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Olive Tree

Olive Tree

As a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, the olive tree is a slow-growing evergreen tree with a short trunk, vast crown, numerous branches, and oblong, silvery-green leaves up to 4 inches (10 cm) long. The height may reach 50 feet (15.25 m) but most grow to about 25 feet (7.6 m). Dwarfs go to about 10 feet (3 m) tall. The buds turn into racemes where four petaled white feather-like and strong fragranced flowers appear. The olive has a small pit.

Introduction
Mr. John Doe

Head Director

Description

While an olive tree can live over 1,000 years, like many plants, certain conditions must be met for the tree to thrive.
Optimal Time/Temperature for Germination:
Olive crops thrive best in climates with mild winters and long, dry summers. It is difficult, if not impossible, to grow olives in tropical climates. Frost will kill many olive trees if care is not taken. Temperatures that hit 22°F (-6°C) can harm small branches, while large branches and even whole trees can be killed if the temperature dips below 15°F (-9°C).Even if branches and trees survive the cold, the flavor of the olives and the resultant oil can be compromised by cold streaks. Avoid growing olives if you live in an area prone to these temperature dips. Olive trees do need a certain amount of cold, however. Proper flower development depends on the climate dipping to 45°F (7°C) or below, although this number alternates with olive tree varieties. This is why cultivation is extremely difficult in the tropics or very warm areas. Make sure that bloom season is fairly dry and moderate. Bloom season (April to June) should be fairly dry and not excessively warm. Olives are wind-pollinated, so wet conditions can hamper a tree’s fruit set. Growing zones from 7 to 11 are workable with zone 9 being the most ideal.
Optimal Soil Conditions:
The soil should be moderately acidic or moderately basic, with a pH greater than 5 and less than 8.5. Many farmers believe 6.5 to be ideal. If the pH isn’t in the right range, adjust it as necessary. Limestone is used to raise a soil’s pH level, while sulfur is used to lower it. You can buy sulfur and limestone powder or pellet form, online or at a local greenhouse or hardware store. You adjust pH by spreading sulfur or limestone over your soil. The precise amount varies based on how much you need to adjust. You can read the instructions on your package. It may take a few days for limestone or sulfur to be adequately absorbed. For a more natural way of altering the soil’s pH level, use sphagnum moss to raise pH and pine needles to lower it. Once your pH level is at the right level, keep monitoring it throughout the growing process, especially after using fertilizers which can affect pH. Watch how water affects soil in the area you want to grow. Olive trees thrive in areas that have good drainage. After rain, check the soil. Do not plant in an area where the soil stands above ground during rainy periods. Also, dig a hole 2 feet (60 cm) deep and add water. If water steeps, opt for a different area. Planting your olive trees on a gentle slope can solve a lot of drainage problems. There tends to be better drainage on inclines. The best indicator that an area will grow olive trees successfully is if an area has grown trees in the past. If you know olive trees have previously grown somewhere, grow your trees there. You can also grow your trees near existing olive trees. If you know other farmers or gardeners in your area, try asking them where olive trees have previously grown. Full sun, without any shade blocking your trees, is ideal. Any area you choose should at least get some direct sunlight for at least 6 hours a day. Very shady areas are not recommended for growing olives.
Seed Planting Depth, Spacing and Procedure:
Frost can be a major danger for young olive oil trees. In general, opt to plant in spring after temperatures have been consistently warm and there has been no recent frost. Most people plant trees during April or May, but adjust for your region. The more time trees have to grow before winter, the better. Plant your trees as soon as possible after the last expected frost date of the season. Purchase potted olive trees online or at a local greenhouse. Seeds on their own are fragile and difficult to cultivate. You should plant trees that are 4 to 5 feet (1.2 to 1.5 m) high and whose branches start at 3 feet (90 cm). Measure the tree’s pot, including its circumference and height. Dig a hole about that deep and wide. You do not have to get the hole the exact size, but the hole should be roughly the same size so that the tree fits comfortably in the soil. Remove the tree from the container, including all the roots. Cut or untwist any circling roots as best you can, but stay away from the root ball. Cutting into this can damage your plants. Use the previously dug soil and surrounding soil to fill in the rest of the hole. Put an inch of topsoil over the root ball. Multiple tree planting would be 10-12 feet (3 to 3.6 m) between the rows and 4-6 feet (1.2 – 1.8 m) between the trees. At this time, things like fertilizer and compost should not be added near your tree. The tree should grow out of the native soil initially.
Best Companion Plants and Plants that Hinder:
Lavender, petunia, marigold, thyme, borage, daisies, yarrow, dill, fennel, lemon balm, parsley, tansy, nasturtium, oregano, peas, and alfalfa. Experiment next to your tree and you can always relocate the good companion plant later.

Growing Instructions

Crop Maintenance

Do not prune young trees often. During the first 4 years, only remove side branches growing below 3 feet (90 cm). As the trees mature, they will become to take on their full form and you can remove weak or unwanted branches. Early pruning, however, should be as minimal as possible to avoid stunting a tree’s growth. To prevent olives from forming in a certain place on the tree, prune the desired flowering olive branches in early summer. Make sure your pruning tools are clean when pruning olive trees during a rainy season. Pruning tools can become infected with olive knot, a bacterial disease that is spread from the tools to the olive trees.
Moisture Requirements & Solutions:
With drip irrigation, trees need watering each day during the summer. Water your trees for an hour. Keeping mini-sprinklers, which wet the ground down at least 2 feet (60 cm), can also help trees stayed watered. Look for sprinklers that .1 to .2 (2.5 to 5 mm) inches of water per hour and install these between the trunks of your trees. How often you water your tree may be dictated by whether you want to cultivate fruit or oil. If cultivating fruit, water your trees more often — anywhere from every week to every 2 or 3 weeks. If cultivating oil, water your trees less often. This will help concentrate the flavor of the oil.
Weeding Needs & Solutions:
If not properly managed, weeds can create problems.
Feeding Needs/Optimal Natural Fertilizers:
Olive trees will thrive well enough with correct planting and watering. Try not to spray olives grown for making olive oil with chemical treatments. The processed olive oil will retain the odors of these chemicals. Some mulches to use instead of coarse straw are lucerne, soya bean, and pea hay which are excellent mulches high in nitrogen and other nutrients to feed the tree.
Pests, Diseases & Solutions:
Like most plants, the olive tree is sometimes susceptible to attack, particularly from Black scales – small black scales on the surface of the bark which can get out of hand fast as they produce eggs quickly. Verticillium wilt may also affect olive trees, causing leaves and branches to unexpectedly wilt. Although certain cultivars of olives come equipped with resistance, there is yet no treatment for this fungal disease. If afflicted branches aren’t cut off, wilt can affect the whole tree. In this case, you may have to prune branches even from very young trees. If you’ve had a problem with wilt in your soil before, avoid planting in that area.
When to Harvest/Number of days to maturity:
In general, harvest olives in the fall but leave on to fully ripen for oil use until winter before olive harvest. Well-watered trees will start bearing fruit two or three times faster than dry-farmed trees. While some cultivars begin bearing fruit as soon as two or three years if properly maintained, many trees won’t start bearing until 10 years old. When growing olives, remember this is a long term project. Start watching for fruit after the first two years, but keep in mind it may take much longer for an olive tree to yield fruit.
How to Harvest:
Ripe olives will bruise easily and must be handled carefully during harvesting. This may sound easy, but the fruit must be picked directly from the tree so the seed remains alive. Pick them in early autumn, after the fruits ripen and are green. Leave the black ones. Don’t pick any off the ground and make sure the ones you choose don’t have any holes from insects. Once you have the olives, gently smash the flesh with a hammer to loosen the fruit around the pit. Cover the crushed olives with warm water and soak them overnight. Stir the water every few hours or so. Jostling them will encourage the fruit to loosen further. If a hammer isn’t available, use a wide knife and smash with the flat side. If you notice a few floating to the surface, gather these and discard. They are likely rotten.
Optimal Storage temperature and conditions:
Olives start out green and eventually all turn black as they ripen. Olives that are harvested when they are still green have a peppery, grassy, or more herbaceous flavor, while olives that are harvested when they turn taker have a milder, buttery flavor. Many oils are a mix between green and ripe olives, harvested right when they are turning color. Decide on the type of olive you want and wait until your olives turn that color to harvest. Keep in mind, you cannot eat olives directly off a tree. Most have to be brined, meaning they are soaked in salt water, before they can be consumed. The best way to store olives is in a sealed jar containing brine. Unopened jars should be stored in a cool place away from sunlight in the pantry where the temperature is always less than 75°F (24°C). Opened jars should be placed into the refrigerator and stored up to 12 months or by your date on the jar.
Optimal Preserving Procedures:
Seed Saving:
Growing from seed, you will get more of a wild variety than any of the parent trees it came from but if determined, Gather the pits and use a scour pad to rub the excess skin off. This is the same pad you probably use on pots and pans. After you’ve rubbed the skin, thoroughly rinse the pits in warm water for several minutes. If a scour pad is not available, try sandpaper. There is a blunt end and a pointy end on every olive pit. With a knife, nick the blunt end. Do not break through the hull completely or the seed will be useless. Instead, create a tiny hole about the size of a pen tip. Soak these for 24 hours in room temperature water. Use a 3 inch (7.5 cm) pot for every seed. Fill them with well- draining soil. It should consist of one part coarse sand and one part seed compost.

Harvest and Storage

Notes

An olive tree can also be grown in a large container indoors (even moving them outside and then inside in the winter. Olive wood is resistant to decay so if cut down, a new trunk will often arise from the roots. You can install Dip emitters that are irrigation systems that keep your olive trees properly hydrated. For the first year, they should be placed right next to each tree trunk. The following year, they should be moved 2 feet (60 cm) away from the trunks. A second emitter should be added, also 2 feet (60 cm) away from the trunk. Installing dip emitter is complicated. While you can purchase them at a hardware store, installation is tricky unless you have extensive gardening experience. It is best to hire professionals to install your emitters. Usually, emitters are hooked up to a water source such as an outside faucet. You then run the tubing across your garden or yard until it gets to the base of your trees. You will then poke holes in the tubing and install a watering device to help irrigate your olive trees. You cannot grow more olives from store-bought olives. Most olives are inedible in their natural state, and olives meant for human consumption are usually cured or fermented, a process that renders the seeds within unviable, so that they will not germinate.

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