Scratch the bark test?

[Caro]

At my allotment gardeing course, we recently got let loose on the fruit trees at Pollok House (a national Trust property in Glasgow). Our teacher showed us how to gently scratch the bark to check whether a branch/twig was dead before pruning it off if it wasn't green underneath.

Does this work for pretty much every tree? If so, my olive has had it, a victim of the icy winter

Should I pull it up, or wait?

Thanks

[sarraceniac]

If your olive is fairly large then you can do the scratch test Caro. If it is still in a small pot then don't. Either way, I personally wouldn't bother. Mine keeps going dormant in the winter and shedding its leaves (it isn't supposed to) and the first time it did that I nearly composted it. Fortunately I forgot and in late June, early July it kicked back in. I really must remember to put it under glass next winter.

[Liza]

Caro don't do anything to it yet, give it a chance you may get new growth from the root stock even if the top has died off.

I have an olive that overwinters without loosing leaves, I bubble wrap the pot after the soil has dried out enough in early winter, she is now sprouting a load of new growth but saying that I am little bit more south than you.

Be patient olives are tough little cookies and good luck !

[Caro]

Thanks, both.

I'll just wait and see. And hope!

PS, not sure if it makes any difference, but the tree is in the ground, not in a container.

Thanks again