European olive is a fruit-bearing tree in your home. How to care for an olive tree at home Olive tree as a houseplant

If friends and relatives are enthusiastically housebroken decorative flowers, then in my apartment you can only see useful plants: lemon (though it’s still lazy, that is, it hasn’t produced fruit yet), rosemary, mint. This year there was also an olive tree.

I really wanted to see how olives grow in person! Well, of course, try them not from a store jar. And this is what I got...

Olive trees first appeared in the Mediterranean. Now they are grown (in gardens) in India and Crimea, Greece and Turkmenistan, Georgia and Mexico.

By the way, in any country this is a cultivated tree grown by people. There are no wild olives anywhere - this culture “became friends” with humans so long ago that there are no traces of its “separate,” that is, wild, existence.

In our latitudes, many have tried to “establish” the olive in the garden (doesn’t it work with heat-loving peaches?), but so far no one has succeeded. But planting such a tree in the house, and even collecting the fruits, is no longer a new thing.

This crop blooms once every 2 years. The beginning of flowering is from late April to June.

The flowers resemble clusters of forty small flowers, which over time transform into small “knuckles” of deep purple, black or green. They ripen for a relatively long time - up to 5 months.

A tree (garden) can bear fruit for up to 20 years. When this period ends, it should be replaced with a younger one.

How to get a potted olive

It can be planted by rooting the cuttings. You can buy it or receive it as a gift (although this option is already several times more expensive - a good two-year-old tree with viable roots can cost up to 20 thousand, or even more).

They will tell and show how an olive tree propagates using cheap (or completely free) cuttings in the video:

You can also grow an olive from a pit. But not from a canned fruit (everything alive has been “nailed” into it for a long time), but from a purchased seed, or, in extreme cases, from a fresh or dried olive.

True, there is a lot of hassle here, and such a tree will begin to bear fruit only in the 12th year of its life, while a “cutting” tree will begin to bear fruit only after 3 years.

Are there many types and varieties of olive trees?

Olive trees belong to the Olive family, so their “cousins” include privet, ash, lilac, and jasmine.

There are about thirty types of olive trees.

The most popular on our mainland are Cape olive, golden-leaved olive, and European olive.

All trees can be divided into three groups:

• Oil olives. They are cultivated for the production of oil, so it is not worth growing one of these varieties at home - their fruits are not that good for snacks. What are these varieties called? Let's say Biancolilla, Caione, Taggiasca, Frantoño.
• Universal (combined). These olives can be canned and pressed into oil.
• Table varieties. The most delicious ones are best prepared in jars. They are most recommended for indoor gardening. Varieties popular with farmers: Sabina, Lucca, Zinzala, Cerignola. As for growing at home, people really praise the varieties Razzo, Della Madonna, as well as the more “our” varieties Krymsky, Nikitinsky, Urtinsky.

Remember: a tree growing on a windowsill will not overwhelm you with fruits. 15 pieces (600 g) is how many olives you can collect from such a plant. But how beautiful it will look!

How to grow an indoor olive tree

• Lighting. You need as much of it as possible. A small tree can be kept on a windowsill (even a southern one), but if you put an adult tree in a corner, then only in the most illuminated one. A loggia or balcony is an excellent place for an indoor fruit tree.
• Temperature. In spring and summer (through September inclusive), you can keep the olive in any room, and in autumn and winter - in a cool room (where it stays no higher than 12 degrees Celsius).
• Watering. Maximum. As soon as the top of the soil in the pot dries, water it well (so that the moisture reaches the bottom of the pot). On average, this is done 2 to 3 times a week.
• Spraying. They should be carried out in the summer (in the heat), as well as in the winter (if your olive does not winter in cold room, and in the living room, and there is a battery working nearby).
• Nutrition. In the spring, the olive should be fed twice a month with preparations (or organic matter, after all, you have fruit tree) with nitrogen. In summer, the tree is given complex mineral fertilizer. Also, some people praise spraying olives with succinic acid. Even people can drink this drug (vitamin), so it definitely won’t harm the fruit tree. The only thing - succinic acid will not replace the rest of the diet; it can only serve as a supplement to it.
• Trimming. We grow this plant only secondly for its fruits, and firstly for its beauty. Therefore, in the spring you can pick up a pruning shear and safely form a perfect ball from the crown. When choosing between two branches, always give preference to the stronger one.

Transfer

It is needed because the roots of the olive eventually rest against the walls of the pot and outgrow it. The tree is transshipped once every 2 years.

• Pot. The best one is made of clay, a couple of centimeters larger than the previous one.
• Priming. It can be anything, the main thing is that it is not sour. Often, “indoor gardeners” take a universal substrate containing compost (humus), sand, turf and leaf soil, and peat. The presence of lime is also normal. Before planting the tree, mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil.
• Don't forget about drainage at the bottom of the pot ( broken brick, expanded clay).

A separate story is transplanting a diseased olive. Most often, these trees suffer from root rot (it starts from frequent overwatering). The disease is easily recognized by wilting and falling leaves. The tree needs to be dug up urgently, the diseased roots should be cut off, and the sections should be treated with activated carbon.

The olive is transferred to fresh soil. Finishing touch- you need to remove some branches, because a sick tree will not have the strength to feed them.

Important conditions without which the harvest cannot be harvested

• 1.5 months before the start of flowering, strictly monitor your pet’s “diet”: it should receive plenty of watering and nutrition.
• Wintering in a cold room affects the number of fruits. If you move the pot to an insulated loggia from November or closed veranda(or just keep the olive there constantly), the plant will rest and release maximum amount buds. But remember: it should not be below 10 degrees; the olive is still afraid of the cold.
• When pruning, remove old branches - it is the developing “young growth” (last year’s shoots) that bears fruit.

Caring for a flowering plant

• The tree can and should be sprayed; the flowers are not afraid of this procedure.
• Make sure the tree gets plenty of light. If the days are cloudy (according to the law of meanness, this is always the case...), the olive can even be illuminated.
• Water the tree only when the top of the soil is dry, and not before. Moreover, pour in a little less water than always - during this period the olive is especially sensitive to overwatering.

Olive Tree, or olive, belongs to the olive genus. In the natural environment it occurs in the form of shrubs and trees. Particularly famous european olive . There are about sixty types of culture. The plant is native to Africa, Europe, Australia and Asia. Trees have different structures. They differ in long branches. The life span of a tree is about 300 years. The culture is considered to be a long-livers.

An olive tree can be kept at home for up to 10 years. Next, you will need to plant it in open ground. It produces good fruit. The mass of 1 is no more than 5 grams. The leaves of the tree have a dark green tint. The vegetative organs of the plant contain a large concentration of starch. Thanks to this, the crop copes well with prolonged drought. Olive bark is dark in color.

Varieties

First of all, you should decide for what purpose you plan to grow it. The problem is that there are three types of olives:

• canteens- for use in food;
• oilseeds- for making olive oil from them;
• combined- they can be used for food and oil can be extracted from them.

Therefore, based on these criteria, select the variety. Also, the variety must be selected depending on this, in what place you expect to grow (for example, for domestic conditions, select dwarf varieties). If you still decide to grow it for harvest, then do not forget that it is a dioecious plant. That is, for the appearance of flowers and fruits, male and female individuals are needed, therefore, representatives of the two sexes are planted in one pit.

In addition, the olive is pollinated by the wind, therefore, if there is no wind, the harvest may be lower than usual. For the same reason, in domestic conditions, pollen is spread with a brush.

Olive trees are propagated using 2 methods.:

• from seeds
• from cuttings.

Climatic conditions

Olives grow best in climates with mild winter and dry summers. At a temperature of -5 degrees the tree will already feel bad; a lower temperature will lead to death. IN open ground and in climates with harsh winters, it can be grown in heated greenhouses, winter gardens and at home. Buildings must be large and well lit.

Soil for planting

Soil for evergreen trees must have neutral acidity, excellent drainage and not be waterlogged. Often it dies due to excessive moisture. Select soil rich in limestone. The best soil for an olive tree is not very fertile, for example, loam or sand. According to the structure - fine-grained. The soil must be loose.

Waterlogged substrate and not very good throughput lands are the main ones causes of olive tree wilting. Avoid areas where water accumulates.

When planting, it is imperative to add a dense layer of drainage. You can protect the plant from excessive rainfall by planting it on a gentle slope. It is preferable not to use fertile substrate. An excessive number of nutritional components generates increased tree growth. As a result, the percentage of yield decreases. The ideal land for growing a tree must meet all the required conditions.

Tree lighting

It usually prefers very warm conditions. In nature, this plant can be found on well-lit shores. Does not tolerate shaded areas.

Temperature regime for wood

The olive tree can withstand temperature drops of even -15 degrees. In severe, prolonged cold, the plant will die. During the period of intensive vegetation formation, it is recommended to maintain the temperature from + 18 to + 20 degrees. At the flowering stage, return frosts can affect high yields. Intense heat, combined with dry air, also harms the tree.

Watering the plant

The culture responds well to measured soil moisture. In the spring-summer season, it is preferable to regularly water the substrate. Prolonged exposure to dry soil causes leaves to fall. In winter, the number of waterings must be reduced. It is enough to moisten as the substrate dries. It is preferable for him to drink warm, soft water.

Ambient humidity

The plant does not require special conditions. In hot weather, it is recommended to increase the degree of water in the air. To do this, you will need to spray the plant with water several times a day. room temperature. During drought, it is preferable to spray warm water on the tree.

Features of plant transplantation

The plant may experience a change in soil and substrate. It is not advisable to transplant into adult representatives of olive trees. The root system is often damaged. For transplantation it is necessary to prepare a suitable place. Growing in very rotten and dry soil often results in wilting. IN natural environment the plant can be found in the rock. Therefore, it is possible to add to the soil during planting charcoal and pieces of brick.

Tree pruning

He needs to carry out sanitary cleaning in a timely manner. European olive is often damaged by various pests. Outdoors in early spring it is necessary to remove the affected areas. You can give a houseplant a beautiful compact shape. To do this, it is necessary to remove weakened processes and long branches. The plant withstands pruning perfectly.

In one growing season the crop will give excellent growth. If the plant is grown for harvest, special considerations should be taken into account. The fruits are usually formed in shoots from last summer. Consequently, drastic pruning can eliminate a huge number of olives.

Plant in the garden

Outdoors, the European olive takes root well and bears fruit well in the southern part of Crimea and the Mediterranean. In more severe circumstances, the crop can be grown in a spacious room, winter garden, glass greenhouse or warm room. Frost at -5 degrees will damage weakened branches. At -15 degrees it will die. Even with a slight decrease in temperature, a sudden deterioration in the taste of fruits and oil was noticed. To harvest, you should purchase garden species. The bred subspecies provide constant fruiting.

How to feed the plant?

Nutrient deficiencies can be compensated for with nitrogen. The procedure must be carried out once a year. For 1 hundred square meters you will need no more than 1.2 kilograms. It is allowed to plant natural nitrogen producers (legumes) close to olives. In addition, it is recommended to add fertilizer to the soil from time to time.

Container tree growing

To grow good olives indoors, you first need to prepare the right variety. It is preferable to buy a dwarf plant. The container must initially be selected large enough. The volume of the pot must be at least 60 cm deep and wide. It is necessary to do several large holes in the bottom of the container. The most important enemy of olives is high, constant soil moisture. Therefore, to grow good indoor tree it is necessary to prepare a loamy or sandy base.

Before the next addition, the soil must be dry to a depth of at least 3 cm. Container olive oil is more demanding. For its full formation, gentle pruning should be carried out constantly. It is not recommended to allow the main branches to thicken.

Main difficulties and pests

The evergreen olive tree is especially sensitive to pests and diseases. The greatest danger to an evergreen plant are dangerous black bugs. Excessive use of chemical protective agents is not the best way displayed on olive yield. Therefore, it is preferable to support immunity with organic and mineral preparations.

The tree is often damaged by:

• dangerous whitefly;
• olive moth.

Outdoors, gnawed buds and leaves indicate a caterpillar colony. Sudden drying of branches and leaves indicates infection with dangerous verticillium wilt. A fungal contagious disease usually cannot be treated. In case you don't save evergreen tree in time from the affected areas, the plant will die. When infected on open area it is necessary to avoid the place for further plantings.

Plant influence

With proper care growing olives at home does not bring difficulties. It is enough to guarantee the crop good lighting and timely nutrition. After some time, fragrant inflorescences and the necessary olives will appear on the tree. A container plant can produce about 2 kg of fruit.

Olive oil contains lecithin. The intolerance of the component gives rise to allergic reaction. The emerging allergy can also be of a cross nature. People who react to flowers, olives and shrubs of the Pancake family react most to oil. Often the formation of a reaction is associated with a hereditary predisposition. It is preferable to use purified oil to reduce the likely manifestations.

Olive propagation

The evergreen tree can be propagated seeds, And cuttings.

Before sowing, the sprouts must be treated with the correct alkali solution. Softened seed coat provides the best germination.

To disembark, you must prepare culvert substrate. The mixture should include leaf soil and coarse sand. In addition, you can add crushed wood ash and broken brick.

The depth of sowing of European olive should not be higher than 3 centimeters. It is important to continuously maintain the moisture content of the substrate. Even freshly harvested olive seeds have less than 50% germination rate.

Olive tree from seeds is different delayed fruiting. The first olive inflorescences may appear only after 10 years. The tree can be used for grafting. Cuttings ensure the preservation of all original varietal characteristics. Fruiting will occur in 2 years. Seedlings must be placed in the soil at a slope. To create a greenhouse effect, it is preferable to prepare cellophane. It is necessary to constantly ventilate and spray the cuttings. After the European olive is well rooted, you can transplant all the plants into individual pots.

Why doesn't the plant bear fruit?

An evergreen olive tree can begin bearing fruit within a couple of years after planting. Date of first fruit development depends on the growing method. Suitable conditions promote accelerated flowering. There are species that, regardless of the method of reproduction and care conditions, produce fruits only 10 years after planting. It is always recommended to specify all the characteristics of the planting material before purchasing.

The olive tree belongs to the Olive family. In the Mediterranean, in the south of Crimea, in southern regions In Russia and other areas with a mild climate, this plant is grown in open ground. In more severe conditions, you can grow it in a winter garden or in a spacious bright room, including in the apartment. Trees of table varieties, with proper care, will bear fruit regularly.

The olive tree is a long-living tree. It has been growing for more than 500 years. In the Garden of Gethsemane (Jerusalem) there are olive trees, the age of which, according to scientists, reaches 2000 years. Greece is considered the birthplace of the olive. According to ancient legend, the goddess Athena sent an olive branch to this fertile land, from which the first tree grew.

Olives are a real treasure for human body. They contain more than 100 useful substances. It seems that nature itself took care of the health, freshness and beauty of man, giving him these priceless fruits.

Olives are the simplest and effective prevention diseases of the heart, blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract and malignant breast tumors. To achieve the desired effect, it is enough to eat only eight olives a day or season salads with olive oil.

Olive is the personification of deep internal cultural connections. At least that's what Thomas Friedman thinks. He expressed his thoughts on globalization and cultural identity in his acclaimed 1999 book Lexus and the Olive Tree.

Decorative olive tree

Usually, domestic olive is grown not for its fruits, but because of its decorative, very attractive looking. Today there are many varieties of this wonderful crop that have characteristics. For growing at home, varieties that reach no more than 2 meters in height and are suitable for growing in a container are suitable.

The olive tree at home is a miniature one, evergreen with a spherical and compact crown. Young plants have light gray bark, older plants have dark bark. The leaves are dense, narrow, lanceolate, dark green in color. They stay on the branches for a long time and do not fall off even in winter. They are updated every 2 years.

The flowers are white, small, bisexual, with a goblet-shaped cup. The fruits are elongated oval single-seeded drupes, about three centimeters long, which have a pointed or blunt end and a fleshy pericarp. The color of the fruit can be green or dark purple, depending on the variety. Its average weight is 15 g.

Olive tree at home

Many people are concerned about the question of whether this plant will take root in our apartments? Under natural conditions, the olive tree grows in semi-deserts, on rocky mountain slopes, and on saline and poor soils. Sometimes where no other plant can survive.

The olive tree appears silvery from afar because its dark green, narrow leaves are covered with a bluish coating on the underside. It is even sometimes mistaken for some kind of willow.

The olive's drought tolerance is striking. In this, the date palm can probably be compared with it. Both of these trees like their crowns to be warm and their roots to be cool. In search of moisture, they direct their roots very deep, reaching groundwater, sometimes located at a depth of 5-7 meters.

Olive tree: care

At home it is unpretentious plant does not require complex care. It requires a well-lit “place of residence” and abundant watering during the period of active growth (March-August). In autumn, watering olive trees is reduced, and in winter, when the plant seems to freeze, the soil in the pots is moistened no more than twice a week.

Reproduction

The domestic olive tree, which is easy to care for even for a novice gardener, is propagated by seeds, graftings and cuttings. To grow a tree solely for decorative purposes, the plant is propagated by seeds.

Preparing the seeds

This method is quite lengthy, but it allows you to see the entire development cycle of the tree and guarantees its high survival rate. Before planting, they are soaked for 12 hours in a caustic soda solution. Then they are rinsed with water and planted in a pot with a diameter of no more than nine centimeters to a depth of two centimeters. The soil should be moist and nutritious. In addition, you should pay attention to the fact that the soil is loose and light. This mixture consists of leaf and turf land, sand, peat in equal volumes. Large, oblong-shaped olive seeds are planted in small (5 cm in diameter) pots no deeper than 1 centimeter.

You will see the first shoots in 2 months. At this time, you should carefully monitor the soil moisture. It is recommended to water the crops as the clod of earth dries out and try not to allow it to become waterlogged or dry out. Seed germination, as a rule, is 40-50%. Often the seeds do not germinate or produce non-viable, weak sprouts that die after a short time. If we grow an olive tree from seeds, the first fruits should be expected no earlier than ten years later. If you want to speed up the timing of fruiting or flowering, grown seedlings must be grafted onto varietal plants.

Surprisingly, you can grow an olive tree at home even from a seed. True, to get good result a long preparation process is necessary.

Propagation by cuttings

In this case, the olive tree retains all its maternal characteristics. The first fruits appear in the third, in rare cases in the second year. It is necessary to take two or three summer branches. Their sections are carefully treated with a growth stimulant, then planted in sand ten centimeters deep, and the seedlings are covered with glass on top (polyethylene can also be used for this purpose).

The optimal temperature for rooting is 25-27 °C. This usually occurs within a month, after which shoots begin to appear. After 3-4 months it will be fully formed root system, and the seedling can be transplanted onto it permanent place in a large pot.

Lighting

The olive tree, which is easy to care for at home, loves good lighting, so the window sills of southern windows are suitable for young plants. Mature trees can be placed in any well-lit place in the room.

In the warm season, it is useful to take the plant out into the air - into the garden or onto the balcony. An abundance of light is especially necessary during the period of plant growth and bud formation. If there is not enough of it, the olive will slow down its growth. IN winter time the tree needs additional lighting to prevent leaves from falling.

The air should be heated to 18-22 °C - this is the most comfortable for this crop. During the dormant period (winter), the temperature should not exceed 13 °C. Such conditions will promote the formation of flower buds. Watering during this period is reduced, and fertilizing the soil is not recommended.

Blooming olive: care

During the flowering period, the plant needs more careful care. At this time, it is very important to monitor the condition of the soil. Watering is carried out as needed (when the top layer of soil dries out). If there is not enough moisture, the plant's leaves become dull, curl, and then fall off. This may even lead to the death of the tree.

Slightly yellowish or completely white flowers with a delicate and refined aroma bloom in mid-June. At home, the tree is decorated with delicate flowers for several months. The plant is pollinated by wind and insects, but daily shaking of the branches is necessary for home olives. When self-pollinating, fruits may set different sizes, and cross-pollination significantly improves their quality and productivity

Despite the fact that the olive tree tolerates dry air well, we recommend spraying its crown in extreme heat. Until the age of four, the plant needs annual replanting. This is usually done in early spring, and it is not necessary to change the entire contents of the pot, it is enough to replace only upper layer soil to be more fertile and fresh.

Trimming

Regular pruning will help you give the olive crown a spherical, neat shape. Carrying out this procedure, remove dry and weak branches, shorten long shoots, create the desired shape. If you decide to grow an olive tree for its fruit, remember that the bulk of the harvest comes from last year's growth. Therefore, pruning must be done very carefully so that you can enjoy the harvest next year.

Despite the somewhat labor-intensive growing process, the olive tree is unpretentious and not prone to diseases. With regular and proper care, two years after planting you will be able to admire the blooming olive tree and get good harvest(up to 2 kg of fruits per year).

Feeding

During active growth and development of the olive tree (February-October), fertilizing should be carried out regularly (once every fifteen days) with solutions and infusions of organic and mineral fertilizers. For better fruit set and development in summer time The addition of double superphosphate is useful. For this, an aqueous solution of the substance is used at the rate of five grams per liter of water. In addition, it can be mullein - a two-week infusion, diluted 15-20 times before use.

From November to February, all metabolic processes slow down sharply in an olive tree kept indoors, and it goes into a dormant state. In winter, fertilizing is not carried out.

If you set out to grow a home olive tree, you must remember that insufficient light, excessive watering and very high air temperatures in winter will not allow you to “tame” such a tree in your home. If you cope with these obstacles, you need to be patient, because compared to most plants that people know about experienced flower growers, the olive develops very slowly, and it does not bloom too quickly. But lovers of indoor plants are attracted by the fact that you can grow it all your life - this small tree lives, according to scientists, for at least three thousand years.

Olive tree (Olea europaea)– or the so-called “Olive tree” belongs to the Olive family. There are mainly Olive trees and shrubs.

The bark of the olive tree is gray in color. The most widespread species is the European Olive. There are about 60 species. The native places of the plant are considered to be Southern Europe, Africa, South Asia and Australia.

Basically, when they pick the fruits Green colour. After cooking they turn black, they come with or without seeds. Trees that are uneven may be gnarled. Long branches can also droop. The weight of a ripe olive tree fruit is 4-5 grams.

This plant can continue to live up to 300 years. Many call him a long-liver. It is recommended to keep the Olive tree in the room for up to 10 years. Then replant into the ground. It grows quite slowly. The leaves of the tree are green-gray. In them it can collect starch, which helps in very dry weather.

Olive tree care:

Lighting:

The olive tree is very heat-loving plant. Grows on sunny shores. Does not tolerate shade. But it can still withstand light partial shade.

Temperature:

The olive tree is a fairly heat-loving plant. But sometimes it can withstand low temperature to minus 11-15 °C. But of course not for long. If it is lower, it dies. During warm seasons, the Olive tree loves warmth. average temperature for its good condition 18-20 ° C. When it blooms you must observe temperature conditions. At minus 3 – 5 °C flowers may be damaged. But still, if the temperatures are very high, this is also harmful.

Watering:

The olive tree takes good care of watering. In warm seasons, you need to water the plant quite often. If the soil is dry the leaves may fall off. IN winter period You need to water much less, keeping an eye on the plant’s soil. For irrigation, it is good to take water that is not cold, but at an average temperature.

Humidity:

Olive tree high humidity be neutral. If the air humidity is high, then the air temperature should be high. When it is very hot, you can spray the leaves twice a day.

Feeding:

The olive tree is a plant that, like all others, needs to be fertilized mineral fertilizer. In order for it to winter well, it is necessary to feed it with nitrogen in the spring, and in the summer, fertilizing it with nitrogen helps prevent it from freezing in the winter. Approximately once every two weeks you can feed.

Transfer:

The olive tree is not very picky. It does not require special soil. But if the soil is rotten and dry, then it still won’t grow. It is recommended that the soil contains a sufficient amount of lime and that the soil be rocky and sandy. These plants have very strong roots. Sometimes they are even found in rock. You can add pieces of brick or charcoal to the soil.

Reproduction:

The olive tree mostly reproduces vegetative way as well as seeds. But when it’s hot, it is recommended to propagate by cuttings. Still, gardeners prefer to propagate the olive tree by seeds. This method is more suitable since it is demanding in reproduction. Seeds can germinate within 2 months. From seeds, a plant can bloom only after 10 years, from cuttings after 4 years.

Some features:

The olive tree is very useful. The fruits are recommended to be eaten as it helps improve metabolism. This product is also very useful in cooking. Popular use in salads and soups. Rich in vitamins. Eating olives once a day leads to improved body condition and weight loss.

Olive tree - diseases and pests:

The olive tree is a plant that can be affected by olive moth, whitefly or the so-called “butterfly”. The caterpillar eats leaves and buds. If the inflorescences are infected, they should be cut off immediately. When it doesn’t help, you can use karbofos. The butterfly can infect the leaves, subsequently they turn yellow and fall off. In this case, spray with soap and water or use suspensions of pyrethrum and decis.

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 are primarily 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 sun rays. 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. Sandy soils are the best. The substrate should be enriched with materials that improve permeability (gravel, expanded clay, perlite), and a drainage layer 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 sufficient. 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.