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The cut on the olive tree depends on what you want from the Mediterranean tree. You cut a decorative container plant according to different premises than a planted olive with a high yield. This tutorial provides well-founded cutting instructions for both variants, peppered with practical tips & tricks.

Olive trees should be pruned with caution as they grow very slowly

Table of Contents

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  1. Types of cuts and dates
  2. Conservation cut potted plant
  3. care cut
  4. education cut
  5. fruit woodcut
  6. taper cut
  7. frequently asked Questions

    8. Types of cuts and dates

    At this point, the all-clear can be given to concerned newcomers to trimming olive trees. The evergreen icon of the Mediterranean is pronounced cut compatible. You cannot cause serious damage with scissors or a saw, because the olive happily sprout again even from old wood. Thanks to this property, there are many options for skilfully pruning an olive tree as a jewel or as a high-yielding fruit tree. The following overview summarizes sensible types of cuts and recommended times:

    cut type goal/occasion best appointment
    Shape and maintenance cut potted plant form and maintain a harmonious, densely leafed crown Spring, just before hibernation
    care cut Correct late frost damage End of June (St. John's Day)
    education cut Building a high-yielding crown 1st to 8th year (first flowering period)
    fruit woodcut Promote young fruit wood, preserve crown every 2 years in February
    taper cut revitalize old olive tree January to the end of February

    Cut the olives in the bucket

    As a container plant, an olive tree creates an atmospheric color in the garden, on the balcony and terrace. In the front garden on the south side, the wood presents itself as a picturesque welcoming committee for the guests of the house. Anyone who is the center of attention in this way should always present a well-groomed appearance. A productive olive harvest recedes into the background. The following instructions explain how to properly cut an olive tree in a bucket:

    • The best time is in spring, just before clearing out
    • Remove any branches that are damaged, diseased, or withered in winter quarters
    • Ideally prune to short stubs of two to three buds
    • Do the same with ill-growing branches that point in the wrong direction

    Cut as illustrated below side shoots always on the crown or shrub framework short cones back. Within a few weeks, young shoots worth seeing sprout from these stubs. Without a spur pruning, the sprouting takes much longer at this point or is completely absent if there are no sleeping eyes. Thanks to this ingenious pruning technique, even subtropical trees that are extremely sensitive to pruning, such as rhododendrons or azaleas, grow again after pruning.

    To ensure that a maintenance cut does not leave any holes in the crown, redirect overly long branches to a young shoot that points outwards. If you cannot find any young shoots near the cutting point, cut the overly long shoots into spurs.

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    Sleeping eyes - floral secret weapon against cutting errors

    The pruning tolerance of olive trees is primarily based on a whole flock of sleeping eyes. In gardeners' language, this is how the dormant buds are called, which are located along the branches. Parallel to the growth, the Mediterranean tree lays the tiny little vegetation points under the bark. Their only function is to replace parts of plants that fall due to accident, storm and frost damage, or pruning. In addition, sleeping eyes are activated when the gardener makes a mistake in pruning. Thanks to the floral "iron reserve", holes in the bush or crown are overgrown in no time at all.

    Correcting late frost damage at the end of June - care cut instructions

    Once you weren't careful, you emptied the olive too early and the frost attacked. Olive trees in pots are often victims of late frost. In the worst case, planted specimens are also affected. Classic symptoms are drooping leaves and shoot tips. In order to be able to correctly assess the extent of the damage, wait until the end of June with a corrective care cut. In the vicinity of St. John's Day (June 24th), cut a frozen olive tree like this:

    • Carry out a summer care cut when the sky is overcast or in the shade
    • Cut back frozen, limp, drooping shoots down to the healthy wood
    • Ideally, blend onto a healthy side shoot positioned further inwards
    • Alternatively, shorten to a 2 cm short tenon

    At first glance, it is usually not clear where frozen wood ends on an olive branch and where the healthy area begins. In this case, a simple vitality test will help you. Late frosts primarily damage the cambium, which is just below the bark. The bark itself is often not affected. Remove a little bark with a knife or fingernail. If a dark brown to black layer emerges, you are in frozen wood. Gradually work your way towards the trunk. Scrape fresh cream to green tissue free, you have reached sound wood.

    tips

    Frost cracks on the original bark of olive trees are often accompanied by typical late frost damage. You can effectively prevent the fatal "Labello effect" if you wrap the trunk of planted olives with reed mats or simply lean on wooden slats. It is important to cushion the combination of dry cold and intense spring sun. Place potted olives in partial shade or cover the branches with breathable fleece. Don't forget to water regularly.

    Raise a productive crown

    A plate crown or hollow crown promise an optimal fruit yield on the olive tree. Many heat-loving fruit trees from distant countries benefit from this sun-drenched crown shape, such as olive or peach trees. The structure is formed by five evenly arranged skeletal shoots, the top buds of which are in juice scales, i.e. are on the same level. With a hollow crown, the center drive is removed. In the circular crown, all skeletal branches are of equal importance, without a dominant central shoot as a trunk extension. How to grow an olive tree with a productive crown:

    • The best time is in February until the start of the yield phase
    • Plate crown: choose a total of 5 equally strong main branches on the trunk at a height of 100 to 150 cm
    • Important: The starting points of the guide branches are on different stem heights
    • Lead branches lengthen by 10 cm annually
    • previous year's increase cut back to 10 cm
    • Set the scissors just above an outward-facing bud
    • Hollow crown: similar to the flat crown, but remove the dominant central shoot in the third year

    By educating the main branches in stages to the desired final length, you promote lush branching with side shoots. Each training cut creates a local increase in sap pressure, whereupon dormant buds are activated and sprout. When the yield phase begins, it is the annual side branches that give you the flowers and olives you are looking for. The more stable a supporting skeletal shoot, the stronger the annual budding of fruit wood can be.

    Branches pointing vertically upwards are disadvantageous for any fruit tree. Already during the training phase, make sure that leading branches in the angle between 45° and 90° to the trunk condition. If the growth is too steep, it can be easily regulated with spacers from specialist shops or a clothes peg. If a promising shoot is hanging too low, tie it up with sisal at an ideal 60° angle. Consistently remove any tautly upright shoots that sprout from the trellis shoots.

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    Proper pruning tool - key to success in olive tree pruning

    If the perfect cutter is within reach, you can master the cut on the olive tree with flying colours. If the cutting care is dedicated to thin shoots up to 2 cm in diameter, a guaranteed Brand pruning shears for best results. Cut branches with a diameter of up to 4 cm with pruning shears. In both cases we recommend bypass scissors with 2 sharp blades. For the challenges of cutting thick branches on the old, mighty olive tree, you are perfectly equipped with a handy Japanese saw. As accessories you need a cleaning agent for blades and saw blades as well as a whetstone. Always cut your olive tree with sparkling clean cutting tools so that diseases and pests are not unintentionally transmitted.

    Promoting and preserving fruit wood

    A fully trained olive tree is subjected to fruit pruning at 2-year intervals. The slow growth, averaging 10 to 20 centimeters per year, makes annual pruning unnecessary. The most important goal is the promotion of young fruit wood. Furthermore, a pruning ensures order in the crown, so that the sunlight can penetrate to all regions. This is how you complete a flawless fruit wood cut on the olive tree:

    • The best time is between early February and early March on a frost-free, overcast day
    • Cut back harvested shoots to short cones
    • If possible, do not prune shoots from the previous year, because this is where the fruit will thrive
    • If necessary, shorten overly long shoots from the previous year by a maximum of one third to an outward-facing bud
    • Thin out dead, weak shoots that are growing towards the center of the crown

    At the main branches of the crown, prune the growth since the last cut by a third or half. The resulting accumulation of juice causes fresh side shoots to sprout, which will bear fruit next year. If skeletal shoots or side branches arch over, look for a side shoot or bud that is behind the arch base and perched on the top of the branch. At this point it is cut.

    Derivative cut prevents unsightly gaps

    Simply pruning overly long olive branches anywhere can leave unsightly gaps in appearance. If, on the other hand, you are familiar with the cutting technique of a derivative, you effectively prevent the aesthetic disruptive factor. How to do it:

    • Choose a side shoot on top, facing outwards, near the desired cutting point
    • Put the scissors on the fork of the old and new shoot
    • The ideal cutting point is 2 to 5 millimeters in the old wood

    With the diversion cut, you divert the sap flow into a previously subordinate side branch. From now on, this takes over the leading position without the removal of the old, overly long shoot creating a gap.

    Rejuvenate old olive tree

    If the pruning of the olive tree is neglected for several years, the wood initially loses fertility. There can also be no question of a decorative crown. Instead, what used to be a jewel has turned into an impenetrable network of old and young branches that outshine and bare each other. The good pruning tolerance of olives allows a radical rejuvenation cut. How to proceed correctly step by step:

    • The best time is in late winter, between early February and early March
    • Inspect corolla carefully for feathered or furry winter visitors, postponing trimming if necessary
    • Shorten all main branches with a saw to 50 to 80 centimeters above the base of the crown
    • Apply nitrogen-rich fertilizer to promote growth

    The rejuvenation measure activates sleeping eyes, which will sprout vigorously over the next few years. There is one at each routing branch secondary crown. Each of these secondary crowns acts as the starting point for an individual construction as a plate or hollow crown with four to five equal main branches. Surplus shoots are consistently removed.

    If you do not attach importance to an olive harvest, raise the secondary crowns in a pyramidal shape. Choose a strong central shoot, around which four main branches are evenly distributed. The tip of the central shoot should be about a scissor length above the tips of the leading branches. The tips of the leading branches grow evenly when their terminal buds are in the sap scales.

    frequently asked Questions

    My olive tree has been suffering from fungus since the beginning of summer. Can I cut back the sapling in June so that it becomes lush again?

    Olive trees generally tolerate a strong pruning. However, the time should not fall during the main growing season, which extends from April to September. The best time is between January and February, when the Mediterranean tree is at the end of its winter break.

    Is an olive tree self-fertile?

    An olive tree usually thrives with hermaphrodite flowers, making it self-fertile. Cross-pollination by a second specimen increases the yield significantly. A few varieties rely on a genetically different pollinator. Ask carefully when purchasing from a nursery or garden center if you are aiming for an olive harvest.

    My olive tree is 3 years old and is in a bucket that I overwinter in the conservatory. This year the tree has lost many leaves, so that some branches are completely bare. What are the causes? What can I do?

    Leaf fall on the olive tree usually signals a lack of light or an imbalanced water balance. If the winter quarters are too dark, you can compensate for the lack of light with a plant lamp (€21.99). Too much water causes leaves to fall, as does drought stress. Potted plants often suffer from waterlogging. If the soil is too moist, the roots can rot and mold can develop. As a result, water and nutrients are no longer transported to the shoots and leaves. Unpot the olive tree and examine the condition of the substrate. You can fix waterlogging by repotting the plant. For drought stress, submerge the root ball in a bucket of soft water until no more air bubbles rise.

    How much winter can an olive tree tolerate?

    The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean region, where winter temperatures can drop below freezing. In general, the fruit tree can withstand temperatures of up to -10 degrees Celsius. Planted olive trees can be admired in regions with mild winters in winter hardiness zone Z8, such as the wine-growing regions or on the Lower Rhine. But here, too, permanent winter wetness is a massive problem and requires extensive protective measures. Cultivation in a tub is usually advisable in order to protect the Mediterranean tree from severe frost in the bright, cool winter quarters.

    I would like to transplant my olive tree to a better spot in the garden that offers more sun and protection from the wind. When is the best time? What should I pay particular attention to?

    Within the first three to five years, an olive tree can still be transplanted well. Older specimens have already driven their dominant taproot so deep into the ground that a change of location no longer makes sense. The best time is in spring when the ground has completely thawed. Cut out the root ball at a radius roughly equal to the height of the trunk. However, since a fair amount of root mass is lost, prune all shoots by a third or half before or after. Pruning restores the balance between aboveground and belowground plant components.

    Olive tree loses its leaves. Should I cut back the crown?

    If individual leaves fall off, this is a natural process. Evergreen leaves are exchanged for young foliage after a few years. The most common unnatural cause of leaf fall on olive trees is lack of light. Mainly potted plants in too dark winter quarters are affected. Other triggers for the dilemma are waterlogging, drought stress and nutrient deficiencies. In all cases, cutting does not solve the problem. Plant lamps or a change of location ensure better lighting conditions. Repotting eliminates waterlogging, immersion in soft water regulates drought stress. The regular administration of special fertilizer for olives helps against nutrient deficiencies.

    I would like to plant an olive tree in the front yard. It must not be higher than 2 to 3 meters. There are no restrictions on the width. Can I limit the growth in height of the olive tree by regular pruning?

    Since you have enough space in width, we recommend training with a plate crown. Construction and maintenance are connected with regular cutting work.In turn, limit height growth to match space capacity. With four to five horizontal main branches, the crown is not only beautiful to look at, but also gives you the first olive harvest after six to eight years in a sunny, warm location.

    The 3 most common cutting mistakes

    If an olive tree is only vaguely reminiscent of the original piece of jewelry with Mediterranean charm, it is usually due to incorrect care of the cut. The following table names the three most common pruning errors on olives, provides information on typical damage patterns and has tips for reliable prevention:

    cutting error damage picture prevention
    never cut premature defoliation, misshapen growth cut every 2 years
    no educational cut dense crown, few flowers and olives educate with a light-flooded plate or hollow crown
    overlong shoots cut off somewhere unsightly gaps, uneven growth long shoots derive from an inner side shoot
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    tips

    At the age of 7 or 8 years, a self-grown olive tree blossoms for the first time. If you don't want to wait that long, you can use a pre-grown olive from the tree nursery. The young plants are mostly 3 to 4 years old, so they don't keep the gardener in suspense until the first flowering period. In order for you to be able to harvest olives from your own cultivation, it should be a self-fertile variety, such as Arbequina, which is also frost-resistant down to -11 degrees Celsius.

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