Oliva is a valuable culture, unsuitable for the climatic conditions of our country. And you can grow it in open ground only in the Crimea and some areas of southern Russia. Nevertheless, gardeners have learned to cultivate this valuable culture in apartments and conservatories. About how to grow an olive tree at home, you will learn from this material.
Seat selection
The olive tree is a photophilous plant, and the slightest shadow will affect its health and productivity. Therefore, choose the most lit places. A small copy will be comfortable on the south windowsill.
It is permissible to grow a plant on the western or eastern side. But here it will be necessary to highlight the culture with a phytolamp. In the summer, take the olive to the balcony or loggia. If you live in a private house, then stir the pot in a lighted area in the garden.
Temperature
The olive tree, the photo of which is presented in the article, feels great at room temperature. Moreover, domestic plants are not inferior in yield to specimens growing in the natural environment.
The optimal range for the crop is 18–22 ° C. In winter, it is advisable to lower the temperature to 10–12 ° C. As an option, take the pot with the tree to a glazed loggia or balcony.
Watering and humidity
The olive tree (photos are given in the material) is a moisture-loving plant. Therefore, he needs frequent and plentiful watering. In the summer, moisten the soil 2-3 times a week. At the same time, make sure that water flows to the lower roots of the plant.
During the hot season, do not forget to spray olive foliage daily. Once a week, give your plant a warm shower.
In winter, reduce watering and moisten the soil as the top layer dries. If a pot of wood is standing near a battery or heating appliances, be sure to spray the foliage.
Top dressing
In the spring, when the olive tree builds green mass, feed it with nitrogen-containing fertilizers twice a month. Then the buds will form faster on the plant.
In the future, fertilize the culture with complex mineral preparations. At the same time, experienced gardeners recommend feeding the tree the entire spring-summer period.
Pruning
The plant tolerates forming pruning well. Therefore, you can give the culture any form. In addition, be sure to carry out sanitary pruning, in which remove all damaged and broken shoots.
It is better to carry out this procedure in the spring, when the tree only wakes up from hibernation. Be sure to remove branches during trimming that grow inside the crown or interfere with each other's development. In addition, cut the old shoots, because only the growth of the last year gives the crop.
Transfer
With proper care, the olive tree grows quickly and the roots of the plant become crowded in an old pot. And from a lack of space, the culture is poorly developed, which affects the quality and quantity of the crop. Therefore, once every 2-3 years, transplant it into a new container.
For a tree, choose a clay pot whose dimensions are 3-5 centimeters larger than the previous one. As for the soil, a universal mixture for indoor plants is suitable. The main thing is that it should not be sour. If you want to make the soil yourself, then mix the following components in equal parts:
- peat;
- sheet earth;
- river sand;
- compost or humus.
Be sure to sanitize the soil before planting. To do this, hold it in a steam bath or bake in the oven. How to transplant olive:
- Put a 5-centimeter layer of drainage on the bottom of the pot. For these purposes, use expanded clay, broken brick or pebbles.
- Cover the drain with a layer of soil.
- Carefully remove the tree from the pot and transplant it into a new container with an earthen lump.
- Fill the voids with soil and lightly compact it.
- Moisten the olive and put it in its original place.
At first, provide the plant with gentle care.
We grow an olive tree from a stone
Please note that it will not be possible to grow a culture from canned olives, because only dried or fresh olives are suitable for this method. The shell of the seeds is hard, and to accelerate germination, soak them in an alkaline solution for 12 hours. After this, file or cut off the upper ends of the seeds.
It is better to germinate the bones directly in the compost. To do this, deepen them 3-5 cm into the substrate and place them in a warm and bright place. Do not forget to spray the landing from the spray gun daily.
The fruits of the olive tree sprout from 3 to 12 months. In addition, seed germination is 50%. Therefore, do not expect a quick result.
As soon as the sprouts hatch, they need to be transplanted in separate small pots. For seedlings, choose light, breathable soil. Alternatively, use a mixture of peat and river sand. Place the seedlings in a warm bright place, spray the planting from the sprayer daily.
When the young plants grow stronger and their root system braids around the pot, transplant them to a permanent place. Moreover, transplant seedlings together with an earthen lump, trying not to damage the shoots.
Keep in mind that trees grown from seeds begin to bear fruit 10-12 years after planting. To quickly wait for the harvest, propagate the olive by the cuttings method. You will learn how to do this in the next chapter.
Propagation by cuttings
A similar method of propagation of the olive tree is simple, and an inexperienced gardener will also cope with it. In addition, such plants begin to bear fruit already 2-3 years after planting.
Proceed to cuttings in mid-March, when the branches of the plant get stronger and gain strength. For reproduction, select the top shoots 20 cm long and 3-4 cm thick.
After cutting, hold the sprouts for 2-3 hours in a solution of "Kornevin" or "Epina." Then the cuttings take root more quickly. But keep in mind that growth stimulants should be dissolved only in boiled or purified liquids. After all, olive cuttings are sensitive to bacteria living in tap water.
Sprouts should be grown in the sand. Then they will give roots faster. But if you take river sand, then sanitize it before planting. So you protect the plant from pathogenic bacteria and pests.
So, how to plant cuttings:
- Pour sand into containers or boxes.
- Make holes in the substrate with a pencil, keeping a distance of 10 cm between the recesses.
- Generously moisten the sand and plant the cuttings.
- Cover the landing with polyethylene or glass and place in a bright room with a temperature of +20 ° C.
Regularly moisten the planting and remember to ventilate the greenhouse. When the sprouts give roots, transplant them into the soil. You can plant seedlings in a permanent place in late August - early September.
An aspiring gardener can grow an attractive olive tree. After all, the plant is unpretentious, and caring for it at home will not take much effort and time. In addition, every year the culture gives a rich harvest of tasty and healthy fruits. Therefore, if you want to start a home tree, then pay attention to the olive. She will not disappoint you.