Bay laurel is most commonly cultivated as a tree that can attain staggering heights of up to 50 feet; however, it also works extremely well as a container plant that can be moved between your indoor and outdoor spaces, or it can be kept indoors year-round. Bay laurel can reach heights of up to 50 feet.
Leaves of the plants have a medium size, a glossy green color, and a high level of scent. These leaves are frequently utilized in culinary applications. When it comes to growing this plant, bay laurel has a few requirements that must be met.
The first thing youll need is a huge planter that has sufficient drainage holes. Because the plants will need to be moved every few years, you shouldnt feel as though you have to start out with the largest planter that you can find. Take a close look at the root system of your plant and try to locate a container that is big enough to provide adequate support for it both now and in the not too distant future.
After you have the planter, you will need to use soil that drains effectively for the herb. It is essential to do this in order to prevent disease problems, which can have a severe influence on this plant. Last but not least, you will need some illumination. The bay laurel is a plant that prefers full sun.
Therefore, in the event that you do not have a method to offer the plant with 8 hours of sunlight each day, you will need to provide it with supplemental illumination in the form of a grow lamp or another type of LED lighting.
Light is arguably the most important factor in helping a bay plant grow to its full potential. Bay plants, also known as bay laurel or Laurus nobilis, require ample sunlight to produce lush green foliage and aromatic leaves suitable for culinary use. But how much light does a bay plant really need? What are the best sources of light for optimal bay plant health and growth? Read on to discover everything you need to know about providing the proper lighting conditions for your bay plant.
Full Sun is Best
In their natural outdoor setting, bay plants thrive best in full sun. This means getting direct sunlight for a minimum of 6 hours per day. Sunlight levels are highest when the sun’s rays directly hit the plant, usually between 10am to 4pm. Aim to locate your bay plant where it gets sun exposure during a large portion of this peak sunlight timeframe. Morning sun is particularly beneficial.
If you have an outdoor garden with a nice southern exposure, this is an ideal spot for your bay plant to soak up plenty of unobstructed daylight. Even partial shade will reduce growth somewhat compared to allowing the plant to bask in full sun all day long.
Supplementing Indoor Sunlight
When growing bay plants indoors, it can be challenging to provide enough natural light from windows alone. Bay plants are accustomed to much higher light levels outdoors. But indoor grow lights can help supplement weaker sunlight streaming in through windows.
Full spectrum LED grow lights are efficient and long lasting. Position the lights very close to the top of the bay plant’s branches to maximize light intensity. Rotate the plant periodically so all sides receive equal light exposure.
Aim for 14-16 hours per day of combined natural and artificial light. Timers help automate turning grow lights on and off consistently. With enough supplemental lighting, an indoor bay plant can thrive just as well as its outdoor cousins.
Signs of Insufficient Light
Determining precisely how much light your specific bay plant needs may require some trial and error. But there are clear signs to look for that indicate when light levels are too low:
- Sparse, limp foliage growth
- Long, leggy stems and sparse leaf sets
- Pale green or yellowish leaves
- Very slow growth
- Leaf drop
If your bay plant is exhibiting one or more of these symptoms, it’s likely not getting the light it craves. Try moving it to a brighter window or adding grow lights to boost its sun exposure.
Maximizing Natural Light
When relying on natural light from windows, choose east or west facing windows which receive more intense direct sunlight for longer periods versus north facing windows. South facing windows are ideal, providing the most sunlight throughout the day.
Bay plants situated more than 10 feet away from a window will struggle due to inadequate light intensity. Place pots as close to the window as possible. Supplementing with grow lights is highly recommended for most indoor gardeners lacking huge sunny windows.
Rotate indoor plants frequently so all sides get exposed to the window. Otherwise one side may be more stretched out and scraggly due to uneven light distribution.
Maximize sunlight penetration by keeping windowsills clear of obstructions and cleaning glass regularly. Close drapes and blinds at night to conserve light levels.
Outdoor Light Requirements
When situating bay plants in outdoor gardens, select an open location free from shade cast by buildings, fences or trees. Morning sun is especially beneficial. Shelter plants from harsh afternoon sun and drying winds which can scorch leaves, especially when plants are young.
If necessary, pruning surrounding trees and shrubs can help funnel more sunlight down to bay plants. But take care not to over-prune existing plantings. Gradually opening up the area over time is best.
In warm climates like Zone 9 and above, dappled afternoon shade helps reduce stress and moisture loss but morning sun should still hit plants directly. Further north, maximize sunlight as much as possible.
Light Duration Effects
Most plant species require between 14-16 hours of quality light daily. Bay plants likely thrive best with light exposure towards the higher end of this range. Providing intense light for at least 16 hours per day seems to be ideal based on anecdotal evidence.
During short days of winter, supplementing natural daylight with grow lights ensures bay plants receive sufficient light duration. Stretching the photoperiod triggers the plant to actively grow. Short winter days signal dormancy.
Light Spectrum Needs
Plants use various wavelengths of sunlight to power photosynthesis and other growth processes. Full spectrum lights that emit a balance of blue, red, and yellow wavelengths tend to produce the healthiest plant growth. Blue light in particular drives robust leafy growth and strong stems.
When using LED grow lights, select full spectrum, wide band models that provide red, blue and white light blended together. Avoid cheaper grow lights that only emit purple light which is skewed too far into the red/blue range.
Light Intensity Impacts
Not only does duration and spectrum matter, but light intensity – how bright the light is – also significantly impacts plant growth. Light levels drop exponentially the farther away you move from the source. Place grow lights just 4-12 inches above the top of the bay plant’s branches to deliver high intensity illumination.
Outdoors, full sun provides a light intensity of up to 100,000 lux while indoor lighting generally supplies only 10-50% of this. But with maximize natural light and supplemental lighting, suitable indoor intensities can be reached.
Getting lighting correct is crucial for raising a thriving bay plant. While specific optimal levels are hard to define, providing bright, full spectrum light for at least 16 hours daily is a good general target. Pay close attention to how your plant responds and adjust lighting as needed until you find the sweet spot.
Temperature & Relative Humidity
Zones 8 through 10 are suitable for growing bay laurel. In regions with a cooler climate, you should move it indoors for the winter and provide it with settings that are somewhat chilly but bright. In spite of this, you may have problems preventing the soil around your indoor bay tree from drying out due to the low humidity in your home.
When it starts to show signs of distress, such as shedding a few leaves, start using the leaves in your cooking and start routinely watering the tree. If you want to enhance the amount of humidity in your home, you should think about getting a room humidifier.
When cultivated outside in the landscape, bay laurel doesnt require a significant amount of food because it has a modest growth rate and doesnt need much. However, extra fertilizer is required for plants that are cultivated in containers.
A bay plant that has been cultivated in a container should be fertilized once in the spring and once again in the middle of the summer using a balanced natural fertilizers such as fish oil and kelp. It is also beneficial to give the top 2-3 inches of soil a little amendment of compost or manure each spring, taking care not to damage the plants thin roots.
This is the most significant distinction that can be made between a bay plant and other “common” herbs: the leaf harvesting process must be delayed until the plant is at at least two years old. Then, remove the desired amount of foliage by cutting it with sharp scissors or shears.
After you have harvested the leaves, spread them out in a single layer on a tray that has been coated in parchment paper, and then place the tray in a warm, dry location in your house to allow the leaves to dry for a several weeks. The dried bay leaves should be placed in a container that will keep air out, or they should be ground up and stored for later use.
How To Grow Bay Leaf Indoors
Even though bay laurel is not officially recognized as an invasive species, certain varieties are notorious for having aggressive root systems that can slowly but surely expand beyond the boundaries in which they were originally planted. If the soil is average and has good drainage, bay laurel can be grown either as a garden shrub that has to be clipped or as a full-sized landscape tree that can have a single or multiple stems.
It is cultivated in containers with an all-purpose potting mix the vast majority of the time (and always in colder climes). It is common practice to transport bay laurel plants that are grown in containers from one site to another, depending on the prevailing weather conditions.
Although bay laurel plants make lovely houseplants, throughout the summer months they do best when given some additional heat and light from the outdoors. Even though they are spending the summer outside, potted plants should still have some degree of shade protection from the direct sunlight.
If you are growing your bay tree indoors, place it near a window where it may get plenty of sunlight over the winter. Stay away from areas where you could be exposed to heat or drafts coming from appliances or ducts for heating and air conditioning. Plants that are grown outside like some shade, but they may survive in full sun. Some midday shade is preferable in locations that experience hot and dry summers.
If you intend to cultivate this tree in order to harvest its leaves and use them as a flavoring agent in your cooking, the plant will yield leaves with the most robust flavor if it is exposed to direct sunlight for at least some of the year.
This tree does best in garden soil that is average in texture (loamy, sandy, or even clay), and it is imperative that the soil be free of compaction. It will thrive in both acidic and alkaline soils with equal success. Normal, commercial potting mix can be used to successfully cultivate plants in containers.
Due to the fact that bay laurel roots are relatively shallow, it is possible that the plant will require frequent watering during periods of dry weather. This plant should be watered on a regular basis to maintain a moist soil, but the soil should not be allowed to become extremely wet as this could lead to rot. Between waterings, you should give the soil time to dry out a little bit, but you shouldnt allow it become completely dry.
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