preparing/harvesting olives

[snakeshack]

bought an olive tree in morrisons last year for 12 quid and had 50 - 60 olives on it by the end of the season.
Ileft them on the tree until they were ripe but they were inedible,does anyone know when they shoulod be harvested and how to prepare them for eating as I have a wealth of flower buds coming again.

[BarleySugar]

There is quite a lot of info on the net. I looked it up last year, but decided it was all too much hassle. This is one method I found, using brine to leach out the bitterness. Hunter Olive Association
I did find another that used sodium hydroxide, which sounded a bit nasty to tell the truth. I used to work as an analytical chemist, and know how badly it can burn. I didn't save the link to that one.

[snakeshack]

thanks for that,looks like a lot of work for 2 jars of olives though.
think i may just go back to morrisons and buy the olives

[ClayGarden]

can we grow olives this side of the channel?

[crichmond]

This thread may interest you

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ree_11899.html