Content
- Are olives hardy?
- Olives are hardy, but sensitive to frost
- Maintain olives properly in winter
- Preparing for the winter
- Winterize olives
- What you should do in winter under no circumstances
- Select the pure olive varieties
- Tips & Tricks
Are olives hardy?
Olives are very popular potted plants for balcony, terrace or garden. They bring a summery touch of Mediterranean landscape home and are also quite easy to maintain. But how do you look after an olive in winter?
Olives are hardy, but sensitive to frost
The true olive tree, as the olive is often called, comes from a warm and dry climate characterized by hot summers and mild winters. Nonetheless, many varieties of olives also know some frosts from their homeland, but are not used to long-lasting frost periods and / or very deep frosts. Therefore, olives are indeed described as hardy, although they are quite sensitive to frost.
Maintain olives properly in winter
Olives need a winter break, in which they prefer to stand outdoors or at a maximum of 10 ° C in a cool and bright location in the house or apartment. Temperatures around the freezing point are usually well tolerated, provided that the bucket is well protected against freezing. For this purpose, a root heating is especially advisable in regions where it can be very cold. Olives must be watered regularly in the winter, but much less often.
Preparing for the winter
Before you winterize your olive tree, first of all, the appropriate preparation. You can prune your little tree towards the end of the growing season, and you should fertilize again with patent potassium. This fertilizer is also called Kalimagnesia and ensures that young shoots can lignify faster. Woody shoots in turn defy frost much better.
Winterize olives
In order to winterize your olive, it first needs a sheltered location. Even in winter the tree needs a lot of light and air, so dark cellars are not useful. Instead, you can put the tree on a heat radiating house wall, at best in a sheltered and covered corner. Cover the soil in the pot with a thick layer of brushwood or bark mulch, which keeps the roots warm and optimally protects them from frost. As soon as it gets very cold, wrap the pot, trunk and crown with antifreeze mats, such as jute, sisal, straw or coconut.
What you should do in winter under no circumstances
Select the pure olive varieties
There are about 1000 different varieties of olives in the world, some of which are very sensitive to frost and others less so. How frost sensitive an olive tree is depends primarily on its region of origin. For this reason, you should be careful when buying, not necessarily a variety from Andalusia or a similarly hot area to acquire. Instead, you better choose trees that have been cultivated in a rougher area - these are so used to many weather conditions and will certainly survive a German winter better.
Tips & Tricks
If you do not overwinter your olive tree outdoors, but indoors, you will ensure plenty of light, the right temperature and regular fresh air supply. Olives are not houseplants but feel much better outdoors. Therefore, in winter quarters regular ventilation is important.