When is the best time to prune bay trees?

Bay trees, or Laurus nobilis, should be pruned in the late spring and trimmed again at the end of the summer, according to SFGate. Pruning should never be done in the winter.

Bay trees can be pruned into shapes and topiaries. All pruning implements should be sanitized with a solution of one part bleach and nine parts water. Brown or damaged leaves must be removed and the suckers cut off, after which the tree can be pruned into the desired shape. Additional foliage can be taken at the end of the summer season. Bay leaf harvesting is done at any time of the year.