Olives are very popular pot plants for the balcony, terrace or garden. They bring a summery touch of Mediterranean landscape home and are also quite easy to care for. But how do you care for an olive in winter?

Olives are hardy but sensitive to frost

The real olive tree, as the olive is often called, comes from a warm and dry climate characterized by hot summers and mild winters. Nevertheless, many olive varieties are also familiar with light frosts from their homeland, but are not used to long periods of frost and / or very deep frosts. Olives are therefore described as hardy, although they are quite sensitive to frost.

Caring for olives properly in winter

Olives need a winter break when they prefer to be outdoors or at a maximum of 10 °C in a cool and bright place in the house or apartment. Temperatures around freezing point are usually well tolerated, provided the bucket is well protected against freezing. For this purpose, root heating is advisable, especially in regions where it can get very cold. Olives also need to be watered regularly in winter, but much less frequently.

Preparation for the winter

Before you winterize your olive tree, the first step is to prepare it properly. You can prune your sapling towards the end of the vegetation period, and you should also fertilize with patent potash again. This fertilizer is also known as Kalimagnesia and ensures that young shoots can lignify faster. Woody shoots, on the other hand, defy frost much better.

Winterize olives

In order to make your olive winter-proof, it first needs a sheltered location. The tree also needs a lot of light and air in winter, so dark basement rooms are not advisable. Instead, you can place the tree against a heat-radiating house wall, ideally in a wind-protected and covered corner. Cover the soil in the pot with a thick layer of brushwood or bark mulch, this keeps the roots warm and protects them from frost. As soon as it threatens to get very cold, wrap the pot, trunk and crown with frost protection mats, such as those made of jute, sisal, straw or coconut.

What you should definitely not do in winter

  • leave the olive tree outside without protection
  • put the olive tree in a dark place (e.g. basement).
  • put the olive tree in the living room or another warm place
  • don't water
  • fertilize

Select the right olive varieties

There are around 1000 different varieties of olives in the world, some of which are very sensitive to frost and others less so. How sensitive an olive tree is to frost depends primarily on its region of origin. For this reason, you should make sure when buying that you are not necessarily buying a variety from Andalusia or a similarly hot area. Instead, it is better to choose trees that have been cultivated in a harsher area - these are used to some bad weather and will certainly survive a German winter better.

tips and tricks

If you do not overwinter your olive tree outdoors, but indoors, make sure there is plenty of light, the right temperature and a regular supply of fresh air. Olives are not indoor plants, but feel much better outdoors. Regular airing is therefore important in the winter quarters.

Category:

Trees