Olive Tree Pruning Rhs

It is best however to prune your olive after the last of the winter frost march onwards and before the first autumn frosts late october early november.

Olive tree pruning rhs. Pruning to give a more open canopy will also improve air circulation lowering humidity and ensuring that the leaves dry out more quickly after rainfall. Pruning is an important part of caring for an olive tree. It s size is the largest factor with smaller trees at 25 to 75 feet averaging 400 to 1 000 and larger ones of 75 feet costing 1 500 or more other factors that affect removal costs include the tree s condition diameter and location. Many olives are hardy but branches can still be damaged by severe frosts.

A sampling of types of recommended trees by height zone 3 trees 80 ft. Planted over 35 ft. Prune olives in early spring to keep an attractive shape and to remove any dead diseased or dying branches. Once they are 1 5m 5ft high select three or four of the strongest and best placed shoots to retain and pinch out the others.

We aim to enrich everyone s life through plants and make the uk a greener and more beautiful place. Pruning involves trimming off some branches completely and cutting others back and when done properly the result is a better harvest of olive fruit and a healthier tree. The average cost to cut down a tree ranges from 400 to 2 000 according to rob alderson of alderson tree service in spokane wa. The royal horticultural society is the uk s leading gardening charity.

Avoid pruning too hard however as this can result in the production of non fruiting water shoots. Always wait to trim until the rains of winter are done since pruning opens entry points for water borne disease to enter the tree. Choose 3 4 strong lateral branches to form your main shape and make slanted cuts to remove branches. This is of utmost importance if olive knot is a problem in your area.

However pinching out young plants can help to encourage them to develop a branching shape. Olives grow very slowly so don t require much pruning. Like most evergreen trees olives respond very well to pruning in fact the more you prune the happier they grow. Pruning an olive tree while it is in bloom allows you to assess the probable crop before you trim.

To restrict the size of a pot grown olive tip prune the main branches cutting back to a good replacement shoot each year. Pruning is not difficult but there are a few rules to follow for good results. To prune an olive tree choose a time either in late spring or early summer and make sure your tree is at least 3 4 feet tall before pruning.