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How to prune back potted olive tree

doody.rjgWgRyTH3adoody.rjgWgRyTH3a Posts: 3
in Plants
Hello! First post, so sorry if this isn’t in the correct category.

Basically I have neglected my olive tree for a while and it’s gotten quite bald near the trunk quite and a bit leggy with the leaves only growing at the tips of the branches so I’m looking to pretty it up, (bushier and fuller)

I’ve gone in and pruned off a bunch of small dead branches but I haven’t read anything online that’s made me feel confident enough to know where to cut it back to promote the new growth!

 I’ve read online that it won’t regrow its old leaves back so I’m guessing it’ll be a huge cut back to get the growth near the base of the tree again? I’m not fussed about producing fruit, just happy with a pretty little tree. 

It seems happy as it’s pushing out a lot of new growth and I’m giving it weekly-fortnightly olive tree fertiliser and it’s on a south west facing balcony 

Thank you!


Posts

  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Hi and welcome.  First of all, pruning is usually middle of winter, say January or February.  I would try and tidy up the middle stragglers and cream off the top.
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    Also that pot looks a bit small for the size of tree. Give it a treat and pot it on, it would give it more nutrition and hopefully grow a bit thicker. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • doody.rjgWgRyTH3adoody.rjgWgRyTH3a Posts: 3
    tui34 said:
    Hi and welcome.  First of all, pruning is usually middle of winter, say January or February.  I would try and tidy up the middle stragglers and cream off the top.
    Thank you! Why is it best in winter you think? I read that the new growth produced from the pruning will take damage from the cold so it’s best to do it in summer? 

    Also, Is there a particular location on the branch I should cut? I’m thinking in house plant terms really, like avoiding cutting off nodes or will new growth sprout from anywhere? Thanks for your help! 
  • BorderlineBorderline Posts: 4,700
    You don't need to worry too much about nodes on Olives. Each time you shorten the branch it will stimulate growth from around just below the cutting point. Also, you can prune it anytime from spring onwards. But, in Britain, best not to prune too late into autumn as new growth may be too tender for the winter months.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I've had one in a pot for many years and I usually prune it in June/July or any time it touches the patio awning.
    As mentioned above, they readily sprout from lower down and I sometimes cut quite a bit off - it doesn't seem to mind in the least.
    I've been giving it seaweed extract about one a month for the last couple of years and it looks a lot healthier now than it did.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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