How I look after my ancient and new olive trees

My 200yr old Olive bonsai

200yr old olive tree

I have owned this tree for 10yrs, originally it was growing in an olive grove in Spain. Eventually the trees get too old to be productive and are dug up to be replaced with a younger tree. The branches and most of the roots are cut off and they are transported to their new destination. The olives do nothing for a couple of years then suddenly sprout again like magic (proving what a hardy amazing plant they are). Mine came from The Olive Grove Oundle. They are an investment so it’s important to site and look after them correctly.

My young olives

Young olives, if pruned correctly, will produce olives but they are less hardy than the older trees and therefore need more protection in the winter, for this reason I have mine in pots that can be moved if need be. These lollipop shaped trees look lovely either side of a doorway and I have fairy lights in these too.

Planting your Olive

Olives need good drainage, dislike cold wind and need as much sun as possible, these are the most important considerations to make when choosing a position in your garden. You can plant your tree in the ground but it must be in a location that will not get water logged. My tree is in a pot, to raise it up, this part of my garden is at a low point and the roots would end up sitting in water. Olives don’t mind what soil they are planted in but add some gravel to the base of your hole/pot and mix grit with the remaining soil to aid drainage. I had the bottom of the pot removed so that the roots can go a little way into the ground. These bonsai olives are such a lovely feature I think they are best placed next to a seating area where the beauty of the old trunk can be admired. I also have fairy lights in mine year round on a timer.

It took four of us to repot this tree

My olive was delivered in a small plastic pot and this, as for all Mediterranean plants, is the worst material as plastic stops the roots breathing – terracotta or wood is best. I made the decision to repot it as soon as possible into a half whisky barrel with the base removed. Be warned these trees are very heavy and its no easy task.

Hardiness

Old Olives are much hardier than people think if they are planted in the right location, and are ok with temperatures down to -10c . What they really dislike are freezing winds, so wind protection is a must. I only wrap the pot (to protect the roots) if there is going to be a sustained cold period. I have never wrapped the foliage.

Feeding and watering

To remain heathy, olives need regular watering. I give mine an increasing amount through the spring – in the summer a couple of watering cans a day and in the winter I will water every couple of weeks. Some people set up irrigation systems which drip constantly.

I start feeding my olive in spring with a few doses of tomato feed then spread some multi purpose granules over the surface which dissolve slowly as you water.

Olives trees will not die without food or water (they are drought tolerant) but they won’t look as healthy and certainly won’t produce flowers or olives.

Some years my olive has lost a lot of leaves in the spring as they turn yellow and fall off. After a good feed it soon recovers and looks as good as new by the summer.

Pruning

Pruning is personal choice, you do not have to prune your olive at all if you prefer a natural shape. I prune my old olive to keep the foliage dense, the leaves grow on the ends of the branches so the tree ends up sparse in the centre if you leave it natural. Other people prune theirs into more extreme topiary shapes. Younger olive trees do need to be pruned if you want olives from them, the flowers and subsequent olives only grow on year old foliage.

If you do decide to prune your trees, this must be done in late spring or early summer to give the new growth that it will stimulate time to harden off before the winter. New tender shoots will be damaged by frost so it is very important not to prune in late summer/autumn.

I have made a YouTube video – PRESS HERE – which shows how I prune my trees in more detail.

There is another benefit to pruning your trees – all the spare foliage. This year I made a simple door wreath with mine.

I often show my olive trees on my Instagram account and there is a highlight HERE