Olive Tree Care Guide

Enjoys full sun

Use filtered, bottled, or tap water sitting 24 hours to release the chemicals and water  enough that the water discharges out of the drainage holes.  Once the water is fully drained, replace it into the cache or decorative pot.  

Requires no extra humidity

Keep this plant in a greenhouse where the temperature is a comfortable 65°F-80°F and avoid cold drafts below 40°F.

Outside: Keep it in full sun (6-8 hours) on a patio where nights are above 40°F.

Apply at half-strength a balanced, liquid fertilizer especially formulated for indoor plants twice per month during the growing season between April and August.   A slow release balanced fertilizer can be used as a top dressing instead of a liquid fertilizer. Avoid contact with the leaves to prevent leaf burn. Wash off the leaves if any fertilizer splashes onto them.

When receiving the Olive plant, give it a few weeks to acclimate to the environment before planting it in the ground. Dig the hole twice as wide and only the depth of the grower pot. Add a rooting hormone to the native soil mix. If you have compacted soil, consider adding some compost to the native mix for better aeration. Place the plant in the middle of the hole and water. Let drain and then fill with the native soil and compost. Water again and pack down around the roots.

If planting into a container, repot using a 2 inches bigger pot to keep the roots drier. (Too big of a pot could cause the soil to dry slower, which is not helpful.) Place a piece of screening at the bottom of the container over the drainage hole to secure the soil and allow it to drain. Use a succulent or cacti indoor potting mix with perlite to help drainage. Water your plant in the old pot before transferring and let it sit for an hour. Add soil to the bottom to elevate the root ball. Lift the plant and release the roots against the existing planter. Use a clean knife or garden trowel to wedge between the pot and the soil to loosen. Inspect the root ball. Notice if there are any dead or rotting roots and trim them off with sterile pruners. Cut through the roots to alleviate continued encircling if the plant is rootbound. Ensure the plant sits about 1 inch below the edge of the pot to avoid water spillage. Add more soil and backfill around the sides by tamping down. Fill up to the soil line but not over. Water thoroughly, leaving the soil damp but not soggy. If settling occurs, add more soil. Let the water drain thoroughly between the waterings.

Prune your olive plant in late spring and early summer. Prune its branches to keep it an attractive appearance. Use sterilized and sharp hand pruners to cut the stem at a 45° angle, 1/4-inch above where a leaf attaches to a limb.

In the growing season, hydrate the plant the night before taking cuttings. Take a young stem cutting between 4-6 inches long with several sets of leaves attached. Make the cut 1/4-inch below one of the sets of leaves.
Remove the lower leaves to expose the nodes (the spot where the leaves were attached)
Dip the end of the cuttings in water, then in a rooting hormone.
Use a pot with drainage. and place the stem 1-2 inches down into the damp, well-draining, moist potting soil mix amended with perlite. Tamp down around the stem securing it.
Place a clear plastic bag over the cutting to mimic a greenhouse and mist the bag. Set it in bright, indirect sunlight while they are rooting.
Check the moisture and humidity each day and add misting to keep the soil moist while the roots establish.
After 6-8 weeks, roots will begin to establish. You can tug onto the stem to ensure the roots are secure. Cut a slit in the plastic bag and continue to keep the plant's soil damp until rooting has developed. This will help acclimate the plant to normal humidity levels.
Once the roots are secure, transplant to its new home and place it in bright, indirect sunlight and water it each week, providing it necessary temperatures and humidity.