Dear ALL, I have three olive trees, one 8yr-old and two - 3yr-old. The younger ones lost ALL their leaves in past 2 winter months, the older one not, bus also lost bit of leaves. I kept all trees outside this year, but protected (covered by appropriate (laine- like) fabric, pots isolated with bubble-termoisolation-paper. It was raining frequent enough, so that I didn`t have to water them too often (always checked underpots though). This winter was extraordinarily cold (for normally mild Basle with temp.normally never pass below 0°C) - but never below -8°C nights (days round -5°C in coldest times). Prior to winter, I nourished my trees with appropriate additives (minerals) in appropriate amount. I have taken good care of my trees all these years. What should I do, will the leaves re-grow again? I am desperate, please advice! Thanks in advance for your support. Kind regards, Sandra
Gru"ssi Sandra, I have found lack of water and also good light have given leaf fall on my potted ones. I have two that need to go out into the paddock and they have been in pots for several years under trees. Since they are Mediterranean maybe in your case it is lack of heat as well as light. (winter) "Foliage: The olive's feather-shaped leaves grow opposite one another. Their skin is rich in tannin, giving the mature leaf its gray-green appearance. The leaves are replaced every two or three years, leaf-fall usually occurring at the same time new growth appears in the spring. " http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/olive.html Liz (born in CH)
Thanks, Liz for your explanation, I appreciate it a lot, Lack of light may have indeed been the cause, as this winter has been extraordinarily cloudy (concerning temperature, these are in Basle not so critical). Nevertheless, what now, what can be done to improve the situation? Thanks in advance for your feedback, you have already been of great help. Kind regards Sandra
Hi Sandra, with luck your trees will reshoot. Here in Portugal, many old and no longer productive olive trees are dug out and sold on as ornamental trees. During the process, most or all of the leaves are pruned off mainly to reduce water loss during transport etc. The trees rapidly produce new leaves even from very old wood (trunks perhaps more than 100 years old). So as long as your trees are still alive, I think it should recover. However, as Liz says it is a mediterranean species and loves light and heat and not much water. So I think you do need to review the growing conditions. Good Luck, Brian
Thanks Brian, you gave me some hope. Basle is normally very mild and sunny (almost mediterranian, actually combination of mediterranean (from Rhone adn south France) and alpic climate), that`s why trees did good until now. Last winter has been extraordinarly (first time since 50 years) cold and sunnless and this may have influenced the leave-loss. Would you recommend some special care, something (some "medicine"), I can help my trees with (some minerals or similar)? I have so far user (each 2-3 weeks, last in November09, as i was told) -Flortis for Olives (in Portugese - "Adubo para Oliveras"), containing NPK 10-5-8-+2MgO+B, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn. Should I now restart with the 2-week-procedure? Thanks in advance for your feedback. Kind regards from (finally suny and warm) Basle. Sandra
Sandra, Greetings from a warm and sunny algarve (19´C). I think that there is no point in fertilising more until a few weeks after you get some regrowth. The trees will not really be using any nutrients until then. Also olives grow in quite poor soils and really do not need too much food to grow well. The olive trees here have not yet started to put out new leaves this year. My recollection is that we would normally have new leaves by now, but this year we too have had a "cold" and cloudy winter with temperatures averaging perhaps 3´C less than usual. Boa sorte! Brian
I agree with BJO. Mine are not well looked after and I must get them out. After your note I fed them a bit of blood and bone and shifted them into more light and I supect they will start growing leaves again. Some times overfeeding can cause more problems than it cures. For example out native plants here grow in very poor soil and one of the thing we are warned about is feeding them with plant foods not suitable. If one needs to feed then there is a special formula. I have found bone meal to do a great job. Liz
Liz, thanks for your note. What do you mean - blood&bone - do you give blood to your olive trees? Whose blood? Which bones? I was using soely commercial products, available specially for olive trees. Please advice on your experience with your "recepies". Otherwiese, I do agree with you that overfeeding can be even worse; I am very careful, as I am aware of the fact that the climate is not the most appropriate and am nourishing my olive trees the best I know. BR from finally warm Basel (cca 20°C), Sandra
Sorry I think the other name is bonemeal. Rendered down meat and bone by-products from abbatoirs. Usualy available where you get non organic stuff. A bit smelly and dogs love it. You can mix it with water or sprinkle a handful on and mix well with soil and then water in. Liz
As far as I know it is made from abbatoir left over ground down into a meal consistancy. We call it "Blood and bone here" not sure there may be bonemeal. Try asking by those terms. It has been around for ever. I like to think my horses ended up pushing up tomatoes as they were too big to bury here. I do know they could not be used for dog meat. Liz
