Olives, like most Mediterranean plants, can withstand some very low temperatures as long as their toes are not wet at the same time - it's cold coupled with wet that does the damage, not cold on it's own.
I would have thought that olives would have coped with this winter's temperatures as long as they were in a really free-draining compost and the pot was up on feet so that the drainage holes run free.
I think that your olive may be complaining because it's been too warm and dry - hopefully it will be happier in the porch.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
We bought four standard olives last year - two from Morrisons, two from Tesco, and put them in large terracotta pots in the front... I hesitate to say garden, more like a drive. I watered them religiously and they did well, and we have just left them in situ. We have had a few light frosts, but no long periods of cold weather. I haven't watered them. There hasn't been any leaf drop, and they all look as happy as they did last summer. We don't have a greenhouse, but I was planning that if we had a harsh winter I would put them in the garage, but I haven't needed to. The worst thing has been the wind, which has blown them over on numerous occasions, but they don't seem unduly upset about it. When we brought the Tesco ones home they dropped leaves for a couple of weeks, and I think that was the result of them having been inside the store for a while, but new leaves soon grew back. Unless anyone thinks that the shock could be too much, I would suggest people stick them outside now, especially as the jet stream seems fixed to give us milder temperatures. (Possibly on pot feet to aid drainage in wetter areas?)
Moved mine into GH(cold) in case very cold weather. Was asking them if they wanted to go outside now. CH house/conservatory is too warm for them. I do keep them on the dry side all the time.
Also always have them on pot feet, seems to work has them a few years now
The good news is it grew back it's leaves when I put it outside last May.
This year I have left it in the front porch, which is open, but as we have hardly had any frosts and its feet are dry, it is looking very healthy, it hasn't lost one leaf!
I keep it on the dry side and pour on the left over from the t-pot.
Should I prune it this year to keep it a tighter ball shape and if so when is the best time? It is a free loose shape at the moment.
I have an Olive Tree, only had it a couple of years, it is in my ( old ) conservatory, not really too hot, I did have the Olive tree outside but, brought it in for the two winters, it is growing really well, and now has small olives growing!! I wonder if anyone can advise me how to make sure they don't fall off? I'm not the most green fingered person on the planet!!
Our olives stayed on the trees last year, and all I did was keep them watered through the summer and they stayed on. I preserved them, but they were quite small. I thought the birds might go for them, but they didn't.
My husband was given an olive tree several years ago. At one point I thought it had died , it lost all of its leaves and there was no green in the small branches, so I put it in a bucket intending to chuck it out but never got around to. After a wet and cold winter spent in a frozen then overflowing bucket the little tree sprung back to life!!!
It now lives in a pot by the conservatory in a sunny but sometimes windy spot, although I move it into the greenhouse when its frosty. This year it has lots of new growth and flowers I water it every couple of days unless it's ben raining.
Found my orignal posting, so as an update the olive tree is amazing this year, I took the advise from Matty2, BusyBee 2, Dove from above, and Foodie 40. I left it in the south-facing very open porch and kept it nearly dry all winter. I was going to bubblewrap the pot but we only had frost about 4 times. It has rewarded me with lots of leaves and flowers, and didn't shed any leaves during winter.
I have just made a video of the repotting to go on youtube for our gardening club. I repotted as per advise - repotted it into gritty compost with some JI, and will not put it indoors again. Sited it against a heat retaining red-brick house wall hoping the flowers will turn to olives!
photo attached, not sure my position agiant the hous
Posts
Olives, like most Mediterranean plants, can withstand some very low temperatures as long as their toes are not wet at the same time - it's cold coupled with wet that does the damage, not cold on it's own.
I would have thought that olives would have coped with this winter's temperatures as long as they were in a really free-draining compost and the pot was up on feet so that the drainage holes run free.
I think that your olive may be complaining because it's been too warm and dry - hopefully it will be happier in the porch.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
We bought four standard olives last year - two from Morrisons, two from Tesco, and put them in large terracotta pots in the front... I hesitate to say garden, more like a drive. I watered them religiously and they did well, and we have just left them in situ. We have had a few light frosts, but no long periods of cold weather. I haven't watered them. There hasn't been any leaf drop, and they all look as happy as they did last summer. We don't have a greenhouse, but I was planning that if we had a harsh winter I would put them in the garage, but I haven't needed to. The worst thing has been the wind, which has blown them over on numerous occasions, but they don't seem unduly upset about it. When we brought the Tesco ones home they dropped leaves for a couple of weeks, and I think that was the result of them having been inside the store for a while, but new leaves soon grew back. Unless anyone thinks that the shock could be too much, I would suggest people stick them outside now, especially as the jet stream seems fixed to give us milder temperatures. (Possibly on pot feet to aid drainage in wetter areas?)
I think pot feet are important
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Moved mine into GH(cold) in case very cold weather. Was asking them if they wanted to go outside now. CH house/conservatory is too warm for them. I do keep them on the dry side all the time.
Also always have them on pot feet, seems to work has them a few years now
Hi
The good news is it grew back it's leaves when I put it outside last May.
This year I have left it in the front porch, which is open, but as we have hardly had any frosts and its feet are dry, it is looking very healthy, it hasn't lost one leaf!
I keep it on the dry side and pour on the left over from the t-pot.
Should I prune it this year to keep it a tighter ball shape and if so when is the best time? It is a free loose shape at the moment.
Hello folks!
I have an Olive Tree, only had it a couple of years, it is in my ( old ) conservatory, not really too hot, I did have the Olive tree outside but, brought it in for the two winters, it is growing really well, and now has small olives growing!! I wonder if anyone can advise me how to make sure they don't fall off? I'm not the most green fingered person on the planet!!
Thanks all...Love this site..
Chrissie X
Our olives stayed on the trees last year, and all I did was keep them watered through the summer and they stayed on. I preserved them, but they were quite small. I thought the birds might go for them, but they didn't.
Try www.bigplantnursery.co.uk/GrowingGuideOlives.htm
Ooops just noticed its already been suggested sorry.
My husband was given an olive tree several years ago. At one point I thought it had died
, it lost all of its leaves and there was no green in the small branches, so I put it in a bucket intending to chuck it out but never got around to. After a wet and cold winter spent in a frozen then overflowing bucket the little tree sprung back to life!!!
It now lives in a pot by the conservatory in a sunny but sometimes windy spot, although I move it into the greenhouse when its frosty. This year it has lots of new growth and flowers
I water it every couple of days unless it's ben raining.
Perhaps they prefer some harsh treatment!
Found my orignal posting, so as an update the olive tree is amazing this year, I took the advise from Matty2, BusyBee 2, Dove from above, and Foodie 40. I left it in the south-facing very open porch and kept it nearly dry all winter. I was going to bubblewrap the pot but we only had frost about 4 times. It has rewarded me with lots of leaves and flowers, and didn't shed any leaves during winter.
I have just made a video of the repotting to go on youtube for our gardening club. I repotted as per advise - repotted it into gritty compost with some JI, and will not put it indoors again. Sited it against a heat retaining red-brick house wall hoping the flowers will turn to olives!
photo attached, not sure my position agiant the hous
e wall shows off it's best attributes....