By: Amy Grant Show
Did you know you can grow olive trees in the landscape? Growing olive trees is relatively simple given the proper location and olive tree care is not too demanding either. Let’s find out more about how to grow olive trees. Growing Olive TreesThink of olive trees and one visualizes the warm sunny Mediterranean, but olive trees can be grown in North America as well. Most aptly suited to areas which are prone to high heat and plenty of sunshine, the olive tree should be planted outside and once established is fairly low maintenance. Olive trees have lovely silver leaves, which will compliment many other plantings of the garden but are also grown for their fruit. The olive tree’s fruit can be pressed for oil or cured (brined) and eaten. There are other plants which bear the name “olive,” so make sure to look for a European olive tree when you are growing olive trees. Some cultivars that flourish here are self-fertilizing ones such as Arbequina and Mission, grown for oil and Manzanilla, which is the typical “California” black olive suitable for canning. How to Grow Olive TreesMost olive trees take about three years to come into maturity and begin to set noticeable amounts of fruit. To increase fruit set, it is recommended that you plant more than one cultivar close together. Olive trees like to be planted in well drained soil in a sunny area of the landscape. The olive tree is an evergreen that flourishes in hot dry areas and as such, will not do well in wet winter soil. Olive trees are usually purchased in either 4 inch (10 cm.) pots with numerous side branches and a height of 18 to 24 inches (46-61 cm.) or in a 1-gallon pot with a single trunk and a height of 4 to 5 feet (1-1.5 m.). Unless you are growing an olive tree for a strictly ornamental purpose, it is most advisable to plant a specimen with a single trunk for ease of harvest. Look for olive tree specimens that are actively growing with soft new growth sprouting from the shoot tips. In an olive tree orchard, the trees are spaced 20 feet (6 m.) apart to accommodate their eventual size, however, there is no strict rule of thumb on spacing. Spacing will vary according to the cultivar. Dig a hole the size of the olive tree’s container. Leave the root ball alone except to remove or cut any circling roots. Do not add soil medium, compost, or fertilizer to the newly planted olive tree. Also, avoid adding gravel or drainage tubing. It is best for the young olive tree to acclimate to its soil. Olive Tree CareOnce your new olive tree is planted, it is a good idea to provide drip irrigation as the tree will need water every day, especially during the summer months throughout its first year. Once you begin to see a quantity of new growth, feed the olive tree with nitrogen rich compost, conventional fertilizer, or concentrated organic. Minimally prune during the first four years, only enough to maintain shape. The young olive tree may need to be staked right up against the trunk to assist with stability. Commercial olive tree growers harvest fruit in September or October for canning purposes and small fruit is left until January or February and then pressed for oil.
Olive plants (Olea europaea) require certain growing conditions, but they are capable of living for a very long time. In fact, The Science Times reports that olive trees around the world can live as long as 1,500 years, with an average life span of 500 years. In the United States, you’ll find that they grow best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. Though olive trees can survive some neglect, there are optimal growing conditions that will yield healthier trees and a better crop.
Optimal conditions for olive trees start with well-drained, sandy soil. If you do not have this type of soil in your area, you can attempt to add drainage and sandy topsoil layers. This may or may not yield a viable olive tree. In addition, this may or may not produce much fruit depending on the overall health of the tree. According to California Rare Fruit Growers, olive trees are native to certain parts of tropical and central Asia as well as various parts of Africa. Archaeological evidence reveals that certain olive species have been grown in places like Crete or Syria since 2500 B.C. It is believed that olives only made their way to California in the mid-to-late 1700s, possibly in 1769 when seeds were brought from Mexico or in 1785 when trees were imported for the manufacture of olive oil.
Once an olive tree is thriving, it may begin to produce fruit. However, olives aren’t typically produced until the tree is about five or six years old. As time goes on, more olives will grow on a tree that is properly cared for and receiving all required nutrients and external conditions. The maximum olive production for such a tree tends to occur around its 40th or 50th birthday. Regular care that is necessary for olive growth includes irrigation of the area around the tree, particularly in the warmer months to prevent excessive dryness. Olive tree fruit should be harvested after fruit set has occurred, which is when the petals of the tree’s blooms fall away and reveal just the olives. Harvest is best conducted when the olive tree flowers have fallen, and the olives are at their maximum size but are still green. This generally occurs in the fall.
Olive trees are technically classified as evergreens, and they may grow as tall as 50 feet, spreading as wide as 30 feet. Leave at least this much space between olive trees to encourage healthy growth and a long life span. You may prune olive trees to about 20 feet but refrain from making them any smaller than that. Olive trees are extremely tough, having been known to grow back from near death or after being chopped completely to the ground. This comes as little surprise given their long life span. However, for optimal fruit production, it’s essential that olive trees be treated with care throughout their lives. Only with the right conditions and stored energy can the trees produce fruit. In addition, these trees require full sunlight and a long growing season. They do, however, also require a winter that lasts at least three months, during which temperatures range from 35 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. All of these conditions are met in the Mediterranean olive tree climate commonly associated with these trees as well as in USDA zones 9 through 11.
Are you up for a challenge that is extraordinarily rewarding? Grow olive trees! Of course, if you’re located in the US and you don’t already live in certain olive-friendly parts of California, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Arizona, Oregon, Alabama, or Hawaii, you’ll have to move there. These trees require warm summer temperatures as well as about 200 hours of winter temperatures below 45°F. But nothing below about 20°F, mind you. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. At around 17°F, you’ll see leaf and small stem damage, and the tree will likely be killed to the ground at temperatures below 10°F, although mature trees may regrow from the roots. Anyway, are you settled in your new home, or already based in an ideal location? Good! In this growing guide, we’ll learn more about this Mediterranean import that gifts its caretakers with fabulous fruit, healthful oils, and an attractive addition to the landscape. Here’s what’s covered in this article: We’ll share everything you need to know to grow Olea europaea, the tree beloved by ancient Greeks and Romans, and whose fruit has been popularized in the modern age by Italians, Greeks, and Spaniards. What You’ll See When You Survey Your OrchardOlive trees are evergreen and can grow to 25-30 feet tall, with a spread just as wide. Their oblong leaves are silverish and grow from branches emanating from a gnarled, twisted trunk. Some experts believe that more space between trees – about 16-20 feet – will yield better fruit production. If this isn’t practical for your new parcel of land, consider a dwarf variety, which we’ll discuss in a bit. Mind you, if an expansive orchard isn’t at all what you were after, you should know that the olive makes a fine specimen tree that you can plant and enjoy simply for its beauty, with nary a thought to harvest and curing and pressing and whatnot.
The type of tree you select will depend on what you hope to get out of it. Different cultivars produce different flavors of olives and oil, of course. You might sample various oils at a farmers market, for example, to select a variety that appeals to you. ‘Mission’ is a variety well-suited to home gardeners who wish to press or cure their harvest. Bob Wells Nursery offers this variety, and it’s available via Amazon. 2-Year ‘Mission’ Trees The tree they’ll ship to you is two years old. If you have the patience of Job and don’t mind starting out small, consider this petite ‘Manzanillo’ plant, available from Wellspring Gardens via Amazon. ‘Manzanillo’ O. Europaea Live Plant They’ll ship you a three- to eight-inch seedling in a three-inch pot, along with a fertilizer sample. At maturity, it will reach 30-40 feet with large, great-tasting fruit that are also excellent for producing oil. ‘Arbosana’ is a cultivar that is suited for smaller spaces, growing to be 12-15 feet tall with a spread of 12-20 feet. You can find this type at Nature Hills Nursery. ‘Arbosana’ in #1 Container This Spanish native produces large crops of small fruit with a high oil content that are very flavorful. You’ll receive a tree in a 2.3- to 3.7-quart container. If you’d like the beauty of an olive tree without the hassle of the fruit, consider ‘Wilsonii,’ a fruitless variety available from High Desert Nursery via Amazon. Fruitless ‘Wilsonii’ Live Rooted Plant You’ll receive a 16- to 20-inch tree, or several if you want to take advantage of one of their package deals. Most cultivars are self-pollinating, though some are not. Furthermore, some self-pollinating varieties produce heavier yields when a pollinator – such as ‘Pendolino,’ ‘Maurino,’ or ‘Leccino’ – is growing nearby. No Additives, PleaseAs we mentioned above, O. europaea is native to regions that have mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. You’ll want to place your trees where they’ll get full sun all day. These trees are tolerant of a wide variety of soils, including those with somewhat high clay content, as long as there is good drainage. Planting a young tree in the fall gives it a chance to become well-established. But this is an option only if temperatures in your area won’t drop below 30°F, or if you can protect the tree. This is because container-grown trees are susceptible to frost damage during their first winter outdoors. If waiting until spring seems more prudent, hold off until all danger of frost is past. Planting in the heat of summer is not recommended. Dig a hole about the same size as the container, and about an inch shallower. Water the tree thoroughly, remove it from its container, and untwist or cut any circling roots. Set the root ball in the hole. Use soil you removed from the hole to build up about an inch of soil on top of the root ball, and grade down from the trunk to the surrounding soil. Don’t add compost or other soil additives; the plant has to learn to love the native soil. But do top the planting area with mulch. Prune for More FruitWater young trees two or three times a week during their first summer. Give them a good four inches of water at each watering, and hydrate again when the soil dries out. Once established, they need little supplemental water. Keep weeds removed from within at least a three-foot diameter of the young tree. Fertilize newly planted trees in the spring, after new growth begins. They only need a small amount of nitrogen, which can be delivered via compost, as well as conventional or organic fertilizers. In its first four years, prune the tree only as needed to maintain its shape. As your tree matures and begins fruiting, you’ll discover an olive oddity: they never bear fruit in the same place on a stem, so new growth each year is necessary for flower production and fruiting. Starting in the fifth year of growth, you’ll want to prune not only to increase airflow and maintain height or form, but also with future fruiting needs in mind. A Bit More on FruitlessnessIf you’d rather not have an established tree set fruit, you can apply a plant growth regulator, or use a strong spray from the hose to blast off blooms. Some gardeners do this only to areas of a tree that overhang a paved area, in an attempt to reduce the mess from falling fruit. But, because Mother Nature is persistent and these methods don’t always work, if fruitlessness is truly your goal, you might be better off purchasing a fruitless variety such as the one described above.
Olives aren’t plagued by many pests, although scale can be a problem. You can prune off infected stems, or treat these greedy critters with neem oil, such as this one from Bonide, available from Arbico Organics. Bonide Neem Oil This 32-ounce spray bottle is ready to use. For twenty years or so, California olive growers have been plagued by the olive fruit fly, which lays its eggs inside the developing fruit, destroying it. Management of fruit flies is difficult, and best achieved via clean gardening practices. Some home gardeners have had luck with fly traps, such as these from Terro, available via Amazon. TERRO Fruit Fly Trap (Pack of 3) Trees can also be affected by olive anthracnose, a fungal disease. Treat this problem with a fungicide, such as this one from Garden Safe, available through Amazon. Garden Safe Fungicide3 Concentrate This 28-ounce container connects to your hose end for easy distribution of the concentrated product. Young and BitterIf you’ve provided your olive tree with a happy home, it will begin to bear fruit when it’s around five years old. Bear in mind, however, that it’s perfectly normal for olive trees to produce fruit only every other year, or to produce alternating heavy and light crops from year to year. When you harvest your olives depends on what you intend to do with them, and what flavor you seek. All olives start out green before turning a purplish color, and then deepening to black. The younger the olive, the more bitter it will be. Typically, olives are harvested at their green stage if their intended use is for the table, although some varieties are best when black. If a pressing is in the cards, the fruit is at its oiliest when it’s in its purple stage. Olives must be processed – more on this in just a minute – within three days of harvest. You can either handpick the fruit from your tree, which is quite time-consuming, or you can place a tarp under the tree, and shake the limbs with a rake or other garden implement to dislodge the fruit onto to the tarp for easy pickup. Preparing Your OlivesRaw olives are not tasty. They must be cured to dispel their inherent bitterness, which is caused by the chemical compound called “oleuropein.” Inventive humans have developed a number of ways to banish the bitterness from these otherwise tasty little ovals, curing them in oil, water, brine, lye, or simply salt. None of these methods is particularly difficult, but the olives do have to marinate in your chosen mixture for several weeks – so don’t plan for an appetizer spread complete with homemade tapenade immediately after harvest! If it’s oil you’re after, you’ll find as many extraction methods as there are days in a month. At its most basic, the process entails:
It can take anywhere from 40-90 pounds of drupes to make one gallon of oil. A mature tree will produce between 30-100 pounds per season, though the giant ‘Chemlali’ may produce close to a ton per year. Recipes and Cooking IdeasYou’ve planted, harvested, brined, and pressed. It’s time to savor the fruits of your labor! We don’t have to tell you that a galaxy of recipes await the olive-laden, but we’ll share just a few to get you started. Begin your meal with a classic Greek salad like this one, from our sister site, Foodal. Made with homegrown cucumber, bell pepper, tomato, red onion, basil, oregano, and parsley, this is truly a garden-fresh delight! For removing those pits, explore Foodal’s guide to the best cherry and olive pitters. If you’re looking for picnic fare or a light meal, try a Sicilian pasta salad with zucchini, green beans, and marinated artichokes. You’ll find the recipe for this one on Foodal as well. From Vintage Kitty comes this delightful recipe for an asparagus salad, which features a lemon and light olive oil vinaigrette. And while we’re on the subject of lemon-olive pairings, consider this chicken recipe from Sugar Love Spices. This rustic delight evokes the Italian countryside. And for dessert, how about a citrus olive oil cake, also from Sugar Love Spices? This confection utilizes a full cup of extra virgin oil, as well as a variety of citrus juices. Quick Reference Growing Guide
The Right Setting, The Right TreeSo, what are you thinking? Is it time to add an olive tree to fill that blank spot in the backyard? Pick the variety that fits, water it heavily until it’s established, watch out for olive fruit flies, and soon you’ll be sharing your homegrown olive products with friends and family. Do you have an olive tree? Which variety? Tell us about your adventures with O. europaea in the comments section below. And if you decide a different fruit tree of the pitted variety is in your landscape plans, read these guides next: Product photos via Bob Wells Nursery, Wellspring Gardens, Nature Hills Nursery, High Desert Nursery, Bonide, Terro, and Garden Safe. Uncredited photos: Shutterstock. First published July 9th, 2018. Last updated May 3rd, 2020. |
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