Bay trees help

squelchyno1

I have owned 2 twisted bay trees for 3 years. I love them and use bay in my cooking most days. However I think they are looking sick. The ball is very sparse, and the leaves are yellow/green. I repotted them into new compost 1 month ago hoping they might improve but they have not changed. Can any offer any advice Are they sick? What can I do to improve them?

Dovefromabove

They're not going to put on new leaves at this time of year, but hopefully in the spring you'll see new growth. 

I grow mine in a loam based John Innes No 3 and added horticultural grit in a ratio of 1 part grit to 3 of the compost.  

Bays are quite hungry plants and I feed spring and mid summer with Fish, Blood and Bone and in the summer I spray the foliage every couple of weeks with a seaweed-based foliar feed. 

squelchyno1

ok thanks for the advice - i will try and post a picture in the morning

I used normal multipurpose compost to pot on, new containers.  I didn't soak the rootball but did tease out the roots as they got very matted.  maybe you are right that they will improve in the new year, but i was hoping thy would be a little denser than they appear now

 

Dovefromabove

I don't think they'll be happy in normal multi-purpose compost -  fine for short-lived bedding plants etc, but they need something more substantial - they're trees and need proper soil i.e. loam-based compost in a large container .