Other names include bay laurel, sweet bay, true laurel, Grecian laurel, laurel tree.
Laurus nobilis is an aromatic evergreen is native to the Mediterranean and its leaves were used by the ancient Greeks for flavouring dishes. Growing bay trees in your herb garden is very possible, the only problem is that bay is a tree and in ideal conditions will grow to around 30ft in height if left to its own devices. Buying a ready-made plant is the fastest way to start using bay in the kitchen!... Growing Bay From seed Bay can be started from seed but will take a long time to get going and germination rate is usually poor. If you decide to have a grow at sowing seed, fill a well-drained tray or pot with moist compost and gently sprinkle the seed on top. Cover with a layer of dry compost and keep warm until germination. Check on your seed packet for manufacturer's growing recommendations, as regions and needs will differ. From cuttings The other way to get bay growing in your garden, apart from buying a ready grown plant, is to take cuttings from a well-established plant. Take healthy looking cuttings from the plant, about 3 or 4 inches in length and push the cut end into a well-drained pot of compost. Keep warm and watered but never over-water. Re-pot when the plant has produced roots and is growing well. Caring for Bay Bay is particularly resistant to bugs and diseases as are most aromatic herbs. The main reason bay trees die in containers is lack of water. The leaves will start going brown if it's thirsty. Try to avoid letting the soil in the pot dry out completely, but make sure it's well-drained and not water-logged. In ideal conditions, a bay tree will grow well in the same pot for a number of years and is happy to be a little tight in the container before being re-potted. Tips Bring the plant indoors in the winter months or protect from extreme cold by putting into a greenhouse when the nights start drawing in. Bay can be stored well, although as it's an evergreen it's hardly worth using up extra storage space in the kitchen cupboards. As with most things in life, fresh is best! Bay is one of the ingredients generally used in the 'bouquet garni' mixture of herbs, and sprigs or individual leaves can be added to stews, casseroles and curries. Remember to remove leaves before serving.
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