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Olive tree yellow and dark spots
neilwhatley
Posts: 1
Hi All,
I have two mature (approx 50 - 70 years) and two young (approx 10 years) olive trees.
we moved into a new house 5 years ago and replanted the young trees that are thriving and producing quite a lot of olives.
The garden is south facing, but with a tall wall shading the area in front of it.
The oldest tree (under planted with lavender) was bought 4 years ago and produces a good crop of olives, but looses a lot of leaves in Spring (they turn yellow with dark spots then drop).
The second mature tree was bought 3 years ago. I initially planted it at ground level too close to the North facing wall - it dropped almost all its leaves.
I created a raised stone wall bed and replanted the tree about 5ft forward of the wall and raised by about 18”. The soil was also improved.
The tree responded well and within a season a decent canopy had developed. It has not produced olives in previous years, but has a lot of blossom this year.
In common with the first mature tree, this tree has lost a lot of leaves this spring / early summer (they turn yellow with dark spots then drop).
There seems to be confusing advice online, suggesting that this can be due to under watering, over watering, underfeeding or some kind of pest.
Has anyone else had similar experience with olive trees?
Possibly it is completely normal with older trees and nothing to be concerned about.
Thanks,
Neil W - South Wales.
I have two mature (approx 50 - 70 years) and two young (approx 10 years) olive trees.
we moved into a new house 5 years ago and replanted the young trees that are thriving and producing quite a lot of olives.
The garden is south facing, but with a tall wall shading the area in front of it.
The oldest tree (under planted with lavender) was bought 4 years ago and produces a good crop of olives, but looses a lot of leaves in Spring (they turn yellow with dark spots then drop).
The second mature tree was bought 3 years ago. I initially planted it at ground level too close to the North facing wall - it dropped almost all its leaves.
I created a raised stone wall bed and replanted the tree about 5ft forward of the wall and raised by about 18”. The soil was also improved.
The tree responded well and within a season a decent canopy had developed. It has not produced olives in previous years, but has a lot of blossom this year.
In common with the first mature tree, this tree has lost a lot of leaves this spring / early summer (they turn yellow with dark spots then drop).
There seems to be confusing advice online, suggesting that this can be due to under watering, over watering, underfeeding or some kind of pest.
Has anyone else had similar experience with olive trees?
Possibly it is completely normal with older trees and nothing to be concerned about.
Thanks,
Neil W - South Wales.
0
Posts
If so, the only treatment is with a copper-based fungicide.
All treatments containing copper are banned in the UK and have been for years.
Not because they are dangerous per se, but because entire orchards were being sprayed with it twice a year, every year as a preventative.
This can cause a toxic build up of copper in the soil eventually and the runoff kills a lot of wildlife in rivers.
However, there's nothing preventing you from making your own.
It's known as Bordeaux Mixture. I recall using it back in the 60's and 70's.
There are many recipes on the web and the ingredients are widely available - e.g. Amazon.
Some info here-
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/agriculture/olive/peacock-spot/#:~:text=Symptoms%20and%20Signs-,Symptoms%20and%20Signs,F%20to%2075oF.
Recipe here-
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7481.html
Hopefully if you treat your trees twice as in the info that should clear it.
Just please don't use it every year as a preventative, only when necessary.
Your trees and landscaping look great and it would be a pity to lose them.
Best of luck!
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.