Olea europea

Ive just bought a small olive tree. Its not a bonsai yet, but I wanna try to make it into one. Got half an inch thick trunk, and I wanted to make it a small tree. I only payed about 15$ for it. Was at half price.
As far as I understood, I could cut back some of the bigger branches now, and have it inside untill spring..? Gonna get really cold here.
But, can I repot it? Its planted in something that looks like dirt, but almost with the same consistency as clay. I read that they wanted a larger amount of inorganic soil. Im a bit worried about why they plant it in that medium if it actually likes to be a bit on the drier side. I guess they are selling them for the purpose as garden bushes or something, or perhaps indoors plants.

Hey Storm, I would leave it where it is for now. Olive are pretty hardy and can tolerate tough soils. These are from the Mediterranean so definitely do not like hard freezes. I keep mine in a cold but not freezing (40s-50sF) room through the winter and water sparingly. They loose leaves and look a little rough but come back in the spring. Transplant then and you should be fine. I have mine in fast draining, mostly inorganic soils and they seem to like it. Good luck

Thank you. I dont have a very cool room though, but in my bedroom window, I guess it should be fine. The door is always close so it isnt heated and doesnt get hit as bad by the dry air which comes from the fireplace.

Try to keep your olive outdoors as long as possible, until there is an actual freeze. Keep it in full sun. I believe you said you have a cool greenhouse. If it doesn't go much below freezing, that is a perfect location for it. Repot next spring. Just keep it on the dry side over the winter.
Iris

Storm for what is worth, the olive with smaller leaves, lives in the tropics and grows all year round. I gave mine freely draining soil and it is an easy shrub to work with. Grown from seed, source was South Africa and born around 1986.
Best to you.
Khaimraj

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:Storm for what is worth, the olive with smaller leaves, lives in the tropics and grows all year round. I gave mine freely draining soil and it is an easy shrub to work with. Grown from seed, source was South Africa and born around 1986.
Best to you.
Khaimraj

It also grows in the mediterranean region.

Olives! Dear Olive Trees!
The olives thrive in moderate climate zones, hence it is widely spread around the Mediterranean (Greece, Spain, Italy Algeria, etc) where means temperature yearly fluctuates around 16οC.
It will not survive at temperature below -12°C.
But it still needs some time low temperature in order to bloom and make its fruits. So, that is why the olives living around the tropicals do not fruit, they only have vegetative growth.
Following Iris’ instructions I believe your olive tree will make it very well.

Just saying hello to Stavros and Alexandra,
Hello.
Khaimraj

Alexandra, thank you for the temperature information. Did you see the elm leaf information I left you under the Gmelina topic ?

My olive example.

Nice olive tree, Khaimraj! Clip and grow, I presume?
Beautiful roots!
Perhaps you could carve some cavity on the trunk.... Aged olive trees usually have great cavities. At the point where the trunk continues above those three branches at right I can perceive a small black hollow, is it so?

Alexandra,

this is my only olive and it is so precious, I am afraid to do anything other than trim it.
Plus, we have termites and they will eat almost any wood, unless it is toxic. I don't
want to find out if they like olives.

All cavities, appear for a while and then the tree seals them over.
You might also note that this tree consumes soil.
Not for exhibiting, but memories of friends from South Africa and life in Italy.

I also have the large pomegranate for eating, and the small for testing to see if I can find a genetic mutation that will grow down here indefinitely without winter. More memories.
Thanks for responding.
Khaimraj

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:Alexandra,

this is my only olive and it is so precious, I am afraid to do anything other than trim it.
Plus, we have termites and they will eat almost any wood, unless it is toxic. I don't
want to find out if they like olives.

All cavities, appear for a while and then the tree seals them over.
You might also note that this tree consumes soil.
Not for exhibiting, but memories of friends from South Africa and life in Italy.

I also have the large pomegranate for eating, and the small for testing to see if I can find a genetic mutation that will grow down here indefinitely without winter. More memories.
Thanks for responding.
Khaimraj

Olives can withstand very hard pruning and careful wiring. You have a lovely trunk there, take advantage of it.

Hey Storm,
I have one with small leaves from Mallorca, its a small yamadori, I keep it frostfree in winter.
Soil is equal parts akadama/kiruyu.

Bare in mind that olives in pots dont get much thicker.

Peter

landerloos wrote:
Bear in mind that olives in pots don't get much thicker.
Peter

One would think so, but my "Little Ollie" grew a thicker & thicker trunk for several years, until I put it in its current pot, where it has no extra elbow room.
Iris

Thats what I ment, in bonsaipots no extra thicknes.

Peter

Thanks all for the further information.