bay tree winter
 

Most of the advice I've seen, so far, has suggested over wintering my
potted bay tree safely indoors - preferably somewhere with a minimum
temperature of 5 degrees.

Just wondering... Many people in here successfully over winter their bay
trees simply leaving them outside - possibly moving the pot to a
slightly more sheltered spot and being vigilant, in terms of
temperatures falling below a certain temperature?

--
Flower Bobdew
South Facing Garden
South West: UK

Flower Bobdew wrote:
Most of the advice I've seen, so far, has suggested over wintering
my
potted bay tree safely indoors - preferably somewhere with a
minimum
temperature of 5 degrees.

Just wondering... Many people in here successfully over winter
their
bay trees simply leaving them outside - possibly moving the pot to
a
slightly more sheltered spot and being vigilant, in terms of
temperatures falling below a certain temperature?

I've never moved one indoors in Wales or Glos, and my mother leaves
hers out in London. All these are close to the walls, which shelters
them a bit: compass direction doesn't seem to matter. They "burn" a
bit in severe frosts, and I suppose you have to avoid the container
freezing solid; but in those areas we've got away without doing
anything.

--
Mike.

"Flower Bobdew" wrote in message
...

Most of the advice I've seen, so far, has suggested over wintering my
potted bay tree safely indoors - preferably somewhere with a minimum
temperature of 5 degrees.

Just wondering... Many people in here successfully over winter their bay
trees simply leaving them outside - possibly moving the pot to a
slightly more sheltered spot and being vigilant, in terms of
temperatures falling below a certain temperature?

--
Flower Bobdew
South Facing Garden
South West: UK
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It should be quite safe outside. It is quite hardy~ especially in the
SW. Leaves can be seared by persistent cold winds so keep it reasonably
sheltered.
Best Wishes Brian.

"Flower Bobdew" wrote in message
...

Most of the advice I've seen, so far, has suggested over wintering my
potted bay tree safely indoors - preferably somewhere with a minimum
temperature of 5 degrees.

Just wondering... Many people in here successfully over winter their bay
trees simply leaving them outside - possibly moving the pot to a slightly
more sheltered spot and being vigilant, in terms of temperatures falling
below a certain temperature?

--
Flower Bobdew
South Facing Garden
South West: UK

in Hampshire, we get the odd really cold few days but we have never made a
point of moving the bays. The potted, well established, ones remain where
they are out in the open and the smaller ones which we are training
(spiralled approx 200mm high) stay behind the garage out of any wind where
they still see the cold.

dj

"Juan Honglow" wrote in message
...

"Flower Bobdew" wrote in message
...

..

Just wondering... Many people in here successfully over winter their bay
trees simply leaving them outside - possibly moving the pot to a slightly
more sheltered spot and being vigilant, in terms of temperatures falling
below a certain temperature?

--
If planted inground they should survive down to minus 12C and especially so
if not wind blown......they survive here (USA) at those temps. without many,
if any, problems...for a number of years I had a potted one which I put
under an unheated polytunnel (6mm poly) during the winter months and that
survived at temps. down to minus 18C.....the pot was sunk into the
ground....H

In article ,
Flower Bobdew wrote:

Most of the advice I've seen, so far, has suggested over wintering my
potted bay tree safely indoors - preferably somewhere with a minimum
temperature of 5 degrees.

Just wondering... Many people in here successfully over winter their bay
trees simply leaving them outside - possibly moving the pot to a
slightly more sheltered spot and being vigilant, in terms of
temperatures falling below a certain temperature?

I did that for years, and eventually decided that winters were now
(perhaps temporarily) mild enough to plant it out - and it has had
no problems in Cambridge.

Bay trees are evergreen down to something like -5/-10 Celcius, and
are hardy down to -10/-15 Celcius. Established ones will regrow
from the roots even below that. Anyone who says to keep them above
5 Celcius is talking twaddle.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Flower Bobdew" wrote in message
...

Most of the advice I've seen, so far, has suggested over wintering my
potted bay tree safely indoors - preferably somewhere with a minimum
temperature of 5 degrees.

Just wondering... Many people in here successfully over winter their bay
trees simply leaving them outside - possibly moving the pot to a slightly
more sheltered spot and being vigilant, in terms of temperatures falling
below a certain temperature?

--
Flower Bobdew
South Facing Garden
South West: UK
Our bay tree has lived in a pot outside for 4 - 5 years now and has remained
evergreen & healthy - in Aberdeen - it is sheltered from the worst of the
wind, but has been snowed on, frozen etc to no apparent ill effect.
Chris S

"Flower Bobdew" wrote

Most of the advice I've seen, so far, has suggested over wintering my
potted bay tree safely indoors - preferably somewhere with a minimum
temperature of 5 degrees.

Just wondering... Many people in here successfully over winter their bay
trees simply leaving them outside - possibly moving the pot to a slightly
more sheltered spot and being vigilant, in terms of temperatures falling
below a certain temperature?

Just move it into a sheltered spot outside. It's the freezing winds that do
the damage, burn the leaves making them look unsightly, the plants can take
British cold. We planted ours outside until it got too big for our small
front garden and it's now in a neighbours large rear garden and doing well.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"Flower Bobdew" wrote in message
...

Most of the advice I've seen, so far, has suggested over wintering my
potted bay tree safely indoors - preferably somewhere with a minimum
temperature of 5 degrees.

Just wondering... Many people in here successfully over winter their bay
trees simply leaving them outside - possibly moving the pot to a slightly
more sheltered spot and being vigilant, in terms of temperatures falling
below a certain temperature?

I have a 10ft tall one that's been here for years and years. It is planted,
so obviously doesn't get moved inside, but it grows like crazy (needs cut
back and shaped every year).

Nick Maclaren writes

In article ,
Flower Bobdew wrote:

Most of the advice I've seen, so far, has suggested over wintering my
potted bay tree safely indoors - preferably somewhere with a minimum
temperature of 5 degrees.

Just wondering... Many people in here successfully over winter their bay
trees simply leaving them outside - possibly moving the pot to a
slightly more sheltered spot and being vigilant, in terms of
temperatures falling below a certain temperature?

I did that for years, and eventually decided that winters were now
(perhaps temporarily) mild enough to plant it out - and it has had
no problems in Cambridge.

Thanks to everyone that responded. I'll definitely be keeping it outside
this year, perhaps moving it to the sheltered side of the garden to give
some protection from frost and winter winds. And, to clarify...

Anyone who says to keep them above 5 Celcius is talking twaddle.

Ahem... Amongst a lengthy swathe of advice which actually came with the
tree when I bought it last year, and I quote: "...[leave] outside as
long as it does not freeze. Just remember to put it inside when the
frost comes."

--
Flower Bobdew
South Facing Garden
South West: UK

Flower Bobdew wrote:
Nick Maclaren writes
[...]
Anyone who says to keep them above 5 Celcius is talking twaddle.

Ahem... Amongst a lengthy swathe of advice which actually came with
the tree when I bought it last year, and I quote: "...[leave]
outside
as long as it does not freeze. Just remember to put it inside when
the
frost comes."

I think that may depend on the size of the pot and the youth of the
tree. In severe climates it could be a problem, but I never lost any
seedlings to frost in West Wales; and that was in six-inch pots or
less, up against the north wall of the house but with no other
protection. It won't do them any harm to bring them into a cold
greenhouse or a windowsill for the winter (beware vine weevils,
though), but you should be OK outdoors with a layer of insulation and
good drainage.

I understand your concern, though. Nobody likes losing a tree, and
bays are ridiculously expensive, so there's nothing wrong with being
cautious.

--
Mike.

"Chris S" wrote in message
...

"Flower Bobdew" wrote in message
...

Most of the advice I've seen, so far, has suggested over wintering my
potted bay tree safely indoors - preferably somewhere with a minimum
temperature of 5 degrees.

Just wondering... Many people in here successfully over winter their bay
trees simply leaving them outside - possibly moving the pot to a slightly
more sheltered spot and being vigilant, in terms of temperatures falling
below a certain temperature?

--
Flower Bobdew
South Facing Garden
South West: UK
Our bay tree has lived in a pot outside for 4 - 5 years now and has
remained evergreen & healthy - in Aberdeen - it is sheltered from the
worst of the wind, but has been snowed on, frozen etc to no apparent ill
effect.
Chris S

Same here for a five foot standard in a pot by Stirling, central Scotland.

Slatts

The message
from Flower Bobdew contains these words:

Most of the advice I've seen, so far, has suggested over wintering my
potted bay tree safely indoors - preferably somewhere with a minimum
temperature of 5 degrees.

Really?

Just wondering... Many people in here successfully over winter their bay
trees simply leaving them outside - possibly moving the pot to a
slightly more sheltered spot and being vigilant, in terms of
temperatures falling below a certain temperature?

I leave my two small bay trees (both less than a foot ATM) where they
were all summer.

Where I used to live we never brought our two 25-foot bay trees inside -
it would have meant digging them up.

Since they were planted just after WW1 and they are still thriving, I
wouldn't worry. Just make sure they can't get waterlogged.

--
Rusty

The message
from Flower Bobdew contains these words:

Anyone who says to keep them above 5 Celcius is talking twaddle.

Ahem... Amongst a lengthy swathe of advice which actually came with the
tree when I bought it last year, and I quote: "...[leave] outside as
long as it does not freeze. Just remember to put it inside when the
frost comes."

A case of CYA.

Bay trees look *LOVELY* at Christmas when sparkling with frost...

--
Rusty

Mike Lyle writes

Amongst a lengthy swathe of advice which actually came with the tree
when I bought it last year, and I quote: "...[leave] outside as long
as it does not freeze. Just remember to put it inside when the frost
comes."

I think that may depend on the size of the pot and the youth of the
tree. In severe climates it could be a problem, but I never lost any
seedlings to frost in West Wales; and that was in six-inch pots or
less, up against the north wall of the house but with no other
protection. It won't do them any harm to bring them into a cold
greenhouse or a windowsill for the winter (beware vine weevils,
though),

Well, that was the main reason behind my question, really... It's now a
2+ foot standard in an 18 inch tall pot, and with no greenhouse and a
very small house, bringing it indoors is potentially problematic, unless
we treat it as a roundabout! ;)

but you should be OK outdoors with a layer of insulation and good
drainage.

I've noted, with interest, some comments about raising pots up from the
ground to aid insulation/drainage. Just wondering... If pots are already
placed on an uneven surface patio and/or loose stone [South
Cerney/Slate] do they still need to be raised? [I know drainage isn't a
problem in any of these areas here, as water runs away freely whenever
they are watered. I also have broken pots and 1-2 inches of grit/gravel
in the bottom of all my pots.]

I understand your concern, though. Nobody likes losing a tree, and
bays are ridiculously expensive

Quite! :)

so there's nothing wrong with being cautious.

Indeed. But its certainly been an enlightening thread, observing bays
being kept out in virtually all areas of the country throughout the
winter months.

--
Flower Bobdew
South Facing Garden
South West: UK