Topic: Olive Trees

[Demon67]

OK you bunch of eclectic people, any of you grow, have olive trees? I'm going to try and grow an olive North of the 44 th Parallel and I'm thinking with the vast range of experience that at least one of you may know something about olive trees, I do intend to bring it in the winter time so I'll need a dwarf.
Bill the demon

[BobbyR]

I am not sure where you live. Most States have a Agricultural extensions. You can check with them. Sounds cool. I had an orange tree for years here in NY.

[Demon67]

Bobby on the Bruce Penninsula between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay and I've emailed the U of Guelph (Moo U) who said they heard a rumor of some one in that area having olive trees but couldn't confirm, Guelph is about 2-2 1/2 hours South of me and I didn't phrase my question properly I was more interested in the care and use of also flavor dwarf of olive trees than than climate zones.
Bill the demon.

[salvatore13]

Hello Demon,

Here in Spain we have a lot of species of Olive trees. Yo should decide which one to choose considering climate, depending if your area is a cold one in winter (freezing in winter?). There are many species like Picual, Picudo,Empeltre, Hojiblanca, Cornicabra, Lechín de Sevilla, Manzanilla Sevillana, Manzanilla Cacereña, Verdial de Badajoz... (sorry, can´t translate it in English). Anyway the two more resistant to cold conditions are Picual and Picudo.

Hope this may help you,
Salvatore

[rhos1355]

Was given a small Olive tree by a friend last year, needs occasional watering and a good drainage in the pot you grow it in. So that means the pot has to stand on pedestals (about 1" high) and have a hole in the bottom of it. We layered the bottom of the pot with some old pottery shards and the filled the rest with soil (I know there is a specific pH range for soil for olive trees - I'll ask the missus when I get home tonight). It wants protection from frost but not molly-coddling; you can leave it out when the temperature is above 5 degrees celsius. Toughens 'em up. Oh yes, up here in the UK it will never bear fruit.
It loves the sun.

[Demon67]

Thanks Salavatore13 and rhos1355 I think I'm breaking new ground here, Summers break 35 c+ and winters could go to -40 which is why I'll have to bring it in, and I'm going to try for fruit.
Bill the demon.

[gerhed]

A drunken friend of mine drove his car into an olive tree in Sicily in the early 70's.
I was following but missed the tree.
He was obliged (very persuasive folks, the Sicilians) to pay for the tree
as well as what it would have produced for the next 15 years.

[upperlake04]

We're working it Bill    When your olive tree reaches maturity and you cut it down and split it for firewood, there will be a pungent odor released from the handsomely figured yellow and brown hardwood that smells exactly like the fruit. That's true, I turned a piece on the lathe once.

[salvatore13]

Thanks Salavatore13 and rhos1355 I think I'm breaking new ground here, Summers break 35 c+ and winters could go to -40 which is why I'll have to bring it in, and I'm going to try for fruit.
Bill the demon.

You are welcome Demon,

Sadly no olive tree can resist -40ºC, so you will have to put it inside during winter season. As olive tree needs much sun I'm not sure if it would survive indoors but you can try. It is a very slow growing tree and during the first two or three years don't expect to have fruits (olives). You have to cut auxiliary branches every end of the winter season (it has to be done to avoid freezing during winter but if you are keeping it inside maybe not necessary) in order the tree to grow stronger.

I don´t want to be impolite with Upperlake but when your olive tree reaches maturity all we will be graved as an olive tree lives for about five hundred years or even more.

Here in Spain you can buy olive trees older than a hundred years, they are transported in heavy trucks and are real pieces of art and extremely expensive!

Good luck and keep us informed about your baby tree.

Salvatore.

[Demon67]

Yeah salvatore13 when I find a dwarf specimen and find out where to buy it I'll let you know how it goes, you know I used to watch a gardening program where one of their viewers would write in and tell them about his tomatoes and egg plants that he grew and I think he was in Yellowknife which is way up there, close to the tree line I think and if he can do it, I'll give an olive tree a go.
Bill the demon.

[fuzzybutt]

putting the tree inside does indeed work. i have a key lime tree that bears fruit. i have it in a giant pot and i built a roller trolley for it so its easy to get in and out.

[BobbyR]

putting the tree inside does indeed work. i have a key lime tree that bears fruit. i have it in a giant pot and i built a roller trolley for it so its easy to get in and out.

You are a true Italian fuzzy. 

[fuzzybutt]

why thank you sir. i am in fact half sicilian

[Demon67]

That was going to be my solution Fuzz find tree and build ramp and container for ease of movement, wouldn't have worried about it a while ago but now have to plan things out ahead of the event.
Bill the demon.

[fuzzybutt]

because alot of my wifes clients (shes a tax preparer and cpa) are elderly we have a wheelchair ramp leading to our ftont door.

[rhos1355]

why thank you sir. i am in fact half sicilian

Thought you were Scottish and wore a kilt with no underwear?

Don't tell me you're part scottish, part sicilian, part whatever. What an explosive combination!!

[BobbyR]

why thank you sir. i am in fact half sicilian

Well I am in fact half Italian so I can recognize a piasan when I see one.

[fuzzybutt]

why thank you sir. i am in fact half sicilian

Thought you were Scottish and wore a kilt with no underwear?

Don't tell me you're part scottish, part sicilian, part whatever. What an explosive combination!!

half sicilian 1/4 scot 1/4 dutch according to my family history. i DO have a temper on me too. 

[rhos1355]

Ok, demon, before this thread gets sidetracked beyong recognition here's some info about growing Olive Trees I found on the net.

"The site must be well drained. Olive trees grow well on alkaline soils, including those with a high level of salts,
provided that the pH level does not exceed 8.5. Windbreaks should be used in exposed areas.
Top-dress with slow release fertiliser, or any general fertiliser with medium to high levels of nitrogen, at a yearly
rate of about 0.5-kg per tree, applied in two or three doses when the trees are in active growth.
Applications of potassium and, possibly, boron supplements may be necessary on some soils.

Watering
Water olives regularly during dry periods, particularly for the first two to three years after planting.
Mulching with organic material is also beneficial. Keep the planting area free of weeds.

Flowering and Fruiting
Olives produce a very insignificant cream flower. To flower and fruit successfully olives need at least two months
of temperatures below 10°C in winter. However for best results avoid prolonged cold weather below 7.5°C or winter
temperatures above 15.5°C as both can prevent successful fruit production."

I think these are just the basics. You can get lots more info out there.

[Demon67]

Thanks Rhos1355 below 10c in the winter not a problem.
Bill the demon.