Grow Your Own Magazine

this is my second attempt at growing an olive tree, killed the first one, had it for about three months watered it once a week, the leaves curled up dropped off and the plant died. my current plant is about 8 inches high, indoors in a bright room, but not in direct sunlight and i have had it about two months, i am watering it weekly but last week over half the leaves fell off. i would really appreciate any advice on how to keep it alive thanks

I've always kept my olive tree outside in a smallish pot - the woman I bought it off said to make sure the compost was free draining and not to use to big a pot. In winter I put it in an unheated greenhouse and pretty much stop watering, come to think of it I don't water much in summer either so maybe you were overwatering? Sorry can't give any more advice as I pretty much neglect mine and it's fine.

My aunty has a couple of olive plants in spain. They are realy healthy. Could it be anything to do with heat? Try different experiments. Adjust a few things and see if it makes a difference.

Hello what is your favourite type of plant?

Search the site for 'olive tree' - you should find at least a couple of threads and pictures. I've posted one or two on here....I've a couple of olives outdoors in pots, they're okay as long as they're free-draining.

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Manda.

"Wouldn't it be nice
For maybe an hour
To not have a care."

STOP WATERING IT!!!!!!!!! They hate too much water and don't feed it either. The worse conditions the better for an Olive Tree. If you overwater you will find the leaves turn brown and drop off. We brought ours back from the brink a couple of months ago. Olive trees grow in hot dry climate, they will stand the frost as long as it is not too harsh, if outside put it against the wall of the house to shelter. They can look almost completely dead and be brought back within 4-6 weeks. Good luck!

So my total neglect approach was acutally a calculated and organised consideration of the best possible conditions for an olive tree? Got to get it right sometimes!

That's your excuse, and one I frequently use too. Just smile and take the compliments when they come. It doesn't matter if you don't know what you are doing as long as you sound like you do.

Hi Estelle, I think you've probably been cossetting your olive too much like I do. It should be perfectly O.K. outdoors in summer even though it is still very small & may just need a little protection in winter. I've been bringing mine indoors for winter for a few years & have found out that that's probably why it has never flowered or produced fruit.

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Into every life a little rain must fall.

Think i am going to put an olive tree on my xmas list sounds like just sort of plant i could look after in a pot!!

They are fine in a pot or planted outdoors as long as you protect them during the frost. Use fleece or pack base of trunk with straw over winter.

Aha! Thanks. That makes absolute sense. I've been really careful with mine and it has never flowered even once. Right I 'm leaving it out to fend for itself this winter and will never feed it again!
Shall I swathe a little fleece round it or something in the cold do you think though?

Hi Pickledtink, yes definitely wrap the pot in bubblewrap and cover the plant with fleece to protect from the worst of the frost.

I've got 3 different olive plants now, 2 are very small & I might try bringing one in for winter & leaving the other outside wrapped up somewhere & the large one I'm thinking of leaving outside in the plastic 'growbag' greenhouse that I started my toms. off in, if it will fit in! Just hope we don't have a really cold winter, but I think they need temperatures of just a few degrees above zero for a short spell in winter for them to produce flowers. They don't like to be too wet though so I might have to watch that being in lovely sunny Manchester!

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Into every life a little rain must fall.

Mine's been subjected to temperatures like that most winters (but kept pretty dry) and I've never had any flowers - do they have to get to a certain age before they'll flower / fruit? Think the woman I bought it off told me but can't remember now - should listen more, or write it down for future reference.

Mine is two years old and we had flowers (not many though) this year, just glad we saved it.