Kitchen Garden Forum

Sorry to shamelessly steal the title of another thread, but have any of you had any luck getting an olive tree to grow to a decent size in the UK?

Until last winter, we had a tree (not more than 7 years old) that was at least 12 foot high, covered in leaves plus the occasional olive and very healthy. It was in a very sheltered South facing bed next to a long stone wall. Then in the January cold snap, the weight of the snow bent the main stem over. It took me a couple of days to remedy this and provide new support, but I was too late.

The top 80% died, leaving just a few sprouts lower down. I pruned it right back to a stump around 4 foot tall, 3 inches diameter with two strong growing points at the top. Sadly although these grew over the summer, something broke them off.

I'd like your advice on whether I should:
a) Persist with my established (but now quite depleted) existing trunk? If so, any tips?
b) Cut my losses and buy a new one (If so, anyone care to advise on best species or a favoured supplier?)?
c) Be philosophical that we had a good run, but we were just lucky and should maybe not bother again?

Well, I'd definitely keep the trunk you have and give it another chance. Olives are usually very hardy. You'll at least have a multi-stemmed coppiced sort of shape.

I'd also hedge my bets and get another one.....can't advise on variety.

My little olive tree came from spain, as a twig, and has survived all sorts of accidents and is still growing (not very fast though). Only about 4foot high at present. About 10 years old.
They usually do very well in our part of the country.

Thanks Diane & Springtime.

I'd like to give it another go. Sadly it takes up the room that we'd plant any replacement in, so we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed:)

to give it a boost you could try some rootgrow for the tree, plant some suitable plantlets in the rootzone using rootgrow and they will transfer it to the trees roots