How to Grow a Bay Laurel Plant

Growing From Seeds

• 1

  Plant one or more bay laurel seeds in a tray or pot full of potting soil, or compost. Unless you are planting in a warm, sunny and humid spring with reliable temperatures over 60 degrees Fahrenheit, keep that tray or pot indoors, exposed to sunlight, and covered with a plastic top or bag, to maintain proper temperature and humidity.

• 2

  Dampen the soil in the tray or pot regularly by sprinkling or misting with water, and avoid soaking the potting soil. The seeds typically germinate in less than two weeks, although sometimes germination takes longer. Move the bay laurel outdoors after a year, and place or replant it in a location where it will receive plenty of sunlight.

• 3

  Water the bay laurel lightly, unless the heat rises to such high levels that the plant is in danger of wilting.

• 4

  Cover the ground around the base of the plant with bracken or straw at the onset of winter to help protect its roots from frost, if you live in an area where frosts are normal.

• 5

  Cut back the branches of the bay laurel in the early weeks of every spring with a pruning tool, both to control the shape and growth of the plant and to encourage the sprouting of more leaves. Spread mulch around the base to help the plant retain moisture.

Propagating From Stem Cuttings

• 6

  Propagate an existing bay laurel plant by taking a stem cutting in late summer or early autumn.

• 7

  Choose a branch between 4 and 6 inches in length and slice it off the trunk with a sharp knife, retaining part of the trunk (this part is called a "heel"). Trim all the leaves off the cutting except the top three or four.

• 8

  Plant the cutting in pot of potting compost, and keep the pot in a warm place with high humidity and out of direct sunlight. This will probably dictate keeping the cutting indoors and under a plastic bag, to retain moisture. Keep the compost moist as necessary with sprinklings or mistings of water, and the cutting should sprout roots of its own within a year.