Olive trees

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Jan 18, 2016
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Portugal
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9b
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Belgium
Hello, I live in Portugal and olive trees do really well here, we have about 30 of them on our property. This year they did not have a lot of fruit and the olives that we did harvest, where like raisins. Does anyone have some advice to create a better yield? Do they just need more water since it has been a really dry summer, or do we need to feltilize them?
Thank you
 
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Hi and welcome valedevento - although I do have to admit you have me slightly confused as your location says Belgium … yet here you are in Portugal :confused: but either way in answer to your question.

What you experienced is not something that can be changed - for the simple reason - that its actually quite normal - as - apart from a few fairly rare cultivars - the majority of olive trees are what are known as alternate bearing - meaning - they have a natural tendency to bear fruit one year and little to none the next. So as you did get some - even though they were small - you should consider yourself lucky - especially as - more often than not ... its none on the trees that are having their non yield bearing year.

Regarding fertilizer - as too much fertilizer and especially if the nitrogen content is high - can inhibit fruit set - olive trees generally do best with only a light dressing of fertilizer once a year and preferably with a potassium rich fertilizer rather than one with a high nitrogen content.

Also - as olive trees are best suited to hot arid desert like climates with an extremely long dry season - meaning around 6 to 8 months or more without rain - they are best kept on the very, very dry side - especially as moisture is an olive tree's worst enemy - as not only does too much water quickly lead to various fungal diseases and root rot but also an untimely death.

In fact - normal practice with olive trees is to not water them at all - but let nature do the watering - as so long as they get some rain - even if only a small amount - between October and December - that is more than adequate to ensure a healthy tree and an abundant harvest.

Oops nearly forgot - its also normal practice when starting an olive grove to stagger the planting schedule - by planting half the trees one year and the other half the second year - as by doing that - because they are alternate bearers - it ensures that you will have a crop every year.
 
Joined
Jan 18, 2016
Messages
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Location
Portugal
Hardiness Zone
9b
Country
Belgium
Thank you gata montes for all the advice. So we can expect a lot of fruits next harvest, that sounds great :)

My husband and I have bought land in Portugal, but we are from Belgium :) We grew up there and will be going back and forth between the two countries for a few years before settling down in Portugal.
 

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