Olive tree: the Mediterranean tree in the garden

Olive trees are the epitome of the Mediterranean. But with a little horticultural skill, olive trees can also grow here. We show what has to be considered.

With an olive tree (Olea europaea) bring the Mediterranean into your garden. The tree not only convinces with its silvery shimmering leaves and a gnarled trunk, but also also has an added value: after a few years you can even enjoy the delicious fruit nibble. But for the harvest to work, a little time has to be invested in the care and the choice of location. For this, you will be rewarded with a healthy tree that can get incredibly old. The oldest olive tree in the world is around 4000 years old. The next generations of hobby gardeners on your property will benefit for a long time to come.

The olive tree: a short profile

Olive trees not only provide delicious fruit, they are also a treat for the eyes. Vincent van Gogh raved about its characteristic appearance and the wonderful play of colors that reveals itself when looking at the leaves. Here we have summarized the most important information about the olive tree:

• Olive tree, also a real olive tree
• Botanical name: Olea europaea
• Genus: Olive tree (Olea)
• Family: Olive trees (Oleaceae)
• Geographic range: Mediterranean, Middle East, South Africa
• Life expectancy: several hundred years
• Height: up to 20 m; in the bucket up to 2 m, slow growth
• Root system: shallow roots up to 1 m deep; in very loose soil up to a depth of 7 m

• Growth habit: shrub or trunk
• Leaves: evergreen; Upper side of sheet: gray-green; Underside of leaf: shiny silver
• Blossom: inflorescences of up to 40 white or yellow hermaphrodite flowers are formed on this year's wood
• Flowering period: depending on temperature and light, between April and June
• Soil: Permeable garden soil mixed with sand and humus
• Location: Full sun and sheltered from the wind
• Water requirement: low
• Fertilization: From 2 years of age every 2 weeks with liquid fertilizer
• Propagation: seeds or cuttings

Buying an olive tree: what to look out for

Since the supply determines the demand, you can find more and more garden centers, hardware stores and online plant mail order companies selling the Mediterranean plants. Because more and more plant lovers want to enjoy the Mediterranean atmosphere outside of their vacation in Spain or Italy. The prices range from discount store level to really peppery. Unfortunately, the price usually says little about the quality of the goods. It says: keep your eyes open when you buy an olive tree. It is best to ask yourself the following questions before choosing a tree:

• Up to what temperature is the tree hardy?
• Oil-olive or should be harvested?
• Does the plant look healthy?

Do not trust a seller who sells his goods as completely hardy. That is simply a lie and calls out for incompetence. If you value quality and good advice, it is best to go to a specialist retailer for Mediterranean crops. The small extra charge is definitely worth it.

Planting an olive tree

Because olive trees are not used to the German weather and certainly not to our cold and wet weather Winter, the right choice of location is even more important than the care of the frugal Tree. As far as watering and fertilizing are concerned, the sturdy tree is rather undemanding. But the wrong place means the premature end for the tree, which can actually be several hundred years old.

Olive tree: the right location 

The distribution area of ​​the olive tree is primarily the Mediterranean area. The gnarled plants can also be found in the Middle East and South Africa. Therefore, it is important to find a place in our somewhat cooler, domestic gardens that does justice to the heat-spoiled southerners. The location of your olive tree should be chosen carefully because, while the trees are robust, they need to be as sunny and warm as possible. In addition, some varieties are extremely sensitive to wind. Therefore: The ideal location for olive trees is in full sun, is warm and sheltered from the wind.

The olive tree thrives best at an average annual temperature of 15 to 20 ° C. Unfortunately, that doesn't work for us outside. But the olive tree does not like keeping a room. Indoor olives don't grow as nicely and shed their leaves quickly. Therefore, the ideal year-round place for an olive tree is a heated winter garden. But a sheltered spot in the garden, on the balcony or terrace is also gratefully accepted in summer.

In winter, however, the trees have to move to protected winter quarters or receive proper winter protection. If you decide to plant out despite the winter difficulties, you should bear in mind that olives can be up to 5 meters in diameter. This means both the crown and the roots. So keep a good distance to the nearest wood so that the plants don't get in each other's way.

Note: Underplanting with thyme and rosemary is not only the perfect finish for a Mediterranean-style garden, it also loosens and protects the soil.

Planting out the olive tree in a pot or in a bed?

Olive trees are used to the warm, dry weather of maritime areas. In our regions, planting is therefore only possible to a limited extent with robust and cold-tolerant varieties and associated with problems and risks.

In winter, our plants usually get too wet and cold because they are only partially hardy. In Germany, mostly only the Rhine Valley with its warmer microclimate is suitable for planting and here, too, proper winter protection is required. It is safer and more convenient if you cultivate your olives in the tub. In winter, this can simply be moved to a bright location protected from frost and rain. Here you will find tips and tricks for successfully planting Olive trees in the pot.

Olive tree: the right soil

The sapling is less demanding on the ground than on the site. After all, they are not exactly spoiled in their main growing area, Spain. It should only be somewhat loose and permeable.

When planting, just use garden soil that you mix with sand and humus. If necessary, potting soil also does its job. The soil permeability determines the later root growth of the plants. In very loose soil, the roots can reach up to 7 meters deep into the earth. Otherwise olives are shallow roots. Most of the roots reach a maximum depth of 1 meter. This is why olive trees are so good as a container plant. In any case, make sure that the soil is well drained of water. Waterlogging is not well tolerated at all.

Maintaining the olive tree: watering, fertilizing and Co.

Although the location comes to the fore when your olive tree thrives, with the right care you can avoid diseases and pests. Because too much moisture in particular can quickly become a major problem.

Water the olive tree properly

An olive tree can also cope with dry phases and hot temperatures. Planted out in the garden therefore usually does not have to be watered at all. With their long roots, the trees reach deep into the earth and get the water they need. Potted plants, on the other hand, need to be watered regularly. However, the plants do not tolerate waterlogging. Water when the surface has dried out. In between, the whole tree can be sprayed with a water atomizer.

Fertilize the olive tree properly

In the case of young plants, fertilization should only be carried out very sparingly. From the age of 2 years in the summer, a little liquid fertilizer is added to the irrigation water every 2 weeks. Since the trees can react very sensitively to over-fertilization, the use of an organic fertilizer is recommended. This has a slowly releasing depot effect and thus reduces the risk of over-fertilization. Pay particular attention to a sufficient supply of potassium when trees are planted, which makes the plants more resistant to cold. Mix in eggshells, potash or bone meal when planting or mulch with comfrey or bracken. More information about the Fertilizing olive trees can be found in our special article. An organic liquid fertilizer like ours is ideal Plantura organic citrus & mediteranean fertilizerwhich is simply administered via the irrigation water.

Repot the olive tree

Olive trees are very leisurely in terms of growth, but at some point their old pot will also be too small for them. Repot your olive tree at the latest when the first roots grow out of the drainage hole of the pot. On the one hand, the roots then no longer have space to grow further, on the other hand, the water drainage clogs and there is an increased risk of waterlogging. You shouldn't wait that long for optimal growth. To do this, repot your olive tree regularly every 2 to 3 years. Simply detach the olive tree from its old pot and give your olive a pot about 4 centimeters larger with fresh soil. The exact process and other useful information about the Repotting olive trees You will find here.

Cutting the olive tree: this is how it's done

Olive trees can be trained to create impressive bonsai even by beginners with a few specific cuts. Smaller cuts can be made all year round. Otherwise, hands are lined up in early spring when the tree has recharged its batteries due to the hibernation. A distinction is made between two types of pruning:

• Parenting cut: shoots that are too long are shortened so that the outer crown stays in shape
• Inner crown cut: If the shoots cross, the weaker shoot is removed

The pruning not only gives your olive tree its shape. It is also guaranteed that all leaves get enough sun. In addition, you should remove diseased or dead parts of the plant all year round. This maintains the health of your olive tree. A detailed guide for the optimal Cutting back olive trees You will find here.

Hibernate the olive tree

Olive trees are only partially hardy. Our cold and wet winters are simply too much for the plants that have adapted to the Mediterranean sun and a dry climate. So that you can still feel like you are on vacation in your garden or on the balcony, your olive tree must be properly stored in winter. In the case of planted specimens, the trunk and crown are wrapped with winter fleece and the root disc is covered with a protective layer of leaves, brushwood, mulch or conifer branches. Top olives migrate to bright winter quarters that are cool but frost-free. How to increase the odds of being successful Wintering the olive tree You can read about it in our special article.

Propagate the olive tree yourself

Olive trees aren't exactly cheap. But like any plant, the olive tree can also be propagated yourself with the right know-how. This works great over seeds and cuttings. Regardless of which variant you choose, the successful propagation of olive trees depends on cozy, warm temperatures.

Growing the olive tree from seeds

Breeding from seeds is possible, but not always successful by far. If you still want to dare to grow your own olive tree from seeds, seeds from the trade or from fresh, fully ripe fruits are suitable. You cannot use the seeds of pickled or otherwise processed olives for this. Unfortunately, these are no longer capable of germination. Even whole fruits cannot simply be stuck in the ground. Remove the pulp beforehand and soak the stone in warm water for 24 hours. Only then does the seed coat become permeable to water and germination can begin. For even better water absorption, you can lightly roughen the core with sandpaper before planting. After the pre-treatment, you can start sowing.

• Fill a small pot with potting soil
• Put the core about 1 cm deep in a pot of potting soil
• Use a water sprayer to keep the soil with the core moist
• Location: bright, at least 20 ° C
• Germination time: a few weeks

Propagate the olive tree using cuttings

Propagation via cuttings should be the variant of choice, especially for inexperienced people, because it is easy to carry out and promises a higher success rate than propagation via seeds. To do this, choose a shoot that is as young as possible and that is not woody. If you have chosen a healthy candidate, the following procedure is used:

• Cut the cutting to a length of about 5 to 10 cm
• The cut is placed as diagonally as possible
• Small pot is filled with potting soil
• The lower leaves of the cutting are removed
• Cuttings are stuck 1 to 2 cm into the soil and the soil is lightly pressed all around
• Pour lightly
• Location: light and warm, e.g. B. Windowsill
• Optimal temperature: 20 to 25 ° C
• Keep the substrate moist, but not wet
• The cutting has taken root when the first new leaves develop

Harvest olives yourself

Olive trees bloom for the first time after 7 to 8 years. But only if the location and care are right. Years of work are then rewarded with delicious olives. If you plan to harvest olives, it is best to use a self-fertilizing, hardy variety. Cross-pollinated varieties need an additional second tree so that the flowers become something nutritious. But even with self-fertilizers, a second tree nearby has positive effects on the harvest yield.

Note: Trees from the nursery are usually between 3 and 4 years old.

The time of harvest is difficult to determine according to the calendar. It depends on the time of flowering. However, this does not take place at a certain time in the year, but depends on the local light and temperature conditions. In our climatic zone, the flowers usually appear from April to the end of June. There are particularly many flowers if you make sure before flowering that the plant is neither exposed to drought stress nor a lack of nutrients. After pollination of the flowers it comes to fruit formation. This can drag on into autumn or even winter. Can be harvested if the following applies to the fruit:

• Color change from green to red-purple or black (the darker, the milder the aroma)
• The pulp gives in to pressure

Even the unripe green fruits can be harvested. However, these must be debittered by soaking them before they can be enjoyed. Don't fret if the first harvest turns out to be small. The trees only deliver their maximum yield when they are between 50 and 100 years old.

The olive tree is not the only plant that can spread a Mediterranean flair in the garden. You can find more plants for one in our article Mediterranean garden.