Tuesday 26 February 2013

Trimming the Bay

I have a HUGE Bay tree in my garden, which is very vigorous and needs to be trimmed every year to arrest its plans for world-domination. This year the tree had got so big that I had to get the step-ladder out in order to reach the top: normally the long-handled loppers are long enough:


I trimmed about three feet off the top, because the bush / tree had got so big that it was blocking out much of the morning light!

Anyone want some fresh Bay leaves for their larder? Just look at this pile...


This makes me think: why does anyone use dried Bay leaves when they could use fresh ones? Dried Bay leaves seem to me to taste of not a lot, whereas fresh ones are very fragrant indeed. How lucky we are to have such a massive supply of fresh leaves just a few steps away from the kitchen door!

Look back to the first photo now. See the low green plant next to the shed, at the extreme right of the photo? That's a patch of Euphorbia "Clarice Howard". At this time of year the Euphorbia is in a period of strong growth. The neat rosettes of new growth are beginning to obscure the dried-up seed-heads from last year:


This is a plant with which you need to be careful. It is very vigorous - you might say invasive - it sends up suckers all over the place, so only invite into your garden if you're ready for this. Fortunately the suckers are relatively easy to pull up as long as you get them when they are young.


My Euphorbia is probably about 10 or 12 years old now. I don't remember exactly. I just remember buying a little pot of it at a Farmers' Market in Alton once upon a time. I think it cost me £1. And of course it has expanded over the years so that it is now quite a large patch, even though I regularly pull up loads of it every year. It's a good plant for awkward spaces, because it will tolerate poor soil and low light-levels - mine is in such a place.

14 comments:

  1. The bay is certainly happy where it is, looks very healthy indeed.

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  2. If only I could grow bay then I would know the difference between fresh and dried. I'll have to take your word for it.

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  3. I know why people don't use fresh bay leaves - it's because bay trees are too big to have in the store cupboard. Ours is on trunks (as opposed to being bush shaped) an is as tall as our house. This is not exaggeration. It really is.

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  4. Hi Mark, I had a big strong bay that I thought was bomb proof and even bigger than yours. The double winter of 2010 completely killed it off- and the cold winters since have checked my new cuttings.
    I think you have followed my blog and my recent trip to Madeira. They do a fantastic local meal there called espetada. It is skewered meat on a stake (branch) of bay. The bay flavours ouse out to give an unbelievable delicious flavour. Try it with some of your prunings!

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    1. Roger, I might give that a go. I have done a similar thing in the past with sprigs of Rosemary used as skewers on a barbecue, so the Bay twigs would probably be even better. Thanks for the tip.

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  5. The bay tree is amazing! I really want to try to grow my own too...it probably won't get as big as your tree in a container. What did you do with all the bay leaves? I hope you were able to make something yummy with it!

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  6. I have a bay in a pot and its quite pathetic really. Something keeps eating the leaves (make that me and something else) and as a result the tree isn't vigorous at all. Yours is just too impressive for words.

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  7. One of my pet peeves is shrubs and trees that send up suckers. They can be so difficult to manage at times. P.S. The crocus in your last post are really nice!

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  8. I always wanted to have a bay, I'm going to buy one some day :) Your looks stunning!

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  9. I too have a Bay tree in the garden that must be plotting with yours for world Domination!
    I make the Fatial mistake this year though in letting the Wife trim the Bay or should i say Hack the bay tree! its looking a bit sorry for itself now but it will soon recover to take over the world!
    i never use dried bay leaves dont see the point in them you may as well add a peice of Cardboard cut into the shape of a bay leaf your get more flavour!

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  10. What no fancy pyramid. We have tried growing bay a couple of time but it either becomes infested with scale insect leaving the leaves black and sooty or it is killed by frost. Did you take any cuttings from your pile of prunings - if so my birthday is coming up in May!

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    1. Sue; No I didn't take any cutting from the Bay trimmings, simply because I have not only that enormous tree, but also two smaller standard-trained trees - its children. If you want any cuttings, I'd be glad to send you some - just say the word and they're yours!

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  11. How wonderful to have that resource at your door! I like the idea of using bay branches as skewers

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  12. Perhaps you should sell the bay leaves on Ebay Mark!!!

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