If I could only grow one herb plant indoors, I would grow a bay tree – seriously!  More specifically, the Mediterranean shrub bay laurel (Laurus nobilis)

Now for anyone who knows me, I would go stir crazy growing just one herb indoors. Every winter I cart a couple dozen or more herb plants indoors, and every spring I take the surviving (or not-so-surviving) herb plants back outdoors for the summer.

But there was a time when I didn’t have any outdoor space, and very limited indoor space to grow herbs.  I had to choose carefully what herbs I would grow.

Bay laurel grew reliably in my apartment many moons ago, and grows reliably in my house today — although today my bay tree benefits from time outdoors on the deck in the summer 🙂

So here’s why bay laurel is my top pick for an indoor herb garden:

1. Bay laurel is an easy herb to grow indoors.

If I could only grow one herb plant indoors, it would need to be easy to take care of  bay laurel fits the bill. 

A bay tree makes a great houseplant.   In my opinion, it just as easy to care for a bay tree as it is to care for any other houseplant, which I really can’t say for any other herbs I grow indoors.  

Put the plant in a sunny window — yes, it will grow quite nicely without grow lights 🙂 — and water regularly as you would any other house plant.

And although it will benefit from being outdoors for the spring/summer, a bay tree can be grown indoors year-round.

2. Bay laurel looks good 🙂

If I could grow only one herb plant indoors, it would need to add to the decor – doubling up as a decorative plant.

With glossy green leaves, and relatively slow growth, a bay tree makes for a very lovely  houseplant.

Plant your bay tree in a generous sized attractive container –  it can live in the same pot for a few years before needing to be transplanted again.

Bay laurel stays attractive without any pruning, but can be pruned if you wish – i.e. if you want your bay to look more like a tree, prune the lower branches.  Use the leaves you cut off, or dry them for future culinary adventures 🙂

3. Bay Laurel has a long life span.

If I could grow only one herb plant indoors, it would need to live for many years.

I would not want to be continuously replacing the herb plant every few months or so.

Given adequate growing conditions, most bay trees grown in a container can happily grow for many years — over 10 years is quite common, and even 20+ years is not unheard of.

4. Bay laurel does not succumb easily to pests.

If I could grow only one herb plant indoors, I would not want it to be the one plant that indoor plant pests flock to.  Luckily, most herb plants are not a bug’s first choice, and are more likely to deter pests rather than attract them.

In addition, bay’s leaves are tough and leathery, making it less likely to be irreparably damaged should you develop a pest infestation on your plant.

Like all houseplants, monitor your bay tree regularly for any sign of pests.  Indoors, there are no natural predators to control small bug infestations.

If you  take your bay laurel or other houseplants outside for the summer – whether on a balcony or porch, give it a good washing before you bring it indoors to minimize the risk of bringing pests indoors.

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If you are growing the bay laurel to use the leaves for culinary purposes, stay away from toxic pesticides if you ever need to treat a pest infestation.

5.  I Never Have To Buy Bay Leaves Again 🙂

If I could grow only one herb plant indoors, that herb plant would need to give me good value for the effort of growing it.

For me, my bay laurel over-delivers in value.

Bay is one of those herbs that you don’t use much at any one time  but when you need it, it makes a world of difference to the flavour of the food – it’s a classic addition to soups and stews.

And one bay leaf plant is usually more than enough to provide a steady supply of bay leaves on demand.

I find it really convenient having a live bay plant growing near-by that I can pluck a couple of leaves off whenever I want.

I use fresh bay leaves all the time in place of dried, and it works wonderfully for me.  It’s one of those herbs where you can easily substitute fresh for dried with fragrant flavourful results.  Also, older leaves tend to impart more flavour.

And if you prefer drying your bay leaves, they are very easy to dry – pick a bunch of bay leaves, and lay them out for a few days.  They will dry beautifully.

Fresh or dried – home grown freshly picked bay leaves are generally more aromatic than store-bought bay leaves, and you don’t need to worry about running out 🙂

And I smile when I think of all the money I save not having to buy those little bottles of bay leaves at the grocery store – ever!

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How To Get Started Growing Your Own Indoor Bay Laurel

To start, buy a bay laurel plant from a reliable nursery – they are usually sold in 3 to 4 inch pots.   I bought my bay laurel from Richters Herbs.  Here’s the link to RIchters if you want to check out their bay laurel products.

You should have an ample supply of bay leaves in a few months — bay laurel grows faster in the summer, especially if it has some time outdoors, and its growth slows down significantly over the winter.

You may occasionally find nurseries selling large bay trees with a large price tag to go with the size – I personally don’t think it’s worth spending the money on a large bay laurel, as within a few months to a year, you should have an ample supply of bay leaves from the small plant.

When you get your bay laurel home, transplant it to a larger pot with well-draining soil.  A small bay tree adapts well  being transplanted to a 12 inch pot or larger.  I used a standard potting mix and a 15 inch pot for my bay laurel.

I give my bay tree a good watering once a week, but how often you water will depend on the size of your container, size of your plant, and how dry the indoor air is.

If you could grow just one herb indoors,  what would it be?

Happy Gardening 🙂
Barb

P.S. Visit Richters Herbs online for your bay tree – and check out the wide range of herbs they carry.

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