Advice
RHS Help & Advice
Growing olives
Olea europaea can make attractive foliage trees in some parts of the UK
Garden cultivation
Olives are not entirely hardy in the UK and prolonged cold weather may cause leaf drop, splitting bark or dieback. Mature plants are more frost tolerant but will be damaged once temperatures fall below -10°C. Plants damaged by frost will normally regrow from previously dormant buds, but flowering and fruiting for the season will be limited.
In mild areas olives can grow outdoors and have been known to crop if they are in especially sheltered positions against a warm wall. They grow in a wide range of soils, but the site must be well drained. Although drought tolerant, olives benefit from regular watering in dry spells during the growing season.
An annual application in spring of fertiliser such as Vitax Q4 is beneficial.
Container cultivation
Plants are best grown in large pots that can be placed outdoors in summer and brought into a cold glasshouse for winter. Use a loam-based compost, such as John Innes No 3, with 20 percent added grit for drainage.
Olives in containers need careful attention to watering. Although they will survive dry spells, they require adequate levels of water and nutrients, particularly if producing fruit. Water regularly and thoroughly when in growth, reducing watering in winter, but prevent the compost from drying out completely.
Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly during the growing season.
Sarah Durrant