How to prune bay laurel

Late spring after the risk of frost has passed; light tidying in late summer. Trim new growth with clean secateurs or shears to maintain the desired shape. Remove dead or crossing branches at their base. For established standards, clip new growth back to the desired outline 2–3 times through summer. Avoid cutting in frost-prone periods.

1–2 times per year for informal growth; 2–3 times for topiary. Bay laurel is a slow-growing evergreen shrub or tree that needs only light pruning. Trim to maintain shape and size once or twice a year. Remove any crossing, crowded, or dead branches. If trained as a standard or topiary, clip more frequently through summer. Bay tolerates hard pruning if needed to reduce an overgrown specimen.

Trim new growth with clean secateurs or shears to maintain the desired shape. Remove dead or crossing branches at their base. For established standards, clip new growth back to the desired outline 2–3 times through summer. Avoid cutting in frost-prone periods.