Status: 03/17/2023 05:00 a.m
Bushy growth or rich harvest? Depending on the goal, there are different methods of pruning an olive tree. The best time for pruning is always spring.
There is not much that can go wrong when pruning an olive tree as it is naturally pruning tolerant. Even a radical rejuvenation is not a problem. The decisive factor is rather what result you want to achieve through the cut. In this country, the olive tree is often cultivated as an ornamental tree in tubs, since it only bears fruit in regions with a mild climate – and that usually takes seven to ten years.
It doesn’t matter whether you decide on a so-called topiary or a fruit pruning that increases yield: As soon as the olive tree has been taken out of its winter quarters in spring, this is the ideal time for it.
Shape pruning: pruning an olive tree in a tub
A bushy crown is particularly attractive on olive trees in pots.
When it comes to olive trees that grow in tubs, the main thing is usually the look. Many want a bushy, branched growth. This is best achieved with a shape cut. To do this, first cut off all broken, diseased and dried branches in the spring and make sure that no branches protrude into the middle or hang down. In order to create a dense crown, it is best to concentrate on a few strong branches. Clip these above a pair of leaves in such a way that a round shape can develop. As soon as the olive tree sprout in early summer, it can be pruned again in June around St. John’s Day.
Tip: Always keep cutting tools clean. Otherwise, diseases such as fungal infections can be transmitted to the plant. Highly concentrated alcohol or disinfectants, for example, are suitable for sterilizing.
Fruit pruning: increase yield of olive tree
A so-called fruit tree pruning promotes the yield of olive trees.
If you live in a warm region that resembles the Mediterranean home of the olive tree, you can hope for an olive harvest. A fruit tree pruning increases the harvest. Such a pruning should only be carried out when the olive tree is at least seven years old and has reached a height of one to one and a half meters.
A training or growth pruning can influence the growth and yield of a tree. The aim of the olive tree is to create a crown (plate crown) that is as flat as possible. This way flowers and fruits have enough space and light to develop. To train the tree, the crown is therefore first thinned out. The focus should be on around five to seven strong main shoots that run as horizontally as possible. Shorten this by about half and cut the leading shoot at the level of the main shoots. Remove all other branches altogether.
Olive trees bear annual shoots
Olive trees bear their fruit on annual shoots. After the tree has been trained, it is now a matter of regularly generating many new shoots. To do this, every spring remove all branches that were already harvested the previous year and prune both main and side branches. Fresh branches are now forming at the cutting points, which will bear olives the following year. Completely cut off broken, diseased, withered and slanting or drooping branches.
Propagating olive trees by cuttings
One-year-old, diagonally cut shoots are particularly suitable for propagating an olive tree. To do this, simply on the lower part of a about five to ten centimeters long Cuttings remove the leaves and place in a pot with constant moist plant potting soil. At a room temperature of around 25 degrees, roots and small leaves form on the branch within a few weeks.
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