How to plant olive trees. European olive: description, care, cultivation, reproduction, reviews How to care for a home olive tree

Olive Tree, or olive tree belongs to the olive family. In the natural environment it occurs in the form of shrubs and trees. The European olive is especially popular. There are about sixty types of culture. The plant is native to Africa, Southern Europe, Australia and South Asia. Trees have an uneven structure. They are distinguished by long branches. Life cycle olive tree is about 300 years old. The culture is considered to be long-lived. An olive tree can be kept at home for up to 10 years. Then you will need to land in open ground. Olive produces valuable fruit. The mass of one is no more than five grams. The leaves of the olive tree have a gray-green tint. The vegetative organs of the plant contain a high concentration of starch. Thanks to this, the crop copes well with prolonged drought. Olive wood is painted gray.

To grow an olive tree, it is necessary to create warm microclimatic conditions.

Lighting

The olive tree prefers warm conditions. In nature, the plant can be found on brightly lit shores. Does not tolerate shaded areas.

Temperature

The olive tree can withstand temperatures down to -15 degrees. In severe, prolonged frosts the plant will die.

During the period of active vegetation development, it is recommended to maintain the temperature at a level of + 18 to + 20 degrees. During the flowering stage, return frosts can affect yields. Extreme heat combined with dry air also harms the tree.

Watering

The culture responds well to uniform soil moisture. In the spring-summer season, it is advisable to regularly water the substrate. Prolonged exposure to dry soil leads to leaf drop.

In winter, the amount of watering should be reduced. It is enough to moisten as the substrate dries. For olive wood, it is advisable to use warm, soft water.

Humidity

The plant does not require special conditions. During the hot season, it is recommended to increase the water content in the air. To do this, you will need to spray the plant with water several times a day. room temperature.

During the dry season, it is advisable to spray warm water on the tree.

Features of transplantation

The olive tree can survive changes in soil and substrate. It is not advisable to transplant into adult representatives of olive trees. The tree's root system is often damaged.

For transplantation you need to prepare appropriate place. Growing in rotten, dry soil often results in wilting. In its natural environment, the plant can be found in the rock. Therefore, you can add it to the soil during planting. charcoal and pieces of brick.

Trimming

The olive tree needs to be sanitized in a timely manner. The plant is often damaged by pests. On open air in early spring affected areas should be removed.

Indoor culture can be given compact shape. To do this, remove weakened shoots and long branches. The plant tolerates pruning well. In one growing season the culture will give excellent growth.

If the plant is cultivated for harvest, the characteristics of the olive tree must be taken into account. The fruits are formed exclusively on the shoots of the previous year. Therefore, drastic pruning can destroy a large number of olives.

Plant on the site

Outdoors, the tree takes root well and bears fruit in the southern part of Crimea and the Mediterranean region. In more severe conditions, the crop can be grown in a spacious room, winter garden, greenhouse or room.

Frost at -5 degrees will damage the weakened branches of the olive tree. At -15 degrees the entire plant will die. Even with a slight decrease in temperature, there was a sharp deterioration in the taste of fruits and olive oil.

For abundant fruiting, you should choose the right tree varieties.

To harvest you need to purchase garden varieties. The bred subspecies guarantee regular fruiting.

The nuances of cultivation at home can be learned from the video:

Growing technology

soil mixture

Wet substrate and poor throughput soil are the main reasons for the wilting of the olive tree. Areas where water accumulates should be avoided. When boarding you must pay thick layer drainage.

You can protect the plant from excessive rainfall by planting it on a gentle slope. It is advisable not to use fertile substrate. Excessive amounts of nutritional components cause intensive tree growth. As a result, the percentage of yield decreases.

The ideal soil for growing a tree must meet several requirements:

1. good drainage;
2. looseness;
3. fineness.

If possible, fill the planting hole with a mixture of sandy and loamy soil.

How to fertilize

The deficiency of nutritional components can be compensated for with nitrogen. The procedure should be carried out once a year. For one hundred square meters you will need no more than 1.2 kg. Natural nitrogen producers (legumes) can be planted next to olives. It is also recommended to periodically add compost to the soil.

The olive tree should be fed with nitrogen and compost.

Container growing

To grow olives indoors, you first need to prepare the right variety. It is advisable to purchase a dwarf culture. The container should initially be selected large enough. The dimensions of the pot must be at least 60 cm deep and wide.

Be sure to make several additional large holes in the bottom of the container. Main enemy olives - constant soil moisture. Therefore, to grow an indoor tree, you should prepare loamy or sandy soil. Before the next watering, the soil must be dried to a depth of at least three centimeters.

Container olives are more demanding. For the full development of an indoor tree, it is necessary to regularly carry out gentle pruning. It is not recommended to allow thickening of the main branches. It is enough to leave no more than four main branches on the tree.

Main problems and pests

The evergreen tree is especially vulnerable to pests and diseases. The greatest danger to the plant is represented by black scale insects. Excessive use of chemical protective agents is not in the best possible way affects the yield of olives. Therefore, it is advisable to support the tree’s immunity with organic and mineral means.

The tree has a low threshold of resistance to pests and diseases.

The crop is often damaged by whiteflies and olive moths. Outdoors, eaten buds and leaves indicate a caterpillar infestation.

Sudden wilting of branches and leaves indicates Verticillium wilt infection. Fungal disease cannot be treated. If you don't save evergreen tree in a timely manner from the affected areas, the plant will die. When infected on open area place for further planting of olives should be avoided.

Cultural influence

With proper care, cultivating olives at home does not cause problems. It is enough to provide the crop with adequate lighting and timely nutrition. Within a few years, fragrant inflorescences and healthy olives will appear on the tree. The container plant can produce about two kilograms of fruit.

Olive oil contains lecithin. Intolerance to the element causes an allergic reaction.
Allergies can also be cross-linked. People susceptible to reactions to lilacs, olives and jasmine of the Pancake family particularly react to olive oil.

Often the occurrence of a reaction is associated with a hereditary predisposition. It is advisable to use refined oil to reduce possible manifestations.

Olive propagation

The evergreen tree can be propagated by seeds and cuttings. Before sowing, the buds must be treated with an alkali solution. The softened shell guarantees better germination. For planting, you should prepare a permeable substrate. The mixture must contain leaf soil and coarse sand. You can also add crushed wood ash and broken brick.

The sowing depth should not exceed three centimeters. It is important to constantly maintain substrate moisture. Even freshly harvested seeds have less than fifty percent germination rate. The olive tree from seeds is characterized by late fruiting. The first inflorescences may appear only after 10 years. The tree can be used for grafting.

The olive tree can be propagated by seeds.

Cuttings will ensure the preservation of all maternal varietal characteristics. Fruiting will occur within 2 years. Seedlings must be placed in the soil at a slope. To create a greenhouse effect, it is advisable to prepare polyethylene. The cuttings should be regularly ventilated and sprayed. After rooting, you can transplant the olives into separate pots.

Why doesn't the plant bloom?

The evergreen tree will begin to bear fruit a few years after planting. The period of first fruit formation depends on the growing method. Favorable conditions promote accelerated flowering.

There are varieties that, regardless of the propagation method and care conditions, will produce fruit only ten years after planting. It is recommended to check all specifications before purchasing planting material.

How to choose an olive

The plant is sold in the form of seeds and grown seedlings. average price for a package of 5 small-leaved olive seeds is 132 rubles. A container olive tree 30 cm high can be purchased for 1,250 rubles.

European olive or European olive (Olea europaea) - is beautiful tree, an adult specimen is often clumsy. Olive is widespread in the Mediterranean region, where it has been cultivated for centuries. The olive tree is a symbol of peace and new life. Greek legend says that the first olive tree grew on the Acropolis from the spear of Athena; its destruction was associated with severe punishment. Olives first useful plants. Wood is used to create various household items, because of slow growth quite an expensive pleasure. The fruits are widely used in cuisine and cosmetics.

How to Grow an Olive Tree

The European olive grows as a tree or large shrub and can reach a maximum height of 15 m. It has a highly branched but transparent crown. It grows slowly and is long-lived - you can often find several hundred-year-old specimens. The trunk is not simple, clumsy, covered with gray bark, empty in the middle. The bark of young trees is greenish and smooth. Olive leaves are leathery, oppositely arranged, 3-8 cm long, dark green above, silvery below. The small flowers are rather inconspicuous, slightly fragrant, and have a creamy yellow color. They appear in spring on last year's shoots. Pollination requires pollen from another tree. The fruits are drupes called olives, which in Europe begin to be harvested when the fruits have not reached full maturity. The fruits can be green, white, reddish, purple or black. Thanks to their use, the fruits are divided into larger and fleshier ones - table olives, smaller and harder ones, intended for the production of olive oil.

Place

The European olive loves the sun. Should grow in the most sunny place. In summer, it is better to take the pot outside, gradually accustoming it to direct sunlight. First set for 10 days in partial shade, moving to a brighter place in subsequent days. If you do not do this, there is a high risk of leaf burns (brown spots appear on the leaves).

The soil

The soil for the olive tree should be, first of all, permeable, and in the case of large specimens, clayey. The best are sandy soils. The substrate should be enriched with materials that improve permeability (gravel, expanded clay, perlite), and a layer of drainage should be placed at the bottom of the pot.

Watering

Olive does not have great watering requirements. The soil should not be too wet. Overwatering should be avoided as it can lead to root rot. True, olives can tolerate short-term drought, but the soil should not dry out completely. In their natural environment, plants have to wait a long time for rainfall, so they are adapted to extract water from the ground with extremely wide, branching roots. This is not possible at home, so it is better to always keep the soil slightly moist.

Fertilizer

Fertilize the tree regularly from March to September with a universal multi-component fertilizer.

Temperature

During the growing season, it is necessary to ensure the highest possible temperature. In winter, 10 °C is enough. In a bright winter garden they can winter at a temperature of 15 °C. Olives are not frost-resistant; adult specimens can withstand short-term temperature drops down to -10 °C. Young specimens are especially sensitive to frost, especially the roots, which immediately experience damage. Plants grown at home, exposed in the summer open air, must be cleaned in a timely manner.

Trimming

Olives are pruned in the spring at the beginning of the growing season or in the fall. It is worth regularly shortening the shoots to give good shape. Flowers appear in summer on this year's shoots. Pruning will not harm the plant; the tenacious olive will withstand severe pruning.

Reproduction

Olive trees are propagated by grafting. Cuttings are difficult to root. For propagation, it is better to use cut parts of the shoots after preliminary immersion in the rooting agent. Seeds are sown in spring. This is so problematic that fresh seeds are needed; seeds take a long time to germinate.

Diseases and pests

Scale insects can appear when the plant is exposed to too much high temperature. In spring, aphids attack and powdery mildew, on young leaves. Overdrying of the substrate causes fruits and petals to fall off; after watering, the plant quickly recovers. In winter, if the place is too warm and dark, the olive tree sheds its leaves.

Olive or black olive is an evergreen tree, reaching a height of 6-8 m. Upon reaching 1.5 m, its trunk begins to divide into thick, curved branches, from which numerous shoots are formed. The bark of young individuals is light gray, smooth, while that of adults is dark gray, rough, with ridges. The crown is dense, wide, densely leafy.

Olive fruits, flowers and leaves and their photos

Olive leaves are dense, leathery, narrow, oval, lanceolate. The upper side of the leaf blade is dark green, the lower side is gray. Its edges are slightly raised, which reduces the heating area of ​​the sheet sun rays and helps the tree to withstand long droughts. Evergreen leaves are replaced every 1-2 years. The growth bud located at the base of the leaf may be at rest for a long time. It begins to grow when shoots are pruned and in case of severe leaf damage.

Olive flowers (photo above) are small, bisexual, white-cream, collected in racemes, consisting of male and female parts; there are also male flowers with stamens. Flowering lasts from April to June. If several individuals are planted on a site, cross-pollination occurs, which helps increase productivity.

The fruits are elongated oval drupes of a dark purple, almost black hue, weighing about 15 g, with an oily pulp of medium juiciness. There is a large bone inside. Fruit ripening occurs in October-December.

Where does the olive plant grow?

This plant grows in the southeast of the Mediterranean, in a subtropical climate with warm winter and dry hot summers. Can withstand short frosts down to -10°C. Not found in the wild. Cultivated in Central Asia, Mexico, South America, Australia, Crimea, Transcaucasia.

Olive prefers loose, well-drained soils with low acidity. Loves bright lighting. Doesn't need high humidity air and frequent watering, however, during periods of severe drought, leaves may fall. In addition, if 1.5 months before flowering the tree lacks moisture or microelements, its yield is significantly reduced, since fewer buds are formed. Helps increase yield in in this case cross pollination.

In total, there are 60 species of this plant in the world and only one of them (European olive) has economic importance. One individual produces about 30 kg of fruit per year.

Olive fruits are a valuable food product. From them an oil is obtained, rich in vitamins and microelements necessary for human body. Olive oil is used in cooking and cosmetology. The largest producers of this product are Spain, Greece, Tunisia, Italy, and France.

Unripe green fruits are used in the canning industry; black ones are used to complement a variety of dishes, salads and snacks.

Yellowish-green, durable, heavy wood lends itself well to processing, therefore it is used in the production of furniture and souvenirs.

Leaves, bark, fruits, flowers are used in folk medicine for the preparation of medicinal infusions and decoctions. Leaves and flowers are harvested during the flowering period, after which they are dried in the sun or in a ventilated area. The fruits are collected from September to December.

As you can see in the next photo, olive is a spectacular ornamental plant that can decorate a room and garden plot. Thanks to its powerful root system, it is planted to protect soils from erosion and landslides.

The history of this culture dates back to Ancient Egypt, where it began to be grown more than 6,000 years ago. The ancient Egyptians considered the olive sacred tree, sent to people by the goddess of justice Isis. Wreaths made of olive leaves were worn by rulers and winners of the Olympics.

Olives have long been cultivated in Greece to obtain oil. In the 16th century the tree was brought to America, then to Mexico and Peru. Gradually it gained popularity in Mediterranean countries. Today, the olive plant occupies millions of hectares.

The tree appeared in Russia thanks to Greek colonists who settled on the shores of the Black Sea in the 7th century. BC e. Since then, it began to be grown in the Caucasus.

Olive indoor tree belongs to the Maslinaceae family. IN growing wild it can be found in subtropical regions, and its homeland is considered to be the Mediterranean, Australia and Africa. Olive is one of the oldest highly ornamental plants known to mankind. That is why they began to grow it at home as unusual specimens of domesticated garden crops. And the indoor olive tree is valued not only for its fruits, which are used in cooking, but also for its decorative value.

What an evergreen olive tree in a pot looks like and blooms (with photo)

Indoor plant called olive tree or olive tree is evergreen. The lanceolate leaves, which are green above and silver-gray below, make this flower especially decorative. A home-grown olive tree has a wide-spreading crown with curved branches and sometimes a trunk. The bark of this plant is similar in appearance to scales and seems to form bulges. It is often black, sometimes with a brown tint. The special beauty and tenderness of the olive tree is like a flower growing in room conditions, acquires during the appearance of buds from May to June. The inflorescences are small (0.4-0.5 mm), yellowish-white, fragrant, collected in 15-30 pieces in axillary racemes. The fruit is set by self-pollination or cross-pollination. But with the second pollination method, both quality and quantitative indicators formation of flowers and fruits.

If the olive tree is grown in a pot, then mature plant with proper care it can produce up to 2 kg of berries.

The fruit is a drupe with black or purple oily pulp and a hard stone. The ripening period is from October to November.

The plant is slow growing, so it can live indoors for many years.

There are quite a lot of varieties of this garden culture, but for home grown as a room ornamental plant one species is used - European olive (O. europaea).

What this olive tree looks like, look at the photo:

Since this plant comes from the subtropics, the olive tree needs light and sun. Therefore, your indoor olive tree will feel most comfortable on windowsills facing south or, in extreme cases, facing west or east-south. If an indoor olive or olive tree grows and becomes large enough to be kept on a windowsill, then it is appropriate to place it on the floor near the window. Do not be afraid of the proximity of the greenery of the plant to heating devices; it tolerates such proximity well. You can also place the flowerpot on an insulated loggia, which faces south.

The plant is considered heat-loving, but in winter the olive is kept in a bright, cool room with a temperature of 10-12 °C. If you want to see your olive tree bloom, then the plant needs to be provided with just such cool conditions in winter time. But in the summer it will be quite comfortable for him environment up to + 25°C, so the flowerpot with olives can be taken out onto the balcony or into the garden.

It does not require high humidity and tolerates drying out of the soil well.

Prefers calcareous soils containing lime. The olive substrate is prepared from turf land, humus and sand (2:1:1).

How an olive tree can grow, look at the photo:

Rules for caring for an olive tree when grown indoors

Like any other indoor plant, the olive tree has its own rules of care that should be followed if you want to grow a beautiful and healthy tree. This is not to say that keeping this indoor plant in an apartment is too difficult, but it has its own characteristics. To grow an olive or olive tree, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. Regular, but not too much.
2. Timely feeding.
3. Spraying in dry air.
4. Replant as needed.

Since this plant is heat-loving, the olive tree, when grown at home, requires a sufficient amount of sun and moisture. In summer, provide regular watering, but not too much. In winter, they are rarely moistened, but it is necessary to ensure that the soil ball does not dry out. Although the plant is not afraid of the soil drying out, this should not be allowed. This indoor tree has a fairly large root, so when moistening the earthen ball, you should make sure that the moisture reaches the very bottom of the flowerpot. Florists recommend this watering regime: in summer 2-3 times a week, and in winter 1-2. But when choosing a watering time, it is still better to focus on the dryness of the top layer of soil in the pot.

Whether an olive tree grown indoors is properly cared for can be determined by its foliage. At constant insufficient watering she becomes lethargic and turns pale. If a tree lacks moisture and grows in a dry environment, this may cause the plant to begin to shed its leaves.

But if the watering conditions for this are met indoor flower It should be remembered that excess moisture has a bad effect on the development of olives.

For a home olive tree, care must include spraying, but it should only be done on very hot days or if the flowerpot with the plant is located nearby heating devices. Moisturizing the crown should be done with settled water at room temperature. It is better to do this early in the morning or in the evening. This will help protect the plant from burns. If the air in the growing area is not too dry, the olive does not require air humidification.

How to prune an olive tree to form a crown

If you want to know how to care for an olive tree, then carefully read another point of its cultivation - fertilizing. From April to September, 2-3 times a month, complete mineral or ready-made minerals are added to the soil. flower fertilizer. This is the peak period of plant development, when it needs quite a lot of minerals for normal growth. Some gardeners recommend fertilizing with the following scheme: in the spring - nitrogen-containing fertilizers, and in the summer - mineral fertilizers.

This plant tolerates crown formation well. Therefore, many are trying to carry out this procedure in such a way that it takes on a bizarre shape. If you know how to properly prune an olive tree yourself, you can not only shape the crown, but also give a new impetus to the development of the plant.

All work is carried out using pruning shears in the spring, as soon as the olive tree begins to wake up from sleep. When forming the crown, it is important to remove not only dead branches, but also shoots that compete with each other. At the same time, the weaker ones should be removed, leaving the strong and healthy ones.

If you know how to properly trim the crown of an olive tree, you can increase the yield by doing this. To do this, when cutting this plant, they try to remove old branches. In this way, it is possible to make room for the development of young shoots, which produce the first fruits in the second year.

Some gardeners, when growing this plant at home, notice that sometimes there is nothing to prune in the spring. If you are faced with such a problem, then the lack of growth of new shoots indicates insufficient hydration of the plant. And if you notice that the foliage on the olive tree has begun to crumble, then most likely the flower does not have enough lighting. For an olive tree grown at home, the height is limited to 0.8 m.

While cutting this plant in spring period don't be afraid to trim it too much. The olive tree tolerates pruning very well, and during the growing season it will produce a good increase in new shoots.

Planting and handling of olive tree flower

An olive grown at home can live for more than 10 years. If we take this indicator into account, then the owners of this plant experience logical question, and whether it is necessary to replant and how often to do it. First, let's look at the intricacies of how to plant an olive tree for growing at home. First of all, select suitable look and prepare the container. It should be large enough. If you are not growing a plant from a seed yourself, for example, but have already purchased enough mature tree, then the dimensions of the pot must be at least 60 cm in depth and width. Since olives do not like excess moisture in the soil, additional wide holes should be made in the flowerpot for the free exit of excess water.

To plant a young olive tree, take loamy or sandy soil. As the plant grows, the old container may not be enough, so replanting is appropriate. At a young age, the olive tree is replanted after a year. After 5 years - once every 2-3 years. In order for the olive tree to more easily survive all the work of changing the pot and soil, it is better to replant it using the transshipment method. This helps to carry out all the work as painlessly as possible for the plant, without damaging its root system. Also, when growing an indoor olive tree, transshipment helps speed up its growth.

To carry out this work, prepare a larger pot than it was before, about 10 cm in diameter. Make it in large holes and fill the bottom with expanded clay or any other drainage material. Fill the pot up to 1/3 with a suitable soil mixture. The earthen lump in an old flowerpot with a plant should be well moistened with water. As soon as the liquid is completely absorbed and the soil is moistened to the very bottom, carefully remove the tree along with the lump of earth and roots. Transfer it to new pot, and fill the resulting voids with fresh soil.

Is it possible to grow an olive tree from a seed and how to do it at home

Next, learn how to grow your own olive tree. Of course, on the market you can buy ready-made rooted cuttings or one- or two-year-old olives and simply transplant them to permanent place habitat, providing complete care. But for many it is very exciting to grow this plant yourself. Therefore, questions often arise whether it is possible to grow an olive tree, for example, from a seed and whether it will bear fruit.

This evergreen tree can be propagated by two methods: semi-lignified cuttings, and less often, seeds (seeds) are used for this. The first method manages to preserve all the species characteristics of the mother olive, but when planting seeds, the likelihood of their loss increases. Therefore, using this method of reproduction, it is necessary to budding the game.

How to grow an olive tree from a seed:

1. Soak the seeds for 16-18 hours in a 10% caustic soda solution.
2. Rinse them under running water.
3. Use pruning shears to separate the “nose” from the seed.
4. Prepare permeable soil (sheet soil with sand).
5. Plant 2-3 cm deep.
6. Moisten the soil.

If everything is done correctly, seedlings will appear no earlier than in 2-3 months. In the process of growing from seed, do not ignore the point of soaking the planting material. This procedure will significantly soften the seed shell, which will increase their germination several times.

The weeds are allowed to grow until approximately 2-3 branches appear and are transplanted into a larger pot. A young olive tree requires proper care during the growth period (moisturizing, maintaining temperature, sufficient light), which guarantees normal active development of the root system and crown. A year after transplantation, you can vaccinate the wild game using one of the available methods:

1. Butt under the bark.
2. A sprouting eye into a clothespin.

It is worth noting that the tree grown from olive stone is distinguished by a later period of flowering and fruiting. So, the first buds on such an olive tree can be seen no earlier than after 8-10 years.

Olive tree propagation by cuttings

If you are interested not only in the decorativeness of the plant, but also useful fruits olive tree, then for propagation it is better to choose the method of cuttings. All work is carried out in the spring, when the flower has just begun its active growth. Cut branches, which should not be less than 2 years old, are used as planting material. For such cuttings, the diameter at the cut site reaches 4 cm. The cuts must be treated with garden varnish. The prepared planting material is planted horizontally in a container with sand to a depth of 10 cm.

The cuttings have quite a lot of buds, so after about a month young shoots appear on them. Such a young olive tree, grown at home, requires the following care:

1. Watering 1-2 times using a growth stimulator.
2. Temperature about 25 °C.
3. The lighting is sufficient without direct sunlight.

Cuttings require high air humidity during rooting and growth. Therefore, the pot with such young shoots should be covered with cellophane or glass. Once a day they need to be sprayed with water at room temperature. After 2-4 months, the cuttings can be transplanted to a permanent place. The next transshipment will not be earlier than in a year in the spring. When grown in this way, the first fruits can be seen already in 2-3 years.

Now you know how to grow a fruit-bearing olive tree at home. Be sure to follow the tips for growing and caring, and very soon your olive will delight you beautiful flowers and fruits.

Flowering and fruiting period of the olive tree

When growing this plant, many people want to see not only interesting decorative features, but also its buds and fruits. The olive tree is very beautiful and fragrant during the flowering period. And you can see this at 3-5 summer plant. In many ways, the time of fruiting depends on the variety of olive; for example, in some varieties of this tree the first flowering can be seen only after 10 years. Therefore, it is recommended to clarify this point before purchasing planting material.

You can speed up the fruiting process by creating for the plant favorable conditions cultivation, which are described above.

Treating olive trees against diseases and pests

An olive tree at home, even with proper care, has a reduced threshold of sensitivity to diseases and pests. It is very important to identify the problem promptly and correctly and begin to deal with it.

This plant, when grown at home, is most often affected by the following pests:

Whitefly.

Olive moth.

Whitefly- this is a relative of the well-known aphid, which looks like a small white midge about 3 mm long. In the process of its life activity it leaves white coating on the greenery of the plant, it begins to fade, becomes covered yellow spots, it is also possible to twist it. When damaged by such a pest, an olive tree very quickly loses its decorative properties. In the photo you can see what an olive tree affected by whitefly looks like:

The danger of being affected by this pest also lies in the fact that it is a carrier various diseases(chlorosis, jaundice, etc.). To combat this pest you should use chemicals(“Grinda”, “Confidor Extra”, “Bison”, “Commander Maxi”, etc.), which are processed at least 2 times with a frequency of 1 time in 2 weeks.

The main enemy of this plant is the olive moth. It settles on a flower, and its larvae eat buds and young foliage. When infested by this pest, the greenness of the olive tree changes in appearance; read the description of what signs of infestation by this moth look like. This will help to identify and begin to fight it in time. The foliage curls, and if you unfold it, you can see the pest inside, sometimes in a web. To combat olive moths, you should first remove all visible damaged elements. Further process chemicals(“Decis”, “Aktara”, “Fitoverm”, etc.).

If you notice that the foliage on your tree has begun to fade, and young shoots are not developing well, and at the same time the plant is being cared for at the proper level, then most likely this is a signal of an olive disease. Most common fungal diseases, affecting olive trees.

Verticillium wilt is considered the most dangerous - fungal disease, caused by a pathogenic microorganism of the genus Verticillium.

It is quite rare on olives that are grown at home, but it can still appear. It cannot be treated, and the only way to quickly get rid of it is to notice the disease in time and remove all affected areas.

When growing olives at home, provide them with the most favorable conditions. Then your tree will develop well and after a few years will delight you with its first fragrant flowers and oily fruits.

Domestic olive is often grown not for its fruits, but for its attractive, decorative look. To date, many varieties of this crop have been bred, each of which has its own distinctive features. Olive varieties that reach no more than 2 m in height and are suitable for growing in a container are suitable for growing indoors.

These include:

Photo gallery

To obtain edible fruits of high taste, you should choose table varieties.

The indoor olive is an evergreen, miniature tree with a compact, spherical crown. The bark of young individuals is light gray, while that of older individuals is dark. The leaves are narrow, dense, lanceolate, dark green. They stay on the branches for a long time, without falling even in winter period. They are gradually renewed every 2-3 years. The flowers are small, white, bisexual, with a goblet-shaped calyx. The fruits are single-seeded, elongated oval drupes 0.7-3 cm long with a pointed or blunt end and a fleshy pericarp. The color of the fruit depends on the variety and can vary from green to dark purple. The average weight of a nut is 15 g.

Indoor olive tree at home

Olive trees are propagated at home by seeds, cuttings, and grafting. For decorative purposes, the tree is propagated by seeds. Before planting, they are stratified by soaking them for 12-16 hours in a caustic soda solution. After this, the seeds are rinsed and planted in small pot with a diameter of 7-9 cm to a depth of 2 cm in moist, nutritious soil. The sprouts will hatch in 2 months. During this period, you need to regularly care for the crops, monitor soil moisture, water as the earthen ball dries out, and prevent it from drying out or becoming waterlogged. The germination rate of the seeds of this plant is 40-50%. In some cases, the seeds do not germinate, or weak, non-viable shoots appear, which soon die. Trees obtained in this way begin to bear fruit after 8-10 years. In order to speed up the flowering and fruiting period, grown seedlings are grafted onto varietal plants.

When propagated by cuttings, the tree retains all its maternal characteristics, and fruits appear 2-3 years after planting. To do this, take cuttings from 2-3 year old branches. The sections are treated with a growth stimulator, then the cuttings are buried in sand to a depth of 10 cm, and covered with glass or polyethylene on top to create a greenhouse. Optimal temperature for rooting 25-27°C. Within a month, the plant will take root and shoots will begin to form. In 3-4 months root system will be fully formed, after which the seedling can be transplanted to a permanent place in a large one.

The olive indoor plant is a light-loving plant, so it should be grown in bright sunlight. South-facing windows are suitable for young trees; mature trees can be placed in any bright place in the room, or in a winter garden or greenhouse. During the warm season, it is useful to take the pot out into the open air, for example, into the garden or onto the balcony. An abundance of light is especially necessary during the period of tree growth and the formation of flower buds. If it is deficient, the growth of the olive will slow down and the shoots will begin to elongate. In winter, the tree needs to be provided with additional lighting to avoid leaf falling.

The most comfortable air temperature for this crop is 18-22°C. During the winter dormant period, the temperature should be 10-13°C. Wintering in such conditions will promote the formation of flower buds. During this time, the number of waterings is reduced and fertilizing is not applied.

Blooming olive: care at home

When caring for an olive tree at home, it is important to monitor the condition of the earthen lump. Watering is carried out as the top layer of soil dries. Lack of moisture negatively affects the plant; the leaves become dull, curl and fall off, which can lead to its death.

The olive tree tolerates dry air well at home, but in extreme heat it is necessary to spray the crown. Until the age of 4, an annual plant transplant is required. This work is carried out in early spring, changing upper layer soil to a fresher and more fertile one.

You can give the crown a neat, spherical shape by trimming. When forming, remove weak, dry branches, shorten too long shoots, give the required form. If a tree is grown for nuts, it should be remembered that most of the harvest is formed from last year's growth, so pruning in this case must be done very carefully.

Despite the rather labor-intensive process of growing, the olive tree is unpretentious, easily tolerates drought, and is not susceptible to invasion. By carrying out regular proper care, already 2 years after planting it will be possible to observe what a blooming olive tree looks like and receive good harvest fruits (up to 2 kg of nuts per year).