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Berries on our Bay Tree

Our bay tree, growing in a pot has a magnificent array of berries this year, first time ever in years of owning it. It’s also looking the best it has ever looked. 

Any explanations, please as to what we might have done to make it so lovely? Do berries indicate anything?

It was given to us years ago by a relative, and several years ago we put it in a slightly bigger pot. 

I believe I may have cut a few of the longer branches down earlier in the year just to trim them to be the same length as the others, but I didn’t prune it so carefully back into the ‘ball’ shape like I’ve done in the past. (Always great to maintain the supply of bay leaves for our kitchen).  Also earlier in the year I was able successfully to cut off quite a few of the top leaves that had become infested with caterpillars in little white cocoons. 

would've . . . could've . . . should've . . .


A.A.A.S. (Associate of the Acronym Abolition Society)

There's definitely no 'a' in 'definitely'.

Comments

  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 14,166 Forumite
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    The berries AFAIK just show it's happy and is setting seed. 
    If you care to, the berries can be sown and will grow into another bay tree.
    Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens
  • twopenny
    twopenny Posts: 6,822 Forumite
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    It's possible that someone in the vicinity has planted a bay tree and so something to pollinate it
    Berries and perfectly normal and as Farway says, a sign its happy.
    It's likely in the past you've been pruning off the potential flowers or berries.
    Yes, I have a conical one out front and a wild big one for the leaves for cooking.
    You can dry them but why when you can have sweeter tasting ones fresh.

    I can rise and shine - just not at the same time!

    viral kindness .....kindness is contageous pass it on

    The only normal people you know are the ones you don’t know very well


  • Dustyevsky
    Dustyevsky Posts: 2,175 Forumite
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    Sometimes I see fruit on the bay when I'm picking leaves to throw in the spag. bol. However, Mrs Dusty likes to keep it globe shaped, so they probably only occur in the parts her shears have snipped lightly. As bay goes well from cuttings, seed is a slower way of producing more.
    "Money will only make you more of what you already are." T. Harv Eker
  • Thanks everyone for your replies. Very informative. (This was definitely the right place again to ask a question 😊). 

    Now we need to decide whether to leave the plant to grow more naturally from now on - it’s in the back garden, so not on view - or to go back to keeping it trimmed into a ball shape. 

    One thing we do plan is to repot it in the spring into a slightly better and nicer-looking pot and to leave a larger gap this time between the top of the soil and the rim of the pot, so the water doesn’t run straight off when watering it. 

    would've . . . could've . . . should've . . .


    A.A.A.S. (Associate of the Acronym Abolition Society)

    There's definitely no 'a' in 'definitely'.
  • twopenny
    twopenny Posts: 6,822 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Indeed, an inch or even 2 . Used to be said to fill to the brim and leave.
    Pots also only an inch more each time. But most of us can't afford to do that with fancy pots. Just be vigilant and don't over water if there's a lot of room between roots and pot.
    They like it tough so will happily survive in dry and tight in a pot. Not so much in wet and space.

    I can rise and shine - just not at the same time!

    viral kindness .....kindness is contageous pass it on

    The only normal people you know are the ones you don’t know very well


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