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Olive tree issues

sjosephsjoseph Posts: 2
in Problem solving
Hi,

Please can someone help. We have started to get yellow/black spots (as images) on our olive tree, looking online it could be a couple of things. Any idea's and the best solution?

Thank you
Simon 

Posts

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Hello Simon  :)

    Bumping this up in the hope that any olive tree owners can confirm what the problem is, and can advise accordingly. 
  • Steady EddieSteady Eddie Posts: 79
    I am by no means an expert but I have had an olive tree in my garden (which is doing well) for some years.  It’s difficult to see as I haven’t seen the whole plant but my Olive does this at this time of year.  Some of the leaves yellow and drop and it looks a bit off colour for about a month but then it perks up and looks good again.  I think a fair number of evergreen plants do this.  I don’t think you should worry 
  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    Hello @sjoseph, your olive tree has scab which is a fungal infection caused by weather conditions. You can spray with a copper fungicide but this is done in the spring or autumn. It's important to clear up the leaves lying under the tree. Maybe the tree needs to be pruned? I will alert @tui34 she has a good picture of her tree! I hope this helps. My tree has suffered badly this year as well!
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    Yes a lot of evergreens (which loose and replace a few leaves all the time) tend to loose quite a few more in spring and then have a growth spurt. 
    That said any fungal infection still needs dealing with as described above.
    AB Still learning

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited June 2022
    It looks like Olive Scab as said above,
    Mine shows signs of it too and has done for about 15 years or more. It still grows well, flowers well and a few olives develop each year.
    Copper sprays should work, but are banned in the UK - there are no other treatments.
    I try and remember to water mine regularly (but seldom do).
    I've found the best thing to use is seaweed extract about once every 3ish weeks during the growing season.
    Since using seaweed, growth has improved and is much leafier with good healthy leaves.
    The diseased leaves will drop and should be disposed of and not composted.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    I pruned this olive tree well back in the middle, about 10 years ago.

    @Pete.8   If copper spray is banned in the UK, would a dusting of sulphur do?  I use this on my grapevine for odium.  It may be easier to obtain for @sjoseph

    My neighbour very kindly prunes it into this shape.  
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    What a magnificent tree @tui34
    I don't know if sulphur would treat it, the only recommendations I've found are for using copper sulphate based treatments (Bordeaux Mixture).
    I recall using it many years ago.

    It was banned in the UK because fruit growers used it as a preventative on their crops every spring and autumn.
    Repeated use of copper compounds on such a huge scale will eventually cause soil toxicity that can then enter streams etc which is very toxic to aquatic life.
    You can buy the ingredients for Bordeaux Mixture on the well known website and make it yourself - there are plenty of recipes on the web.

    It's not something I've done as it isn't a serious problem (for me).
    My pears get rust every year which I could prevent using Bordeaux Mixture, but I don't as once again it is not a serious problem.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • sjosephsjoseph Posts: 2
    Firstly thank you all! This is a great forum and very helpful advice. I will take all on-board.
    One question, would you remove the infected leaves from the tree also or allow them to fall?  
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Either is probably okay - if you feel you would like to snip them off to keep the tree tidy, then go for it.  They'll drop off anyway and you'll finish up by snipping off the dead twigs.
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    @Pete.8  Yes, there are plenty of recipes as an alternative using bicarbonate of soda.
    bouillie bordelaise recette
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

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