Lisa110 wrote in message
...

Hello,

I have just joined the forum and I am completely novice to all things
horticultural! So I did want to say hi !!!!

My main problems are as follows and I hope and pray that some advice
can be found...

I have a beautiful curly trained bay tree (in a pot) which has been
healthy looking until recently. First a sort of black mould appeared
on the leaves which I sprayed and that helped, but also quite a few of
the leaves are turning yellow and falling off. My gut instinct is to
re-pot the tree as it has been in the same pot for about 3 years now
and I have read about using John Innes No3 with added grit for
drainage... but can I re pot it at any time of the year?

My 2nd problem is a privet type bush (shaped but only small) I planted
it next to a bamboo and the bamboo has taken over, when can I move it?


Also, as you might now gather I am completely un educated in gardening
matters so even the most obvious advice is welcome.

Thanks

Lisa


--
Lisa110

Hi Lisa,

I have a Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis) planted in the ground (SE London on
clay). Although it is evergreen, it is perfectly normal for *some* leaves
to turn yellow and fall. However, this year, because of the drought, more
leaves than usual have yellowed and fallen. As the tree is otherwise
magnificently healthy, I am not concerned about this. Has your tree still
got a good cover of leaves, or is it looking sparse and sickly? If it is
looking well, stop worrying.

You did the right thing to clean off the black (usually called 'sooty')
mould. Look out for the insects (aphids, bay suckers, scale insects) which
leave a sticky residue on which the mould grows. Whether you spray or
remove them by hand will depend on whether you use the leaves in cooking, or
whether the tree is just ornamental. (Bay suckers distort leaves, mainly on
one side of the leaf's mid-rib. Simply pick these leaves off by hand)

You may very well need to repot your Bay tree. After three years, the roots
may have used up all the soil. (You can tell by tipping your tree out of
its pot and examining the root system). If the rootball is soil-less, you
will find it very difficult to get the watering regime right, and this is
bound to affect leaf health. Unfortunately, this isn't the ideal time of
year to repot, because the nutrients in the new compost will start the tree
in growth. This new, tender growth will be very susceptible to early
frosts.

You don't say where you are. If you're in the South or in a mild climate
area (or if you can give shelter to your tree), I would (in your situation)
repot the Bay using John Innes No.1 (the JI soil-based compost with least
fertiliser) and the added grit you mentioned. Water well to settle the soil
around the roots, then reduce watering over winter. You may also wish to
raise the pot off the ground with pot-feet or bricks; this will aid drainage
and keep the roots away from the frosty ground. It is also a good idea to
lag the pot with sacking or bubble wrap; this keeps frost from damaging your
plant and your pot.

Your privet can be moved anytime from now (well, in the morning!) until
March. Do not attempt it when the soil is frozen solid or water-logged.
All evergreens fare less well than deciduous plants when transplanted
because they must continue to maintain their leaves, where as leaf-fall
offers deciduous plants some respite. To help your privet, lift it with the
largest rootball you can (you may need some help from one of those chap
thingies!); this way, it may hardly know it's been moved.
Keep the lifted rootball moist until ready for planting. Dig a hole at
least twice the size of the rootball .. fork over the bottom of the hole to
improve drainage. Put some Tree & Shrub compost in the hole so that the
soil mark on your privet stem will be at the same level in its new hole.
Mix some bonemeal (for root growth) into the compost and soil you are using
to backfill the hole. Backfill the hole, firming the soil mix as you go
(this removes air pockets and ensures the roots are in contact with the
soil). When you have finished planting, water well - even if it is
raining - and keep the soil moist until you're sure it's established.

After care includes re-firming the plant if a frost lifts the plant from its
hole ... refirming the plant if strong winds have rocked the plant in the
hole, disturbing its roots. It's also worth watering well after strong
winds because the leaves can dessicate if not fully supported by the roots.

Finally, welcome to gardening and this newsgroup.

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