Heating for the olive tree

Hibernate olives properly

However, short-term frost does not harm older olive trees in particular, as they often know this from their homeland. However, prolonged and deep frosts cause the tree to die. In particular olives kept in pots as well as young trees should therefore be comprehensively protected if they are to overwinter outdoors. It is best to set it up in a bright, but not too warm place - temperatures of just above freezing point up to around 10 ° C are optimal for the rest phase. But even venerable solitaires cannot survive the winter without the appropriate protection.

How useful are heating systems?

Experienced gardeners will advise you olives standing in the field to equip not only with a thermal cover in winter, but also with heating for the roots and the trunk. In winter, the roots are particularly at risk, because if they freeze to death due to prolonged ground frost, the whole tree will die. If, on the other hand, they remain, the olive will usually sprout again. Special root heating is therefore quite useful, as it protects the most sensitive parts of the olive from the cold. There are special plant heaters for the roots, the trunk and the crown.

When to use plant heating

• Plant heaters are only available in very cold winters prolonged periods of frost necessary
• At temperatures around freezing point and just below, wrappings are sufficient
• make sure that the whole tree is heated evenly so that there is no temperature gradient (e.g. B. between heated roots and cold crown)
• heat the sides evenly

What speaks against plant heating

But be careful: plant heaters not only have advantages, which is why they should only be used in really low and / or longer-lasting freezing temperatures. Olives go into the vegetative phase at temperatures of around five degrees Celsius, which in turn occurs in the dead of winter Dehydration. Therefore, plant heating should never be set too warm, because this disturbs the plant in its winter dormant phase. In addition, the warmth beckons Eating pests such as mice but also mushrooms and scale insects feel very comfortable on heated plants. In addition, there is the problem with many heaters that they only warm one-sidedly and that some parts of the plant remain unheated. In such a case, warming wraps are a better choice, as they give off heat evenly.

Tips & Tricks

Wrap your olive with a standard outdoor chain of lights, wrap the trunk and crown with a thick fleece material. You can cover the roots with a thick layer of bark mulch (at least 25 centimeters!) And with a film to protect against moisture.