Olive tree: Brown tips on leaves

hanamibls · January 2023

I received a potted, indoor olive tree as a gift in August 2021 (see photo 1). I put it in the sunniest window, although I live in London, England and it isn't a sunny place. In the spring it started to grow (south facing window) and I was very happy. Until I realized the new growth was turning brown on the leaf tips a few weeks after starting to grow. Many of the brown tipped leaves would also fall. I tried watering differently (soaking once a week), but it didn't seem to help. I bought soil recommended for olive trees and repotted it, in a slightly larger pot that is terra cotta, rather than the original plastic. To no avail.Then I tried giving it an olive fertilizer this year (summer 2022), but the problem persists. Can anyone help? I've seen very conflicting advice online and I'm desperate to figure out the true problem and get her back on track!

Dovefromabove · January 2023

Most gardeners in the UK grow their olive trees outside … they’re hardy in most conditions as long as they’re not allowed to get waterlogged … and they’re certainly much happier and healthier outside.

As yours has been inside for a while I wouldn’t put it out now in midwinter, but in the spring, as temperatures begin to rise, I’d start hardening it off by putting it outside during the day and bringing it in at night to acclimatise it, before keeping it outside for good.

Also, those ties on the stem look a bit tight … I’d loosen them.

tui34 · January 2023

Good morning and welcome.

Yes @Dovefromabove The tree looks a bit "busy". It is pruning time in FebruaryMarch, so you could snip some of the middle branches close to the trunk. Needs some air and light.

It's a dear little tree!!

bédé · January 2023

Don't worry. it's fine. Perhaps just a lack off humidity at a crucial time.

You have to be a bit severe with your pruning. Olives don't easily form a nice round mop-head like bay or box. Decide what height you want him to grow and keep him there.

Fairygirl · January 2023

Hi @hanamibls - Yes, it needs to be outside, at least during summer, but it'll need acclimatising, as already said

They don't survive outdoors here over winter, completely wrong climate, so a porch or similar is required. In London it should be fine.

Nollie · January 2023

There is no such things as an ‘indoor’ olive tree, I’m afraid, it’s not a house plant. It will survive indoors for a while, but as you are discovering, it won’t thrive for long. It needs bright daylight but not the concentrated direct sunlight through a south-facing window, which will also experience rapid temperature loss over winter nights. That combined with the daytime conditions of a warm, low-humidity home is causing the browning and leaf loss. You could try moving it to to a better indoor location where it’s not exposed to those extremes, but it’s ailing condition cannot really be fully resolved other than by introducing it back into it’s natural environment - outside.

bédé · January 2023

Nollie said: introducing it back into it’s natural environment - outside.

Agreed. Outside ... in Spain.

But in spite of what everyone is saying, you plant seems to be doing very well since August.

Dovefromabove · January 2023

bédé said:

Nollie said: introducing it back into it’s natural environment - outside.

Agreed. Outside ... in Spain.

...

... and in Norfolk https://www.thenorfolkolivetreecompany.co.uk/

Nollie · January 2023

That’s simply not true @bédé. The two potted olive trees outside my front door lived in London perfectly happily outside for 15 years before moving with us to Spain. They regularly suffer more dramatic nighttime temperature drops here than they ever did in London, regularly down to -8ºc. Saying they are ‘doing very well’ isn’t really addressing the browning and leaf drop problems the OP is experiencing growing it indoors as I have attempted to do.

Balgay.Hill · January 2023

Fairygirl said:

Hi @hanamibls - Yes, it needs to be outside, at least during summer, but it'll need acclimatising, as already said
They don't survive outdoors here over winter, completely wrong climate, so a porch or similar is required. In London it should be fine.

I think that shows how the higher rainfall you get in the West makes a big difference.
I'm farther North than you, but far lower rainfall, and i've had an Olive tree growing for quite a few years, first in a pot, then planted against a WSW facing wall. It gets about 10 hours of sun in the summer.

Fairygirl · January 2023

Absolutely @Balgay.Hill.My sister is on the east side, and they don't get anything like the rainfall the west gets, despite the quite small distance. She's about 40 miles from me.
In the north west, the rain measurements are in metres rather than feet.

Olive tree: Brown tips on leaves

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