Growing olives at home

olive cultivation

Olive trees :

It is considered one of the oldest cultivated trees in the world, by growing olive trees, you will not only add stunning silver foliage to your garden, but you will also get an evergreen tree, and you can enjoy the delicious olive fruits it bears, in this article we show you how to grow olives in  At home, we introduce you to a set of precautions to be taken when growing olives at home.

 How to grow olives at home

Olive trees can be a little ambivalent, they need sun but not much, the most important thing to keep in mind is that this tree needs sunlight and air, and there are dozens of varieties of olives, the fruits differ slightly in size, shape and flavor, the difference between black and green olives  Simple, black olives are harvested after they are fully ripe, and green olives are harvested while still immature, and both have a delicious salty flavor after processing, in the following lines we show you how to grow olives from seeds at home

* Determine the type of tree you want to plant, and choose the type that is appropriate for the environment in which you live.

* Collect some olives directly from any tree so that the seed remains alive, and it is preferable to pick the fruits in early autumn after the fruits ripen and become green, and leave the black fruit, and do not harvest any fruit from the ground and make sure that there are no holes from insects in the fruit you chose, and be careful  The olives that we buy from the grocery store will not succeed if you rely on them to replant their seeds, because these olives are processed for consumption, which means they are cooked, so if you cannot get olive seeds directly from the trees, you can get them from the orchards and nurseries that provide those seeds.  

 * Once you get the olives just picked from the tree, take the seed by itself, then using a small hammer, tap the seed to make cracks in it in order to facilitate its growth when planting.

 *Fill a small pot with well-drained soil, which should consist of coarse sand and part of the seed compost, these items can be found at any plant store, add a little water until the soil mixture is moist and not wet or clay, then turn the soil well with a  spoon or stick.

*Plant the seed of the olives an inch or two deep into the soil, it is best to plant one seed per pot, this way the seeds are not fighting for nutrients.

* Put the bowls inside a clear polythene bag, this will help retain some moisture and act like a greenhouse, then put the bowl in a well-lit and warm place, but keep in mind that direct sunlight can be harmful at first, so put the bowl in light  Indirect sun, and expect the tree to germinate within months.

 *Water the seeds, making sure to moisten in the top two inches of the soil, you can check this by dipping your finger into the soil occasionally, and only water if the soil looks dry, excessive watering can lead to the growth of fungi and bacteria that will destroy the plant.

Take the pot out of the bag as soon as germination begins. You can keep the pots on a windowsill or any warm area of ​​the house. Continue watering as usual. If it begins to grow too large, you can move the plant to a larger container, using the same type of soil.

 *Expect the fruit to develop within three years. Prune the tree every once in a while to remove dead or diseased branches. You can also cut back the branches to allow light to reach the center of the tree. Prune occasionally when absolutely necessary.

Precautions when growing olives at home:

Olive trees need sun, but not much, so it is important to provide a suitable place with sun and air, and you can move the container of the tree.  Olive trees get used to drought, so let them dry out between each watering, because keeping them wet can harm them.  , with the need for holes in the bowl,

 So that the water seeps into the bottom of the bowl.  Take the tree outside every few months and wash it with water, including the leaves because pests can accumulate, in addition, since olive trees need fresh air, so you can place it for ventilation outside, but it should be in a place with shade and not directly  down the sunshine.  After a few months of planting the olive seeds, the branch should have quite a few well-established roots. Once the roots are long and strong enough (if the current pot appears to be too small), move the tree to a larger pot, using the same type of soil, and water  The tree is once a week during the first year.