davek wrote in message
...
the leaves have changed from a glossy dark green to a kind of
pale green yellowy colour.

Don't think the little red 'uns would cause much harm. More likely that
your soil is pH neutral or towards chalky/lime. Bay likes acid soil so
give it a good dose of ericaceous feed, the sort they sell for heathers,
rhododendrons, camellias (and laurel).
Bay is another laurel.
and SWMBO just reminded me that most of our laurel leaves at the front of
the house have turned yellow with brown edges.
Caused by the copious amount of salt spread on the main road nearby,
dutring
the winter.
DaveK.



Hi Dave,

First - and most important - Bay is NOT another Laurel. Your Bay tree will
be Laurus nobilis. Other laurels (often used for hedging) are in the Prunus
tribe, and are very toxic. It is essential that you do not confuse the two
types.

Second - ants can undermine a root system. So can frost and wind. Is your
tree still firmly planted? If that doesn't seem to be the problem, scratch
away a little of the bark on the stem and see if the exposed layer is still
green. If it is, your plant is still alive and has a chance. Look for
insect pests. Are any of the leaves distorted? Distorted leaves could mean
Bay Sucker. However, they don't usually turn the leaves yellow. Scale
insects could be a problem. These appear on the underside of leaves and on
stem material. They are difficult to get rid of, esp. on an edible plant.
You may have to spray, then not use the leaves for cooking this year. Have
a word with your local GC and see if they've got a fairly benign spray.

If you've had the near-drought conditions many of us have had, give it
plenty of water and a light feed. It's usually unwise to feed a sick plant,
but a weaker-than-usual feed might just help it to green up, or start
replacing those yellowy leaves.

Spider