Selling Bay Leaves
Mr. Johnson,
I have been nurturing a bay leaf tree in my garden for the past 10 years. The tree is now nearly 13 feet tall! I need to trim it back and hate to waste all of those flavorful leaves. Do you know if there is a way I can sell those leaves to an herb vendor? Or if you know of any local markets that may wish to purchase bay leaves? I would like to prune the tree back and I know I’ll have hundreds/ thousands of leaves to spare.
Sherrie
Hi Sherrie, happy post Thanksgiving.
One of best ways to sell is in local farmer’s mkt. or health food type grocer. Emphasize no pesticides, natural etc.
Also if you have long branches you might consider adding value by creating wreaths using the long branches and now not only does one have an “edible wreath” but it also is aromatic if placed indoors.
Hope this helps and also I don’t know where you live, but congrats on your continuing success with your bay tree. Quite an accomplishment!!
Herbanite bobj
Reader Comments
I am 13 and i have the same issue. I am wanting to sell Bay Leaves, but where can i sell them to?
Celia (Adelaide, SA)
Hi Celia,
Gosh at age 13 what an entrepreneur you are!!! An entrepreneur is one who finds better ways to do things and sometimes makes a profit doing that. Keep up your good work.
Bay leaves tend to have the most value in areas where the bay tree/bush itself can not survive outside all year so they have to buy them. If you are in tropical climate where warm all year then less values since trees live there all year long.
One of the highest values you can have is to do some cuttings from existing bay tree branches and root them to become what are called “bay topiaries”. This is nothing but a bay tree shaped with a “ball” or “two ball” structures on top. It then becomes a topiary and is called either a single or double topiary depending on how many balls on it. Because it takes a long time to grow in many climates and requires some pruning to develop the shape, then the labor adds to it’s value. Don’t do only 5 or 10 topiaries but grow 50 – 100 outside in your yard, in submerged pots so can remove it when it’s 2- 3 feet tall, and sell.
Realize not exactly selling leaves but another way to make money. If you in tropical climate and want to sell leaves then create unique packaging, preferably with story of you and your business and sell on internet.
Keep working.
Herbanite Bob
Hi celia, I’m from the Philippines, and using bay leaf as main components of my organic insect repellant is one way of making use of your extra bay leaf. mix it with cinnamon powder and dried oregano leaves, wrap in small piece of cloth, throw inside your closet, and you have a sweet smelling insect repellant potpouri.
I have the same question – I live in Romford, Essex.UK
I have a large bay-leaf tree/bush in the garden which I have been pruning for years – I always feel that it is such a waste throwing the leaves away every year.
I always wanted to start a modest business – could this be it?
Sandeep (Essex,UK)
Neat marketing concept with Evelyne’s post is not only use bay leaves with cinammon and oregano but if all ingredients organically raised then that would add value. Bay also used with other herbs/spices to make culinary blends and package with outside of pack being a sprig of bay.
excellent writing .
WHere can I get Holy Basil leaves or buy a plant?
can i buy some bay leaves because i want it to my study in research where do i this bay leaf please report back to my email …
Where can I purchase a small bayloeaf tree.