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Olive tree leaf damage

helenelizabethrhelenelizabethr Posts: 9
in Problem solving
Any ideas as to what might have caused this damage to the Olive? Only outer branches affected, and not on all branches.
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Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Probably cold weather, if it's outside in the UK and it's happened over the last month or so.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    This type of damage is seen on even the most healthiest of plants. Those will have been the previous year's damage, most likely caterpillar damage. Olive plants are quite tough and with a bit of annual pruning, they should bounce back when the weather warms up.
  • TeTe Posts: 193
    As above comments olive trees are very tough however they dislike windy conditions especially if it very cold although Olive trees can sustain temperatures up to -12, they are otherwise very hardy and drought tolerent growing happily in most soils, Olive trees are known for living many many years
    "There are a terrible lot of lies going about the world, and the worst of it is that half of them are true"
  • TeTe Posts: 193
    Its more so the easterly winds that can cause leaf drop and leaf burn, we have some neighbours who have suffered the same fate with their olive tree's although they are ornamental tree's and not really grown for their fruit but are great in a martini
    "There are a terrible lot of lies going about the world, and the worst of it is that half of them are true"
  • helenelizabethrhelenelizabethr Posts: 9
    Thank you everyone! Good to know it’s nothing sinister. This tree lives on the south coast and produced an impressive number of olives last year! 
  • TeTe Posts: 193
    helenelizabethr said:
    Thank you everyone! Good to know it’s nothing sinister. This tree lives on the south coast and produced an impressive number of olives last year! 
    There are quite a few olive tree's about the south coast that do perfectly well, saying that i believe it has a unique climate here
    "There are a terrible lot of lies going about the world, and the worst of it is that half of them are true"
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    helenelizabethr said:
    Thank you everyone! Good to know it’s nothing sinister. This tree lives on the south coast and produced an impressive number of olives last year! 
    In that case this may well be of interest, as olives need to be ‘cured’ in order to be edible 

    https://www.thenorfolkolivetreecompany.co.uk/growingolivetrees/curing-and-preserving-your-olives/

    😊 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Muffin32Muffin32 Posts: 12
    I live in the north west and have 3 quite tall olives growing well in tubs outdoors but one suffered like yours last year. I trimmed the affected branches in the spring and it recovered well. Good luck with yours.
  • helenelizabethrhelenelizabethr Posts: 9
    Dovefromabove said:
    helenelizabethr said:
    Thank you everyone! Good to know it’s nothing sinister. This tree lives on the south coast and produced an impressive number of olives last year! 
    In that case this may well be of interest, as olives need to be ‘cured’ in order to be edible 

    https://www.thenorfolkolivetreecompany.co.uk/growingolivetrees/curing-and-preserving-your-olives/

    😊 

    Thanks so much for this... unfortunately I really don’t like olives 🤢... but I may try and do something with them in future!
  • helenelizabethrhelenelizabethr Posts: 9
    Thanks @Janicehughes46 - mine definitely needs a good shaping up and thinning out in April.
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