Florida is one of the State growing European olive tree trees ( Olea europaea , USDA hardiness zone 8 - 10 ) for the production of fruit and vegetable oil . Since the previous 1700s , olive groves in Florida ’s central region have been successfully cultivated . Tolerating temperatures to 12 degrees Fahrenheit , Central Florida offers prime growing conditions for olives .
Three cultivars that do well within the area are Arbequina , Mission and Manzanillo , which are self - pollinating as well as disease- and cuss - resistant . TheUniversity of Florida IFAS Extensionnotes that Arbequina is is the most popular cultivar in Florida , which may be a factor when considering an Olea europaea tree for sale . Olive tree diagram grow well anywhere citrus tree trees thrive . Tree are worthy for growing inner containers as well as in the undercoat and develop yield in three to 15 years , depending on the cultivar .
Olive Tree Care: Florida
considerateness of an olive tree ’s originate surroundings and the cultural concern that ’s needed will go a long room toward ensuring a healthy tree diagram and successful harvests . Select a location in your Central Florida landscape painting that is large enough to domiciliate the olive Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree at maturity . Depending on the cultivar you plant , your tree diagram will grow 15 to 30 foot in top and about 20 foot all-encompassing .
A location that has full sun is best ; propose for at least six hours each day . Trees will turn best and bring forth the most fruit if they obtain sunlight during the day , and they wo n’t arise well or gestate prolifically in full shade . Plant the olive tree on a well - draining site that does not harbour water during showery periods in Central Florida . Other than mucky or acidic dirt , Central Florida ’s soil is premier for get olive since it drains very well .
Site Preparation and Planting
vindicated an area that is approximately 3 pes in diameter and loose of unwanted vegetation . This will dilute down on possible trunk wound from lawn equipment or terms from diligence of green goddess - and - feed to the fence in lawn area . Keep the orbit vegetation - free for the duration of the life of the tree diagram . Dig a planting hole that ’s two time wider than the root ball , hold it the same depth as the olive Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree ’s container . There is no motivation to ameliorate the grime , as the tree is well adapted to growing in native Central Florida soil .
Inspect the olive tree ’s roots once removed from the container . Carefully pull apart any roots that are growing in a orbitual direction so they will spread out properly once planted into the ground . Situate the olive tree into the planting fix at the same deepness it was inside the container , and backfill halfway with soil . Apply water into the hole and tamp down on the area with your foot to firm the soil and release any remaining air pockets . Backfill the remnant of the hollow with territory and tamp down down on the area again .
Post-Planting Olive Tree Care
irrigate the olive tree after planting , allowing the water to saturate the soil around the tree ’s roots . Continue to irrigate the tree once each hebdomad with about 1 inch of water supply , conceive your Central Florida atmospheric condition conditions . Trees are drouth - tolerant once ground but will do good from unconstipated watering .
Stake young tree until their proboscis grow to approximately 1 inch in diameter . pose a sturdy slice of Natalie Wood into the ground and bind arborist ’s tape recording around the stake and trunk , carry the tree upright piano . Remove the stake once the tree hit an appropriate size .
Fertilize the tree from March throughout the heart of August with a slow - release citrus fruit fertiliser put on every other calendar month . It ’s better to practice plant food gently and more ofttimes than to give Olea europaea trees infrequent large dosage , according toOlive Tree Growers . overspread a layer of constituent material such as compost or manure over the planting web site in March .
