It never rains in Spain

[897tgigvib]

I'm going to guess that it is because of his special variety of Olive Bob.

 

[jackb]

It depends on soil composition. Here is a quote from the McEvoy ranch: "Olive trees prefer well-drained soil in a location with full-sun. Watch for low spots in your orchard where water may linger late in the season. Vernal pools, seasonal creek beds and slopes with significant runoff should not be planted with olive trees."

In a container wet roots will kill them quickly.

jackb

 

[catjac1975]

That seems like you olives are flowering very fast. Wow!

 

[jackb]

As the tree is less than a foot high it is amazing.

 

[bobm]

It depends on soil composition. Here is a quote from the McEvoy ranch: "Olive trees prefer well-drained soil in a location with full-sun. Watch for low spots in your orchard where water may linger late in the season. Vernal pools, seasonal creek beds and slopes with significant runoff should not be planted with olive trees."

In a container wet roots will kill them quickly.

jackb

In Cal., there thousands of acres with all of the above no nos as well as hardpan 2"-6" thick that lays on the surface to 5 ft. below and follows the ebb and flow of soil erosion from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Water has a very difficult time in flowing through this hardpan creating vernal pools. ( my 20 acres has 5 different soil types. I have one area ( 5'-10' x 30' meandering +/- ) in my pasture where there is white salt crystals on the surface like snow ). There are subdivisions nearby with the same soil composition with olive trees galore. Even as street trees in one fairly new subdivision. I have seen 1,5, 20 gallon as well as more mature burlap / wood containers of olive trees for sale in nurseries that are overhead sprinkler watered daily along with all other plant types.

 

[jackb]

I have no doubt about what you are saying. Several of my trees were purchased from Florida where they get a lot of rain. They also have sandy well drained soil Outdoors with sun, heat and wind the trees transpire freely moving water away from the roots. I am growing in a humid greenhouse in containers and there is a big difference. I had to change my mixture to 90% perlite, as I lost several trees last summer during a very humid period because the media just would not give up the moisture. You might try growing a small tree indoors in a container in standard potting soil and you will see what I mean.

jackb