Olive Tree Planting Requirements
Olive trees like to be planted in well drained soil in a sunny area of the landscape.
Olive tree planting requirements. Cold is required for proper blooming and fruit bearing interestingly many varieties of olive trees in temperate climates actually need some degree of cold weather. Olive trees need a ph level of 5 5 to 6 5. Olive irrigation systems can also be divided into low volume systems mainly drip systems suitable for soils with slope and normal volume systems sprinklers which can supply a higher water quantity per minute. Immovable systems require an initial investment and they have to be designed and built before planting the young olive trees.
Do not however confuse the olive for a desert plant. If planted in areas where winter is too mild an olive tree won t enter dormancy and flower buds won t fully mature. It needs regular watering to thrive. Olive trees are usually purchased in either 4 inch pots with numerous side branches and a height of 18 24 inches or in a 1 gallon pot with a single trunk and a height of 4 5 feet.
Preferably give it a position out of strong winds or stake well. Aspect plant in full sun where the tree will receive at least six hours of direct sunlight. The olive tree is an evergreen that flourishes in hot dry areas and as such will not do well in wet winter soil. The areas where olive trees are cultivated for commercial use must have an average annual temperature of 60 68 f 15 20 c.
Avoid sites where water stands during rainy periods or where ground water seeps into a hole two feet deep. Soil these trees can survive on poor low nutrient soils providing they are well drained. However they will produce better fruit if planted in well drained fertile soil. Olive trees require a well drained soil and a sunny position.
The absolute maximum temperature can reach 104 f 40 c without causing damage but the minimum should not fall below 20 f 7 c. They grow well in almost any well drained soil but prefer deep fertile soil with high moisture capacity.