). You ought to find lots of suckers growing out from the base, often at some distance from the main stem). Clear away the soil and try to find the roots and cut through with a stanley knife. Place in a pot with some well draining soil (garden soil mixed with a little sand or fine grit/gravel). Leave in a shady spot, don't over water and you'll be pleasantly surprised how quickly it will take. Have two cuttings on the go, kept one indoors over winter and left the other outside. Both are doing well, the latter is smaller but has survived -5C; frequent frosts and would think all its Christmas had come at once if it was transported north! I'll take a photo of them side by side and upload for you to see. Megan
This also sounds a sensible idea - I hadnt really looked at Mitre 10 - was hoping to get about 20 cuttings/plants so I could grow a hedge along one side of a new vegetable plot (need wind shelter). Has anyone had experience of using bay as a hedge? I'd be interested to hear...
Tiffany Cree said:
Hi Susan
I very recently bought my bay tree really cheaply in the potted herbs section of the Mitre 10 garden centre. At the time it was 3 herbs for $9 which I thought was reasonable and they have the grow guarantee as well.
Tiffany
Hello Susan, am in Queenstown so unless you or a friend is coming down this way can't help with the bay cutting. However, you will be pleasantly surprised how easily they take without any fussing over. Just find someone with an established tree, preferably one that hasn't been trained as as standard (or a standard belonging to someone who hasn't attacked it recently). You ought to find lots of suckers growing out from the base, often at some distance from the main stem). Clear away the soil and try to find the roots and cut through with a stanley knife. Place in a pot with some well draining soil (garden soil mixed with a little sand or fine grit/gravel). Leave in a shady spot, don't over water and you'll be pleasantly surprised how quickly it will take. Have two cuttings on the go, kept one indoors over winter and left the other outside. Both are doing well, the latter is smaller but has survived -5C; frequent frosts and would think all its Christmas had come at once if it was transported north! I'll take a photo of them side by side and upload for you to see. Megan
I very recently bought my bay tree really cheaply in the potted herbs section of the Mitre 10 garden centre. At the time it was 3 herbs for $9 which I thought was reasonable and they have the grow guarantee as well.
Tiffany
Replies
Thanks for this tip - I will hopefully be able to get some suckers when I am in Wellington shortly...
Megan said:
This also sounds a sensible idea - I hadnt really looked at Mitre 10 - was hoping to get about 20 cuttings/plants so I could grow a hedge along one side of a new vegetable plot (need wind shelter). Has anyone had experience of using bay as a hedge? I'd be interested to hear...
Tiffany Cree said:
I very recently bought my bay tree really cheaply in the potted herbs section of the Mitre 10 garden centre. At the time it was 3 herbs for $9 which I thought was reasonable and they have the grow guarantee as well.
Tiffany