Join a centuries-old tradition. Olive trees make a beautiful landscape feature, offering a wealth of shade alongside their bountiful fruit.

Planting

Plant your olive trees in direct sun. Avoid areas with strong winds and freezing climates, as these will damage the plant and its fruit.When transplanting from a pot, be sure to keep the entire root ball intact. Plant the tree at the same depth as it was in the pot. However, keep in mind that it is better to plant too shallow than too deep. We will provide a support stake if the tree requires it. We recommend securing the tree to the stake using arbor tape.

Watering

Olive trees are extremely drought resistant, but they still need water. After initial planting, it’s important to keep the soil moist but not too saturated. While your new tree is establishing its roots, we recommend you water it once per week for the first year. If the top 2 inches of soil become dry between waterings, increase watering frequency accordingly. After the first year, you can usually decrease watering frequency to one deep soak per month.

Fertilizing

It is best to begin fertilizing your olive tree each year in March using a high-nitrogen fertilizer. Continue to fertilize your olive trees throughout your growing season. Never spread wood chips near your olive tree. They absorb nitrogen from the soil, which the plant needs to produce its best growth and fruiting results. If you wish to spread mulch for landscaping purposes, we recommend pine straw kept at least 4 inches away from the trunk.

 Pruning

Olive trees can tolerate drastic pruning, and their fruit will grow most abundantly on new branches. That means pruning gets rid of old, diseased branches while increasing your olive harvest each year! Begin seasonal pruning when the tree’s spring buds are finished blooming. Stop in the fall as soon as its fruit ripens. Prune by clipping the tips of branches just beyond where its new leaves grow. Leave branches at least six inches long.

Pest Control

The good news is that olive trees have very few natural pests. However, its main enemies are the olive fruit fly, the med-fly and soft-bodied tree scale. These pests eat the skin of the olive fruit. Do not spray pesticides, as the odor will leech into your olives. Instead, we recommend biological solutions, such as fruit fly traps. Click here to learn more.

Harvesting

Extending from October to February, Olive harvesting season is longer than most produce. Olives should be harvested by hand to prevent bruising. They are fragile when ripe. Harvest your olives when they turn green and reach a mature, full size. Olive trees start producing mature fruit when they’re between 4 to 5 years old. Thanks to the way they pollinate, multiple trees will yield more fruit than a lone tree.