Bay Leaf Tree Basics Of Growing And Caring

Using bay leaves in cooking brings out a unique flavor to the recipe because of the leaves’ distinctive flavor and fragrance. Surely, you will have a great-tasting dish when you use bay leaves in your cooking. Bay leaves are used in the cooking of many Mediterranean and North American cuisines. You can also use the leaves in soups, stews, and many meat, seafood and vegetable dishes. Aside from being used in cooking, bay leaves also have medicinal values, having been used as ingredient in liniments for bruising and sprains. Bay leaves have been used as well as a herbal remedy for headaches and stomach ulcers. Others who have muscular and body pains use the leaves to create a soothing bath.

The many uses of bay leaves makes it practical that you grow some in your backyard. Bay Leaf Tree grows into large trees but when kept can also thrive as a small bush. There are three methods to grow bay leaf trees: layering, sowing seeds, and taking cuttings. The best time to sow the seeds is during spring. Meanwhile, cuttings should be done in late summer to early autumn. Layering should be done in spring.

Even if growing bay leaf tree from seeds is quite a task, it is actually the most preferred method of growing for many. Generally, seeds are placed in containers so that when the tree grows, you can control how high it could go and at the same time reduce the pruning required. Bay Seeds placed in pots that measure 12 inches in diameter can grow up to five feet. With this height, you can have the plant in your patio. You are also assured that you will not need to repot the tree for five years. As to caring for your bay leaf tree, you should move the pot inside your home during frost season to protect your plant. However, put it in a place where it can still get plenty of light. You may notice that the Bay Leaves on the tree turn to brown and wither away during winter. Remove these leaves so that when spring comes, you will have plenty of greens. Avoid watering the plant in winter. Do not forget to feed the bay leaf tree with fertilizer when summer comes. When the tree is in bloom, prune or cut the leaves of the tree into your desired shape so that it will not appear bushy.