Sweet bay (Laurus noblis) from Monrovia is available at Jackson's Home & Garden, 6950 Lemmon Ave., 214-350-9200; and North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Road, 214-363-5316.

Marianne Favro reports. As gusty winds and heavy rain continue to pound the Bay Area, arborists say there are some signs that may give you advance warning before a tree falls.

5 bay tree problems and how to solve them Whether planted in a pot or straight into the ground, bays are wonderfully fragrant, and the leaves are valuable for using in the kitchen.

On the Peninsula that number was700; East Bay, 3,200; South Bay, 2,200 and North Bay, 2,000. The storm also temporarily knocked sports radio station KNBR off the air during their morning talk show.

Bay trees are very tolerant of minor pruning but can react badly to harder pruning. The best time to prune your bay tree is usually from late spring through to mid-summer. In summer, you should ...