ARTY'S GARDEN: No Need to Buy Bay Leaves When You Grow Your Own

Originally published in the July 24, 2013, issue

By Arty Schronce

I read that bay, Laurus nobilis, was not hardy in Atlanta, and I struggled growing it in a pot indoors. Around 1996 I planted my one-foot-tall bay plant outside since I was tired of carrying it in and out.

Earlier this month I pruned off some of the limbs and branches of my bay (now practically a tree) yet again to keep them from touching the power line going into the house. I even had to take a saw to one of the limbs. Needless to say, the bay proved itself more than winter hardy for me. And to think I struggled with a small plant in a pot for so long. 

I have not bought any bay leaves in years. When a recipe calls for them, I walk into my garden pantry and pick whatever I need. My love of my bay is not just about the convenience or the money I’ve saved; I have also become a bay snob. Those dried-up bay leaves in cans and little jars at the supermarket don’t pack the flavor and fragrance of my Georgia-grown leaves. Who knows when those store-bought leaves were picked or how long they have been on the shelf?

In the kitchen, bay is an essential herb used in spaghetti sauce, stews, soups, gumbos, roast chicken, pork, stuffing and seafood boils. I use bay leaves to prepare black-eyed peas and black bean soup. Because the leaves are tough, they are removed before serving. In going through recipes, I found one in which you simmer bay leaves in milk to make hot chocolate. I’m going to try that as soon as we have our first cold snap.

Bay plants are slow to start from both seed and cuttings, so the quickest way to get one is to buy one. Due to the difficulty in propagation, bay is more expensive than other herbs, but is worth it. Remember, you’ll never have to buy a bay leaf again. Look for bay in the herb section of your nursery or garden center. Bay is sometimes referred to as “true laurel,” “sweet bay” or “bay laurel.” Do not confuse it with the sweetbay magnolia, Magnolia virginiana, or other plants with bay or laurel in their names.

Plant your bay in a sunny location in well-drained soil. A southern or eastern exposure is ideal. Gardeners in the Georgia mountains who want to grow bay may not be as successful as I have been. They may experiment by planting it in a sunny spot protected from winter winds. Planting near a south-facing brick wall will provide even more protection from the cold.

No one has to let their bay get as large as mine. It can be kept pruned to a smaller size. If you don’t have room for a bay or think you’ll never use many leaves, see if you can plant one in a common area such as a church or a community garden where it could shared with others.

Bay is also one of the traditional greens of Christmas. Include branches of bay with holly, fir, rosemary and pine when making wreaths or filling vases with greenery. Bay branches tied together with attractive bows make welcome and inexpensive gifts for the cooks on your Christmas list. When I share bay with friends from up north, where it is indeed not winter hardy, they treat me like a sultan of the Spice Islands bestowing riches. 

I wonder if any Georgia Christmas tree growers have considered growing bay (as well as rosemary) to make wreaths or to sell as greenery. Though fir, pine trees and greenery get composted after the holidays, leaves of a dried bay wreath could be used in the kitchen all year. That might be a good selling point ... along with some of that bay-infused hot chocolate.

Arty Schronce is the Department’s resident gardening expert. He’s a lifelong gardener and a horticulture graduate from North Carolina State University, and encourages everyone to take pleasure in their plants and gardens.