Olive Tree Planting Compost

Untwist or cut any circling roots.

Olive tree planting compost. When growing on a young olive tree it is a good idea to transfer it to a slightly larger pot each spring as it grows to refresh the compost. Cover the planted area with mulch to keep weed growth down. Top dressing with organic material such as composted manure or kitchen compost can be done but the grower should consult the current literature. Despite this olive trees can grow in most mildly warm climates as long as the winter temps don t drop below freezing.

When you buy your tree pot it on into a larger pot preferably terracotta rather than plastic and use a loam based compost like a john innes no. Use olive tree soil mix or planting soil mix. For most olive trees conjure up ideas of vast fields in the mediterranean coupled with a blistering sun to help ripen the fruit. Dig the planting hole about the same size as the container.

Choose a sun bathed area sheltered from stronger winds. Pruning skip out on pruning your olive tree during the first year. Otherwise disturb the root ball as little as possible. Ultimately there is really no limit to the size of container you use other than the ability to move it if needed.

A pot will sustain growth up to three times wider than the pot itself. Certainly olives do well in containers. The nutrients in the compost will leach into the soil slowly when watered. Growing an olive tree from seed is great for ornamental purposes.

Do not add soil mix compost or fertilizer to the hole. No pruning necessary at planting time. Olive tree care once your new olive tree is planted it is a good idea to provide drip irrigation as the tree will need water every day especially during the summer months throughout its first year. Larger more established olive trees do not need to be re potted on a yearly basis but will benefit from a small layer of compost spread around the base of the tree.

After that prune the olive tree during the spring season. Sprinkle compost over the entire planted area to a depth of 1 inch. Fill the hole with the original soil and water thoroughly. Organically derived fertilizers are available and a good thing though often more expensive and rarely contain the percentage of nitrogen preferred by olive trees.

The procedure for planting your olive tree in the ground is essentially the same as for re potting it. It is not necessary or even advisable to dig a hole several times larger than the root ball. Water the olive tree using at least 1 gallon of water for a thorough soaking. If you d like a larger tree repot it early spring.

Once you begin to see a quantity of new growth feed the olive tree with nitrogen rich compost conventional fertilizer or concentrated organic.