Olive Tree

Olive trees are drought tolerant and, as such, can be left a little longer than most others before needing watering. It is recommended you provide adequate drainage for your olive tree, you really don’t want it sat in water as this will need to root-rot and cause the plant to quickly die back.

Olive trees require full sun for optimal health. If you choose to keep your olive tree indoors make sure it’s close to a window and if it’s outside be wary it’s not in a shady spot thorughout the day.

Olive trees can withstand a range in both temperature & humidity. They can handle the scorching heat of the mountains of Italy and Europe and can deal with the cold down to about -12 degrees celcius (but not for extended periods).

Olive trees can handle a mixture of different soil types, but whichever you choose it must have really good drainage. For the best mix choose a sandy soil with added grit or gravel.

Choose a fertiliser for your olive tree with high-nitorgen, this will help promote healthy growth during spring.

Some common pests for your olive tree include the twig borer, which is a type of beetle which lays its eggs into the branches of the tree. Once they hatch, they cause even further devastation boring deeper. You may also want to watch out for some fungal airborne diseases – ensure your olive tree has good circulation to help prevent this.

If kept indoors, you can repot your Olive tree annually in spring if you wish it grow significantly, or once every 2-3 years if you want to keep it at a more manageable height.