Olive Tree problem
NicolS
Posts: 5
So, in the last few days, my potted olive tree has been showing signs of some kind of a disease. Since I'm living in a zone with freezing winters, I'm keeping it inside. I have no colder sunny room, so I'm just keeping it facing south window, far away from any heating vents.
Lately its leaves startit to go grey-ish dull color, curl up and die on entire branches, but they're not falling off. It seems like the branches are dying too, but only in a portion of a tree. The other half is still maintaining deep green leaves.
I've read that it could be a sign of verticillium wilt, but I'm not sure (I don't know if the photo is good enough to see it)
(It seems like my olive tree hates water, because every time I try to water it [the waterings, I learned, can't be less than 1,5 week away] it drops half its healthy-looking foliage, so that's why it looks so scarce)
Does anybody know what could be the problem? We survived a severe scale infestation and throught the summer it was growing nicely, with several new shoots from where the leaves has fallen off during the infestation, I'm not giving up on it.
Posts
Where are you based? How thick is the main trunk? I had one at a window and the leaves greyed, dried out and fell off en-masse. They need a more humid atmosphere than a centrally heated house can offer and are better outside...so unless the temps are below 0C then put it outside.
Central Europe, it's actually quite warm outside (8-10C) but in 2 days we're expecting our usual -15C back, so I could do that till then.
Trunk is about 1,5cm thick, it's a young plant.
That is quite thin, so keeping it frost free (and given central Europes low winter temps) is a good idea. You could try misting the leaves but outside is really best.
The last few days have been foggy and humid, so I hope it helps at least a bit. Thank you
An update:
I kept it outside until the temperatures went below zero. It seemed to help, because the drying of the leaves stopped progressing. I'm misting it regularly.
It stopped on half of the tree looking very much dead and the other half intact. I checked the roots, look fine and firm, so I have no idea what the problem is.
Should I just let it be and just keep misting it? Because I don't know what else I can do to make it better.
Don't know where in central Europe you are but we're in central Italy. Gets mighty cold, if not as cold as where you are.
I kept a potted olive outdoors. I parked it beside my potted fig, under cover - a covered pergola - and against a protected wall. Wrapped both pots tightly in a double layer of bubble wrap and a double layer of fleece over the foliage. You just have to keep an eye on the moisture levels. Use at least tepid water if need be.
Hi Nicols, there is another thread here with help about olive trees, I'll bump it up for you. There is also a web site with good advice that i'm sure I have bookmarked, will find that too. We have one that we are keeping in the conservatory over winter (unheated) If kept outside they do advise to wrap the pot in bubble wrap and cover the branches in fleeze. ( sorry just read ans above)
Will find website for you.
www.olivegrovenurseries.co.uk
Or www.bigplantnurseries.co.uk
Or the RHS site give advice too
Thank You! Will check it out.
Yo only need to fleece if the weather is well below freezing otherwise you will kill the plant with Botrytis moulds. Outside is always best as houses are too dry for them.