Pruning Olive Trees

Pruning an Olive Tree

Prune off suckers - as they rob the canopy of water and nutrients.
Remove dead, damaged or crossing branches.
If the tree is overgrown, reduce the main leaders by about a quarter. Branches may be removed entirely to allow in more air and light.

When should olive trees be pruned?
Where do you prune olive trees?
Can olive trees be pruned to stay small?
How do I make my olive tree bushy?
Are olive trees high maintenance?
How can you tell how old an olive tree is?
How do you prune a mature olive tree?
How do you revive an olive tree?
Are olive trees poisonous to dogs?

When should olive trees be pruned?

You should be Pruning Olive Trees in late Spring or early Summer when the weather is milder but before flowering. As the olive tree is an evergreen plant, new growth will be produced from most of the pruning cuts. These fresh shoots will be susceptible to damage from cold weather.

Where do you prune olive trees?

The olive tree produces fruit mainly at the periphery and top of the canopy. This is because these parts of the tree are fully exposed to sunlight and in turn improves fertility. Pruning for fruiting purposes focus on the removal of any part that shades other younger parts of the tree.

Can olive trees be pruned to stay small?

Olive trees should not be pruned until they are about four years old. With the exception of removing suckers to a single trunk, let the little trees be. A tree's leaves are its food factories, so leaving as much foliage as possible when the olive is young will provide energy for maximum growth.

How do I make my olive tree bushy?

Olive trees are a slow growing variety and don't require much attention when it comes to pruning. If you would like to do a bit of maintenance we would recommend pinching back some of the new growth. This will encourage the tree to send out new shoots and in turn, this will create a lovely bushy tree.

Are olive trees high maintenance?

Most aptly suited to areas which are prone to high heat and plenty of sunshine, the olive tree should be planted outside and once established is fairly low maintenance. Olive trees have lovely silver leaves, which will compliment many other plantings of the garden but are also grown for their fruit.

How can you tell how old an olive tree is?

Apparently trees are normally measured at 1.30 metres – Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) – and from there, after a bit of cutting and more measuring (the rotten wood doesn't help) – the age of the tree is roughly determined. It's all summed up in: Age = 2.11 × diameter (cm) + 88.93, R² = 0.80).

How do you prune a mature olive tree?

Pruning an Olive Tree

Prune off suckers - as they rob the canopy of water and nutrients.
Remove dead, damaged or crossing branches.
If the tree is overgrown, reduce the main leaders by about a quarter. Branches may be removed entirely to allow in more air and light.

How do you revive an olive tree?

Observe if Olive Tree is Actually Dead First. ...
Trim Back the Dead or Diseased Branches. ...
Leave Chunk of Trunk Intact. ...
Diagnose the Problem that Kills Your Olive Tree. ...
Check Soil Moisture Prior Watering. ...
Do Not Over-water or Under-water Olive Tree. ...
Amend Soil into Well-draining. ...
Test Soil Nutrition Prior to Fertilizing.

Are olive trees poisonous to dogs?

There is no evidence to suggest that any part of the olive tree (Olea europaea) is poisonous to animals. Olive trees grow in the warm climates of U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10.