On Mon, 20 Jan 2003 23:33:36 +0000, Ian Snowdon
wrote:

In the back garden of my late mothers house there is a bay tree. It was
a small tree in a pot when my wife gave it to her, it is now about 20
feet high! It would be nice to take a cutting from the tree before the
house is sold or whatever happens to it.

We are told that you can't just take a cutting and get it to grow, it's
more difficult than that. OK, so how should it be done?

Any ideas?

I've seen it recommended that bay cuttings be taken in October,
but as Christopher Lloyd has said, the right time to take any
cutting is when you can.

Take the cuttings now; remove all but three tip leaves from each,
and cut those remaining leaves back by 2/3 of their length. Put
the cuttings in mixture of 90% perlite and 10% peatmoss. Water
once and allow to drain really well, then seal in a transparent
plastic bag. Put in a bright window in a heated room and be
patient.

It might help to scarify the cut ends, and rooting hormone might
also help.

Don't plan on messing with them before next spring; remove any
that are obviously dead.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada