David W.E. Roberts26/2/04 9:14

Hi,

just bought an olive tree on impulse at the local market.

40" high in an 8" pot for £10.

Seemed good value - bloke had two and was keen to sell both but didn't offer
a deal.

Not much luck finding details on how to grow it, though.

Found these:

http://www.fosfa.org/resources/res_seeds_olive.pdf

http://www.crocus.co.uk/?ContentType...filiate=tdo ,

So I have concluded that a pot with JI No 3 is the way to go, but not much
information on how to prune and if they are self fertile.

I plan to grow it on the patio in a pot so I can take it with me if I move.

The fig tree is doing O.K. so I assume an olive will manage as well.

Any tips and tricks for growing olives much appreciated.

I have seen mention of bringing them indoors over winter, but plant man he
say they have been out over winter just fine.

Given that in coastal Suffolk the perlagoniums are doing fine in pots
outside, and the mallows and budleia are still in full leaf, the olive
should be O.K.

Anyone got a decent crop of edible olives in East Anglia?

TIA

Dave R

Figs are hardier than olives. We can grow and ripen figs in this country
but I don't know many people with olive presses! ;-)
We don't keep them outdoors here in the south west but people close to the
sea do - by which I mean virtually within sight of the sea, Torquay,
Salcombe. Even then, they can lose them. I think ours indoors had one or
maybe two fruits last year on each one. IME, they're grown mostly for their
lovely foliage and without wishing to be a pessimist, most people kill them
within a year or two. But you got yours pretty cheaply and if you can keep
it going it's a Good Buy - £10 is cheap. All that said, if you're going to
keep it outside over winter, it really does need protection on bitter nights
like tonight and it mustn't be waterlogged. Given that, there's a good
chance you'll keep it going.
If your chap is still selling them in the market next week, by some more and
flog 'em on! Good luck - they're beautiful trees, IMO, and more beautiful
the older they get.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)