Olives

[scotti]

Have a couple of Olive 'trees' from magazine promotions. Very small. Presently in pots. Brought inside 4/5 weeks ago as I assume not frost hardy. What is best way of looking after and what should I expect in way of fruit? Have you had success with plants this size, or do I need to buy bigger specimens to reap some reward?

[Mrs Dobby]

Hi Scotti and welcome to the vine! Cant say I have any experience of olive trees, but I do know that the ones in my Mum's garden in Corfu stay out all year and dont mind the odd frost or two! There's a thread about looking after olive trees here http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ead.php?t=3040
And I'm sure if you do a search for Olives on the search function that there will be a couple more threads about them, plus I'm sure some more knowledgeable folks will be along at some point who can answer your questions!

[Earthbabe]

Oops! I hadn't thought about the olive trees. I'll put them in the growhouse I think. I can't remember when we bought them. If it was last year mine should be fine (I hope) but probably best to err on the side of caution.

[SueA]

Hi Scotti, as your plants are still very small it's probably best to bring them in for the worst of winter, I got one from a free offer & it's still tiny & only in about a 4in pot & at the moment I've put it in a plastic greenhouse outside along with a larger one which I've had a few years (see threads with comments from Small Blue Planet, me & others about growing olives).I also have one which looks like a bonsai olive which I bought from Lidl & I have brought that into the kitchen to be safe. To get flowers & fruit you need to expose the trees to some cold in the winter, a few degrees above freezing & larger trees are hardy in most places unless you're in a really bad frost pocket.I don't expect we'll get anything on our 'mag. offer' ones for a few years yet & if you do get fruit you have to go through a process of 'curing' them before you can eat them. Good luck!

[scotti]

Hi, SueA, Looks like I'll have to invest in bigger one, but will nurse the others along. Thanks for links. Looking forward to searching. Live further South than you, but in a valley. We do not seem to get very cold winters, but like all gardens, there are microclimates. We tend to leave certain susceptible plants in for the winter rather than house them. Scotti

[DrBill]

I haven't room in the greenhouse for my olive. I will wrap it in fleece and put it somewhere sheltered and keep my fingers crossed!

[mazel-bee]

When I got my olive plant ( which sadly died ) I read that the plant will start to produce fruit in its eighth year. I'll have to get another one to find out!!

[Earthbabe]

I didn't know that mazel, I've only got another six or seven years to wait then.

[mrsm]

Have an olive tree in front garden (not in a pot) in Northern France - doing very well. This is its first full year and we have had a jar of olives from it. Not eaten yet though!!! Last winter we left it to its own devices and it survived. We intend to prune next year as it is growing in all directions.

[Lesley Jay]

Hi mrsm! Welcome to this mad house otherwise known as the Grapevine. What area in Northern France are you from?