When to Plant Bay Tree in Melbourne, Cool Temperate Guide
What this month normally looks like in Cool Temperate
In October the Cool Temperate zone normally runs 19°C by day and 8°C overnight, with about 67 mm of rain over 9 or 10 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -3.0°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 28 postcodes, SILO.
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This Bay Tree guide is written for the Cool Temperate zone, which takes in Melbourne, Hobart and Geelong. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Mar to Apr, Sep to Nov
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 80 cm apart
- Soil pH
- slightly acid–neutral
Bay is a slow growing, dense evergreen tree whose leaves flavour stews, soups and sauces. In the ground it can reach 4 to 8 m, so most home gardeners keep it in a large pot or clip it into a hedge or topiary.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cool Temperate
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar P
- Apr P
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep P
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Frost tolerant once established (Garden Express, Evergreen Trees). Plant in autumn or spring. Full sun or part shade. A slow grower that does well in a large pot.
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How to Grow Bay Tree in Cool Temperate Australia
- Soil
- Free draining, moist soil with plenty of humus (Garden Express). Loam or sandy loam, slightly acid to neutral (Evergreen Trees). Dig in well rotted compost or manure before planting (Garden Express).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- slightly acid to neutral
- Sunlight
- Full sun or part shade (Garden Express, Evergreen Trees).
- Spacing
- 80cm apart
- Watering
- Deep water twice a week in the first 12 months, then about weekly in dry spells (Evergreen Trees). Moderate water. It dislikes waterlogging and also dislikes drying out, and the roots are shallow (Garden Express).
Cool Temperate Growing Tips for Bay Tree
Recommended Varieties
- Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis)
Key Challenges
- Slow growth
- Wet winter soil
Pro Tips
- Free draining soil
- Large pot if the soil is heavy
Pests and problems for Bay Tree in Cool Temperate
Harvesting Bay Tree
When ready: Pick leaves from an established plant. The flavour and smell are strongest before flowering (Garden Express).
How to harvest: Pick whole leaves or snip small sprigs, a few at a time. Pinch growing tips in the warm months to make it bushier (Gardening with Angus).
Storing and preserving bay tree
How to keep it
- Drying. Dry the leaves flat in a dark, airy place until crisp, then store whole in a jar. No Australian source read, so treat this as general practice.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Bay Tree
When do you plant bay tree in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Sep
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to May, Sep to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Mar to May, Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Mar to Apr, Sep to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Nov
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to May, Aug to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May, Aug to Oct
When should I plant Bay Tree in Melbourne?
Frost tolerant once established (Garden Express, Evergreen Trees). Plant in autumn or spring. Full sun or part shade. A slow grower that does well in a large pot.
How do I know when Bay Tree are ready to harvest?
Pick leaves from an established plant. The flavour and smell are strongest before flowering (Garden Express).
What are the best Bay Tree varieties for Melbourne?
Recommended varieties for the Cool Temperate zone include: Bay laurel (Laurus nobilis).
Are bay tree salt tolerant?
Only a little. Bay tree are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cool Temperate zone, Melbourne is its reference city.