Olive Tree please help

[ewster]

I have 2 very poorly olive trees, not dead as some branches have green in the middle. But should I be trimming it right back or just leave it. How often should I water? I have fed them. Any help much appreciated

 

[cpp gardener]

1. Olives want full direct sun all day long
2. They want to dry out between waterings
3. They want good air movement and prefer low humidity

You can prune them anytime between last frost and 2 months before first frost. If there are leaves or at least green tissue under the bark, they will recover. You can remove dead branches at any time.

Are they in the ground or in pots?
How often do you water them now?
How do you decide when to water them?
What did you feed them with?

 

[ewster]

Thank you for the reply
They are in pots I’ve attached some pics
Feed was just a miracle grow

 

[DiggersJo]

That's a very small pot for what looks like a lot more than a young tree. Has it been chopped down at some point by any chance and re-planted into that pot from the ground?

 

[ewster]

I’m really not sure, they were my sisters and I’m trying to help them survive. I will get them repotted

 

[DiggersJo]

I’ve seen many grown outside and helped prune a few, but have little experience of them in pots, or for that matter in the UK. Searching on the web under “what size pot for my olive tree” brought up a few sites with advice on growing them. Good drainage seemed to be a common suggestion and seaweed extract feeding every couple of weeks. A number said Spring is a good time to re-pot, so now is good. Perhaps with a helping pair of hands, gently pulling on the trunk will enable you to examine the roots before going to the expense of a new pot.

 

[ewster]

Thank you so much

 

[cpp gardener]

Definitely need a much bigger pot. You can go up 10 or 15” bigger, as long as you use a gritty mix and keep it in full sun. If you do go up that much larger, you won’t have to water more than once a week if it rains that frequently or even skip it if it rains more often. If it is in full sun it is hard to overwater unless you water every day. Miracle-Gro is great for Olives in containers.