table of contents
- Container plant or free range?
- time
- Bucket specimens: ideal winter quarters
- Hibernate outdoors
- frequently asked Questions
Olive trees are one of the most popular plants in Mediterranean gardening projects. In order to get the olive tree safely through the cold season, you need to consider a few points regarding the wintering of the olive tree.
In a nutshell
- Depending on the region, olive trees can be overwintered outdoors
- North of the Alps, wintering indoors is generally preferable
- the wintering period begins at temperatures of -10 ° C at the latest
- Planted specimens need good protection from the cold and wet over the winter
- Olive trees that winter in the house hardly need any maintenance during the cold season
Container plant or free range?
Hibernating the olive tree is one of the most demanding maintenance measures for the Mediterranean plants. In order not to expose Olea europaea to cool temperatures, a few points must be taken into account when choosing the location. Since olive trees are Mediterranean plants, it is usually too cold for them north of the Alps. Although the plants can withstand temperatures of down to -10 ° C, there are numerous regions in Germany that are significantly colder. If this is the case for you, you should never think about hibernating your olive trees outdoors. Despite the temperate climate, there are some parts of the country where the trees can be kept outdoors all year round:
- Wine-growing areas
- Areas on the Lower Rhine
- southwestern Baden-Württemberg (e.g. Freiburg)
These are winter-mild areas, so they are made for the olive trees. Olive trees can be overwintered quite well in these, although winter protection is still required. Still, you don't have to worry as much about possible frost damage if you keep in mind the appropriate temperatures in the area.
Note: Always consider the lowest possible temperatures in your area instead of the average before you plant the crop. Long periods of frost are not a problem for the olive tree, while a day below -10 ° C can be very tough.
time
The time to overwinter is extremely important for olive trees. Only if the tree moves to winter quarters early enough or is provided with winter protection will it survive the cold season without problems. From when the plant is overwintered depends exclusively on the temperatures at the end of autumn or early winter. We recommend the months of November to December, before the night temperatures reach -10 ° C. Ideally, the olive tree is transported or packed into winter quarters from -5 ° C to -7 ° C. It remains in this state until March or early April, when it gets warmer again at night.
Note: Depending on where you live, the time can move forward or backward. For this reason, check the weather report as often as possible to determine a suitable day for the start of the wintering season.
Bucket specimens: ideal winter quarters
If you have decided to overwinter the olive tree indoors, you need to take the right precautions. The biggest advantage of this variant is the easy-care nature of the olive tree. Olea europaea is quite undemanding over the winter if the location meets the requirements of the plant over the cold season. For the olive tree, choose a location in the house that has the following characteristics:
- bright
- avoid direct sun
- Temperature: 5 ° C to 10 ° C
Rooms that are not used so frequently are particularly suitable as winter quarters, for example the guest room, winter gardens, corridors, garages and greenhouses that can be heated. The chosen location should have some ventilation option, as the olive trees need fresh air every week. This way they don't get too warm and they can cope better with the fresh air. Wintering in the cellar at around 5 ° C is also possible. Expect that to be your olive tree Shedding leaves because basement rooms are simply too dark. A plant lamp can help in this case. The following maintenance measures should be observed over the winter:
- do not fertilize
- water as needed
- check the substrate using a thumb sample
From March onwards, get used to the sun more and more. To do this, carefully place the olive tree outside in a place that the sun shines on.
Tip: If the foliage turns yellow over the winter, give the plant too much water in its winter quarters. It is essential to reduce the amount of water so that the plant can recover.
Hibernate outdoors
If you can overwinter the olive tree outdoors, you need to provide good winter protection. This applies to specimens that have been planted out and cultivated in pots that are not brought into the house over the winter. The location itself does not really have to be adjusted, even if you should protect trees from direct sun as much as possible. The only important thing is that it is protected from wind and precipitation. Rain and snow are not ideal for the olive tree, as it is very sensitive to moisture over the winter. A protective roof is therefore never wrong. The trees receive the following winter protection:
- Wrap the crown in garden fleece
- only necessary if there is a risk of frost
- Protect the planting disc
- use bark mulch, straw or sticks for this
Freshly planted specimens in particular need protection for their planting discs, as they are even more sensitive to soil temperatures. If, on the other hand, it is a container plant, pack the container in a garden fleece and place the pot on a styrofoam plate. In this way, the sensitive roots are protected from the cold. On frost-free days, water the tub olive trees a little.
frequently asked Questions
Olive trees get used to their location over time. For this reason, young specimens acquired in Central Europe are better suited for the domestic winters than imported specimens from the Mediterranean region. Older trees in particular, which are used to the temperatures of the Mediterranean, have problems outdoors with the climate north of the Alps.
Yes, if planted in the garden early enough in the year. Spring is ideal for this, when the nighttime temperatures no longer drop below -10 ° C. In this case, the trees have until the end of autumn to get used to the climate. If you do not receive your olive tree until summer, it will overwinter in the house, even in regions with mild winter.
No, you should always overwinter young olive trees indoors for the first few years. They only get used to the climate over time and can be planted outdoors in adulthood with extensive winter protection. In this way you will avoid possible problems that could arise from the cold temperatures.
Winter hardy olive varieties withstand longer periods of frost down to -10 ° C much better than others, but should not be exposed to harsh winters either. Suitable varieties include, for example, the 'Forma Toscana' from the area of the same name in Italy or the Spanish 'Manzanilla Cacerena'.
Olive trees that hibernate in the house are rarely attacked by the fungus Spilocaea oleagina, which can be recognized by yellowed leaves with brownish spots. It is essential to reduce the amount of water in order to contain the fungal attack and carefully remove the infected leaves. Dispose of this in the household waste. It also helps to give the olive tree more light.
