Olive tree: The Mediterranean tree in the garden

Olive trees are the epitome of the Mediterranean. But with a little gardening skill, olive trees can also grow here. We show what needs to be considered.

With an olive tree (Olea europaea) you bring the Mediterranean into your garden. The tree not only impresses with its silvery, shimmering leaves and gnarled trunk, but also has added value: After a few years, you can even nibble on the delicious fruit. But in order for the harvest to work, a little time has to be invested in care and location selection. For this you will be rewarded with a he althy tree that can grow incredibly old. The oldest olive tree in the world is around 4000 years old. The next generations of hobby gardeners will also benefit from your property for a long time to come.

The olive tree: a short profile

Olive trees not only provide delicious fruit, but are also a treat for the eyes. Vincent van Gogh raved about their characteristic appearance and the beautiful play of colors that is revealed when looking at the leaves. Here we have summarized the most important information about the olive tree:

• Olive tree, also real olive tree
• Botanical name: Olea europaea
• Genus: Olive Tree (Olea)
• Family: Olive Family (Oleaceae)
• Area of distribution: Mediterranean region, Middle East, South Africa
• Life expectancy: Several hundred years
• Growth: up to 20 m; up to 2 m in tubs, slow growth
• Root system: shallow roots up to 1 m deep; in very loose soil up to a depth of 7 m

• Growth Form: Shrub or Trunk
• Leaves: Evergreen; upper side of leaf: grey-green; Underside of leaf: Silvery shiny
• Flower: Inflorescences of up to 40 white or yellow hermaphrodite flowers are formed on this year's wood
• Flowering time: Depending on temperature and light, between April and June
• Soil: Well-drained garden soil mixed with sand & humus
• Location: Full sun and sheltered from the wind
• Water requirement: Low
• Fertilization: from 2 years every 2 weeks with liquid fertilizer
• Propagation: seeds or cuttings

Buying an olive tree: what to look out for

Since supply determines demand, there are more and more garden centres, hardware stores and online plant mail order companies selling Mediterranean plants. Because more and more plant lovers want to enjoy the Mediterranean atmosphere outside of their holidays in Spain or Italy. The prices range from discounter level to really steep. Unfortunately, the price usually says very little about the quality of the goods. It says: Keep your eyes open when buying an olive tree. It is best to ask yourself the following questions before deciding on a tree:

• Up to what temperature is the tree hardy?
• Oil olive or to be harvested?
• Does the plant look he althy?

Don't trust any seller who sells his wares as fully hardy. That is simply a lie and screams incompetence. If you value quality and good advice, it is best to go to a specialist dealer for Mediterranean plants. It's definitely worth the small extra charge.

Plant olive tree

Since olive trees are not used to the German weather and certainly not to our cold, wet winters, choosing the right location is even more important than caring for the undemanding tree. As far as watering and fertilizing is concerned, the robust tree is rather undemanding. But the wrong place means the premature end for the tree, which can actually be several hundred years old.

Olive Tree: The Right Location

The distribution area of the olive tree is primarily the Mediterranean area. The gnarled plants can also be found in the Middle East and South Africa. It is therefore important to find a place in our somewhat cooler, domestic gardens that does justice to the heat-spoiled southern countries. The location of your olive tree should be chosen carefully as although the trees are hardy they need it to be as sunny and warm as possible. In addition, some varieties are extremely sensitive to wind. Therefore: The ideal location for olive trees is in full sun, warm and sheltered from the wind.

The olive tree thrives best at an average annual temperature of 15 to 20 °C. Unfortunately, that doesn't work out here. But the olive tree does not like being kept indoors. Room olives do not grow well and quickly shed their leaves. Therefore, the ideal year-round place for an olive tree is a heated oneconservatory. But a sheltered spot in the garden, on the balcony or on the terrace is also gratefully accepted in summer.

In winter, however, the trees must move to a sheltered winter quarters or receive proper winter protection. If you decide to plant out despite the winter difficulties, you should consider that olives can be up to 5 meters in diameter. This means both the crown and the roots. So keep a good distance from the next woody area so that the plants don't get in each other's way.

Note: Underplanting with thyme and rosemary is not only the perfect finishing touch for a Mediterranean-style garden, it also loosens and protects the soil.

Plant the olive tree in a pot or in a bed?

Olive trees are used to the warm, dry weather of maritime areas. Planting out in our region is therefore only possible to a limited extent for robust and cold-tolerant varieties and is associated with problems and risks.

It usually gets too wet and cold for our plants in winter because they are only partially hardy. In Germany, only the Rhine Valley, with its warmer microclimate, is usually suitable for planting, and proper winter protection is also needed here. It is safer and more comfortable if you cultivate your olive in a bucket. In winter, it can simply move to a bright location that is protected from frost and rain. Here you will find tips and tricks for successfully planting potted olive trees.

Olive Tree: The Right Soil

The trees are less demanding on the ground than on the location. After all, they are not exactly spoiled in their main growing area, Spain. It should only be somewhat loose and permeable.

When planting, simply use garden soil that you mix with sand and humus. In a pinch, potting soil also does its job. The soil permeability decides on the subsequent root growth of the plants. If the soil is very loose, the roots can reach up to 7 meters deep into the ground. Otherwise, olives are flat-rooted. Most roots reach a maximum depth of 1 meter. That is why olive trees are so well suited as a container plant. In any case, make sure that the soil is well drained. Waterlogging is not well tolerated.

Care for the olive tree: Water, fertilize and

Although the location is important when your olive tree thrives, with the right care you can avoid diseases and pests. Because especially too much moisture can quickly become a big problem.

Water the olive tree correctly

An olive tree can also cope with dry periods and hot temperatures. Planted in the garden, it usually does not need to be watered at all. With their long roots, the trees reach deep into the earth and fetch the water they need. Potted plants, on the other hand, need to be watered regularly. However, the plants do not tolerate waterlogging. Water when the soil is superficially dry. In between, the whole tree can be sprayed with a water atomizer.

Fertilize the olive tree correctly

Young plants should only be fertilized very sparingly. From the age of 2 years, fertilize with a little liquid fertilizer in the irrigation water every 2 weeks in summer. Since the trees can react very sensitively to over-fertilization, the use of an organic fertilizer is recommended. This has a slowly releasing depot effect and thus reduces the risk of over-fertilization. Pay particular attention to a sufficient supply of potassium, which makes the plants more resistant to cold, especially in the case of trees that have been planted out. When planting, mix in the soil with eggshell, potash, or bone meal, or mulch with comfrey or bracken. You can find more information on fertilizing olive trees in our special article. An organic liquid fertilizer such as our Plantura Organic Citrus & Mediterranean Fertilizer, which is simply added to the irrigation water, is ideal.

Repot olive tree

Olive trees are very sluggish when it comes to growth, but at some point their old pot will become too small for them too. Repot your olive tree at the latest when the first roots grow out of the pot's drainage hole. On the one hand, the roots then have no more space to grow further, on the other hand, the water drain is blocked and there is an increased risk of waterlogging. You shouldn't wait that long for optimal growth. To do this, repot your olive tree regularly every 2 to 3 years. Simply remove the olive tree from its old pot and treat your olive to a pot about 4 centimeters larger with fresh soil. You can find the exact procedure and other useful information about repotting olive trees here.

Pruning olive tree:How it's done

Olive trees can be raised to impressive bonsai with a few targeted cuts, even by beginners. Minor pruning can be done throughout the year. Otherwise, manual work is done in early spring, when the tree has gained a lot of strength from the hibernation. There are two types of pruning:

• Pruning for training: Shoots that are too long are shortened so that the outer crown stays in shape
• Inner crown pruning: if shoots cross, the weaker shoot is removed

The pruning not only brings your olive tree into shape. It also guarantees that all leaves get enough sun. In addition, you should remove diseased or dead plant parts throughout the year. This maintains the he alth of your olive tree. Detailed instructions for the optimal pruning of olive trees can be found here.

Wintering Olive Tree

Olive trees are only conditionally hardy. Our cold and wet winters are simply too much for the plants adapted to the Mediterranean sun and a dry climate. So that you can still feel like you are on holiday in your garden or on the balcony, your olive tree must be stored properly in winter. For specimens planted out, the trunk and crown are wrapped with winter fleece and the root disc is covered with a protective layer of leaves, brushwood, mulch or conifer branches. Pot olives migrate to a bright winter quarters that is cool but frost-free. You can read about how to keep the chances of successfully overwintering the olive tree as high as possible in our special article.

Propagate your own olive tree

Olive trees are not cheap. But like any plant, the olive tree can be propagated with the right know-how. This works great with seeds and cuttings. No matter which variant you choose, the successful propagation of olive trees depends on warm and cozy temperatures.

Growing Olive Tree from Seed

Offspring from seeds is possible, but not always successful. If you still want to dare to grow your own olive tree from seeds, seeds from the trade or from fresh, fully ripe fruits are suitable. You cannot use the pits of pickled or otherwise processed olives for this. Thisare unfortunately no longer germinable. Even whole fruits cannot simply be stuck into the ground. First remove the pulp and soak the core in warm water for 24 hours. Only then does the seed coat become permeable to water and germination can begin. For even better water absorption, you can lightly roughen the core with sandpaper before planting. After the pre-treatment, you can start sowing.

• Fill a small pot with potting soil
• Put the core about 1 cm deep in a pot with potting soil
• Use a water sprayer to keep the soil moist with the core
• Location: bright, at least 20 °C
• Germination time: A few weeks

Propagating olive trees by cuttings

Propagation via cuttings should be the variant of choice, especially for the inexperienced, because it is easy to carry out and promises a higher success rate than propagation via seeds. For this, look for a shoot that is as young as possible and not woody. If you have selected a he althy candidate, the procedure is as follows:

• Cut the cutting to a length of about 5 to 10 cm
• The cut is set as diagonally as possible
• Small pot is filled with potting soil
• The lower leaves of the cutting are removed
• The cutting is inserted 1 to 2 cm into the soil and the soil is lightly pressed all around
• Water gently
• Location: Bright and warm, e.g. windowsill
• Optimal temperature: 20 to 25 °C
• Keep substrate moist but not wet
• The cutting has rooted when the first new leaves develop

Harvest your own olives

Olive trees flower for the first time after 7 to 8 years. But only if the location and care are right. The years of work are then rewarded with delicious olives. If you plan to harvest olives, it is best to use a self-pollinating, hardy variety. Cross-pollinated strains need an extra second tree to turn the buds into something nutritious. But even with self-pollinators, having a second tree nearby has positive effects on crop yield.

Note: Trees from the nursery are usually between 3 and 4 years old.

It is difficult to determine the time of harvest according to the calendar. It depends on the time of flowering. ThisHowever, this does not take place at a specific time of the year, but depends on the local light and temperature conditions. In our climate zone, the flowers usually appear from April to the end of June. There are particularly many flowers if you make sure before flowering that the plant is not exposed to drought stress or lack of nutrients. After pollination of the flowers, fruiting occurs. This can last until autumn or even winter. Can be harvested when the fruit is:

• Color change from green to red-purple or black (the darker, the milder the aroma)
• Pulp yields under pressure

The unripe green fruits can also be harvested. However, these must be debittered by pickling before they can be enjoyed. Don't fret if the first crop is small. The maximum yield is only delivered by the trees when they are between 50 and 100 years old.

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The olive tree is not the only plant that can spread Mediterranean flair in the garden. You can find more plants for a Mediterranean garden in our article.