Olive tree - winter struggle

[Gavlor77]

The Olive tree in my garden really struggles during the winter months. The leaves go dark (black spots - scab?) and fall off if you even look at them. In the summer, things completely turn. Its been the case the past couple of years, with it looking remarkably bare during the worst weeks.

I'm guessing the issue is poor drainage in the area its planted, but I'm unclear whether its definitely that, and if it us, how to improve it.

Is anyone able to offer advice?? (photos attached)

 

[DiggersJo]

That is some fine tree you have there! It's difficult to say from my point of view as most (if not all) the trees I ever came across were often pruned (I'd say savagely ) after the harvest. Saying that, where we lived was not without some sub-zero weather at times down to minus 5c, but heavy snow caused most damage due to the weight on even light branches. The trees certainly put up with some very poor growing conditions over there which makes me doubt it is a drainage problem (if indeed it has a problem looking at it). Lovely to see it growing in the UK.

 

[oneeye]

I bet your tree was planted and then the dirt was filled in after it was planted, and if thats the case. Your problem is that the base of the tree is buried way too deeply and will probably always have problems, possibly leading to its death soon. Your tree can not process gases or manage water and transpiration when it is buried that deep in the ground.

Dig out as much soil as you can to expose the root flare, and you may be able to save it if it's not too late. Here a photo of a healthy root flare.

Free the Flare: Maintain Visible Root Flare for Tree Health

Tree planting efforts are picking up as Maryland’s 5 Million Trees Initiative moves forward in 2024. Getting these trees – any landscape trees – off to a good start at planting time and through the…

marylandgrows.umd.edu

 

[cpp gardener]

Maybe it’s just cold? How low do temps go there?
On the drainage side, does water pool under it for any length of time in the winter? Our local ones (Pomona, California) grow in fairly heavy clay but water doesn’t pool around them much.

 

[Gavlor77]

I bet your tree was planted and then the dirt was filled in after it was planted, and if thats the case. Your problem is that the base of the tree is buried way too deeply and will probably always have problems, possibly leading to its death soon. Your tree can not process gases or manage water and transpiration when it is buried that deep in the ground.

Dig out as much soil as you can to expose the root flare, and you may be able to save it if it's not too late. Here a photo of a healthy root flare.

Free the Flare: Maintain Visible Root Flare for Tree Health

Tree planting efforts are picking up as Maryland’s 5 Million Trees Initiative moves forward in 2024. Getting these trees – any landscape trees – off to a good start at planting time and through the…

marylandgrows.umd.edu

I planted it myself, so I don't believe it's particularly deep, though I will read the article you referenced in case it is related to that. Appreciate the response, thank you.

 

[Gavlor77]

Maybe it’s just cold? How low do temps go there?
On the drainage side, does water pool under it for any length of time in the winter? Our local ones (Pomona, California) grow in fairly heavy clay but water doesn’t pool around them much.

Not too cold, South East England. There is actually a much smaller Olive Tree variety planted about 5 metres away which doesn't seem to suffer as badly, which makes me thing it's drainage issue.

 

[Gavlor77]

Maybe it’s just cold? How low do temps go there?
On the drainage side, does water pool under it for any length of time in the winter? Our local ones (Pomona, California) grow in fairly heavy clay but water doesn’t pool around them much.

Sorry I meant to add, no signs of water pooling.

 

[cpp gardener]

In a raised bed drainage shouldn’t be a problem unless the soil used to fill the bed was a heavy clay. The only thing I can think of to improve the drainage is to remove several bricks from the bottom row so water can drain out of the bed. Like take out every 10th brick.
Otherwise a good fertilizer program during the Spring and Summer to get it as strong as possible going into Winter.