Olive trees in pot, ideal for balcony and terrace

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Evergreen and famously long-lived — its lifespan runs over a thousand years — the olive tree (Olea europea) bears black or green fruits that can be eaten raw, spiced with garlic or basil, or pressed into oil. In a pot on a terrace it asks one thing above all: a sun-bathed spot sheltered from stronger winds, and it will still crop in autumn.

Caring, pruning and watering all let your potted olive trees grow well and bear olives, even on a terrace.

Follow our tips on growing and caring for beautiful olive trees:

Repotting an olive tree

Growing olive trees in pots is perfectly possible since they adapt well:

• Choose a pot or garden box that is large enough for roots to freely develop.
  Olive trees don’t necessarily require extremely large pots that would be difficult to move around.
• Use olive tree soil mix or planting soil mix.
• Choose a sun-bathed area, sheltered from stronger winds.

• Make sure the container has open drainage holes, since olives dislike wet roots and waterlogged soil at the base of the pot is a common cause of root rot and death.
• Skip the gravel or clay-pebble layer, since coarse material under finer mix raises the perched water table; instead fill the pot entirely with soil mix and ensure it has open drainage holes.
• Excavate into the root ball if needed to find the topmost roots, then set the tree so that this root flare sits at or slightly above the surrounding soil surface, never buried.
• Unglazed terracotta’s porous walls let moisture evaporate, helping the compost dry between waterings, which suits an olive’s preference for free-draining conditions, though plastic works too if watering and drainage are managed carefully.
• Tease the outer roots loose if they circle the old root ball.

A pot roomy enough for roots to develop freely

A pot will sustain growth up to three times wider than the pot itself.

• If you’d like a larger tree, repot it early spring. Increase the pot size by 1 size (usually just 1 or 2 inches wider or 3-5 cm).
• To replenish soil nutrients, topdress every two years. Prepare fermented fertilizer and apply regularly, especially during the growing season.

• Check that the pot has adequate drainage holes and stand it on pot feet or a similar support, which helps excess water drain away instead of pooling beneath the base.
• Roots creeping out of the drainage holes are a common hint that a tree may be root-bound, but confirm by sliding it from the pot and inspecting the root ball before repotting.
• Unglazed terracotta is porous, so moisture evaporates through its walls and the mix dries faster than in plastic, and the pot’s greater weight adds some stability on an exposed terrace.

Watering a potted olive tree

Growing plants in pots, and specifically olive trees, requires that certain rules be followed as regards watering.

• Soil dries up much faster, so it is necessary to water on a regular basis.
• Olive trees do not like excess water, so only reduced watering is called for.
• Every two weeks, during the growth phase, add olive tree fertilizer to the water.
  This phase more or less extends from May to July.

• Before reaching for the watering can, push a finger into the compost to gauge moisture; how dry it should feel before you water varies with the plant, pot size and season.
• Avoid leaving a potted olive standing in a saucer of water for long, since olives tolerate dry spells far better than constantly soggy soil, which can suffocate roots and encourage root rot.
• A common recommendation for potted plants that tolerate thorough soaking is to water slowly until liquid escapes the drainage holes, though the right amount and frequency vary by plant, pot and season.
• Many temperate container-grown trees slow growth in winter and need less water, though their compost should never dry out completely; tropical or evergreen indoor species may keep growing and require normal watering.

Caring for a potted olive tree

Annual pruning is recommended at the beginning of spring.

Potted olive trees prefer light pruning yearly instead of severe pruning every two or three years.

• Remove branches that have grown from the foot of the tree or along the trunk.
• Cut branches that point downwards. Only those branches growing horizontally towards the sky must be kept.
• Free the center of the tree, trimming branches growing towards the inside and keeping major branches that will shape the silhouette of the tree.

Add olive tree fertilizer to get magnificent olive trees.

Year-round care of a potted olive tree, task by task

A potted olive asks for very little, but each job has its moment in the year. Here is what to do, and when.

Keep to this rhythm and the tree will hold its shape, its evergreen foliage and its autumn crop.

Which olive variety for a pot?

Not every olive suits a container: some stay naturally compact, others shoot up or spread wide and need constant trimming. The table below compares the varieties most often sold in garden centres, with the habit and the fruit you can expect from each.

Potted olive in winter

They need cool winters, and normally resist frost spells as long as they are short and not too harsh.

If the temperature drops for some time below 23°F (-5°C), protect them with horticultural fleece and wrap the pots with a cover to protect the roots from the cold.

In case of harsh freezing, it is necessary to bring olive trees indoors in a well-lit room where the temperatures never drop below 32°F (0°C).

• Learn more about how olive trees cope with cold temperatures

• Cut watering right back over winter: potted olives dislike sitting in cold, sodden compost, so let the top few centimetres dry out between waterings and make sure the pot drains freely.
• In the Northern Hemisphere, place the pot against a south-facing wall, where shelter from wind and reflected warmth ease the cold, and stand it on feet so the drainage holes stay clear.
• Open or remove the fleece during mild spells so the tree gets light and air, and never leave an olive brought indoors beside a radiator.

All there is to know about olive trees

Olive trees are enchanting, merely mentioning their name brings to mind images of Provence and of the Mediterranean!
This tree has a lifespan that extends over a thousand years. It is typical of Mediterranean regions, but it can be found already in more temperate climates such as along the Atlantic coast.

Its edible fruits are olives and are most often seen to be black or in shades of green.
They can be eaten raw, or spiced with garlic, basil or any from a number of other spices.
They also are the source of olive oil, famous for its many health benefits!

Diseases and parasites that often attack olive trees

• Black scale insects – techniques and organic treatments to avoid them
• Knot or canker – Techniques and organic treatments to avoid it
• Olive fly – techniques and organic treatments to avoid them
• Olive bacterial death – Xylella fastidiosa

• Cut out the swollen, knobbly cankers on apple and pear branches in dry weather, disinfecting blades between cuts, because the fungus Neonectria ditissima spreads in rain splash and infects fresh pruning wounds.
• Peacock spot appears as dark rings on the upper leaf surface followed by heavy leaf fall; an open centre and good airflow keep the foliage dry and limit it.

Read also:

• Growing olive trees in the ground
• Winterizing olive trees
• Olive trees in cold weather