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Posted by marco (U13839504) on Wednesday, 23rd March 2011
Hi everyone
I bought an olive tree last year which was delivered in November. As it is only small I have left it in the pot in came in on the kitchen (south facing) windowsill. It has now started to grow a little.
Could anyone please advise of the following questions?
Do I need to start hardening off the tree before leaving outside fulltime?
and, do I need to prune or train the branches as they grow as they are a bit long and spindly at the moment.
Thanks for any suggestions in advance.
Marco
Won't hurt to introduce it to the big, bad, cold world outside. As for pruning, it's generally not advised to prune very young trees. I'd only take off any branches that are crossing over others, growing inwards rather an outwards, down instead of up, etc. The ultimate aim with an olive is to keep the heart of the tree - the centre - clear and open to let the sunshine in and the air to circulate.
You should also stake it. A sturdy stake, but not tied up too tightly. Let the tree develop its muscles.
Hi Marco
i have one too (delvered only a couple of weeks ago) and the information given was they are hardier than one might think - able to survive temperatures down to minus seven apparently (though I wouldn't risk it myself!)
Mature trees in the ground will cope down that low.
My three olive trees in containers seem to have all been killed by the severe cold here in NI ,also a 6' high specimen planted in the grounds of a nearby housing development has shed all its leaves.
Olives in containers are immensely vulnerable in severely cold weather. The roots freeze. They need undercover protection and the container wrapped in heavy fleece or bubblewrap.
Hi to all. Thanks for the advice and comparisons. Hopefully we are past the really cold snap and temps of -7 c are behind us now (even up here in Scotland!) I'll put the tree out from theis weekend and see how we get on.
Ta
Marco
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