Olive tree ancient pictogram of peace, resilience and longevity Olive trees have been grown around the Mediterranean basin for thousands of years and are instantly recognizable by their striking silvery-green foliage and they produce olives to eat!
They are a classic species of trees grown from seeds tended to like warm environments but you can in fact grow an olive tree with ease close to everywhere if satisfied the right conditions.
In this post, we’ll be delving deeper into the world of olive tree seeds from planting to caring for them after sprouting and why you should plant your own olive tree at home. If you want an olive tree for its looks or plan to make your own olives, this complete manual will guide you through the process step by step.
Olive Trees The Seed
When the olive tree fruit technically a drupe, like cherries or peaches is ripe and has fallen to the ground, use these strategies. It is the nut nestled in that strange hard pit found at the center of every olive fruit. While planting olive tree from seed takes a lot of time, it is also very rewarding if you are patient.
Why growing an olive tree from seed?
Why should you need to grow the olive tree from seed? Yes! There are mulriple benefits behond it. Let’s see the details!
- Personal fulfillment: You see every stage of the tree’s growth, giving you a very real sense of its life.
- Diversity: Propagating own trees from seed gives genetic diversity, which is fun for olive tree varietal collectors.
- Cost effective: Olive seeds are also affordable then grown-up tree making it practical rate for residence garden enthusiasts.
But, as you should be aware by now sowing olive trees from seeds is a long process. Although most olive trees are asexually propagated via cuttings or grafting due to the slow and unreliable germination of seeds, starting an olive tree from seed is ideal for gardeners up for the challenge.
Planting Olive Trees from Seeds
Olive tree from seeds is an easy but very, slow way. Check out these point by point instructions to give your seeds a head beginning and the most obvious opportunity with regards to sprouting.
1. Where to Get Your Olive Tree Seeds
The first thing you need to do if you want to start growing olive trees from seeds is get the appropriate kind of seed. The seeds inside commercially prepared table olives are generally not viable for growing a tree because they have been treated, but you can certainly try planting the seed of one fresh olive to see if it will sprout.
It is advisable to buy untreated olive seeds from a respected supplier or gardening center for good result.
2. How to Prepare Olive Seeds for Planting
The particular seed of Olive has a tough cover making it adapt the condition of germination. This can be achieved through a process called stratification and scarification.
It is devised to trick the seeds into exposure to winter. Seeds need to be put in a wet paper towel then kept inside a plastic bag and then after seal, now it goes into the fridge for 4 weeks This will break them from dormancy and give a better germination rate.
After stratifying, you can move the process along by carefully nicking or scratching through an outer seed coat. This involves lightly scratching the stubborn seed coat with a file or sandpaper so that its layers are penetrated by water.
3. Planting Olive Seeds
After preparing the seeds, you will plant them. Here’s the process:
Olive trees like to be placed and planted in an area with a Mediterranean climate, plenty of sun, good drainage is very important! I prefer mixing some potting soil with and then rinsing most of it off a bit of sand or perlite. They are even more drought-resistant and grow on poorer, stony ground: Olive trees don’t like rich heavy soil.
Plant olive seeds in small pots or seed trays by pressing them about an inch into the soil. The containers need to be a water tun as it drains nicely and not setting in any ponds.
How to Water: Seeds should be watered lightly and the soil kept consistently moist but not wet. As Olive seeds are susceptible to over-watering provide well-drained soil.
Sun: Olive trees are sun-loving plants, so put them where they will get much daylight. A place in a sunny windowsill or under grow lights should also work.
4. Germination and Seedling Care
Olive seeds are slow germinators, taking anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks or even longer. Patience is important during that time, and keep soil moist. When seeds germinate and seedlings emerge they require some careful handling.
Transplanting: you can transplant the seedlings into larger pots after it grows a few sets of true leaves Take care to bruise the fine roots in this process.
Water: Keep watering your seedlings frequently, just make sure the soil has good water drainage and that roots do not sit in a pool of it.
When established, you can feed the seedlings with a balanced slow-release fertilizer every couple of month during growing time.
Simple Pruning: As the tree increases in size or strength, you can prune back to support healthful growth while keeping a wider shape. For example, olive trees benefit from pruning to increase oxygen and sun exposure.
Olive Tree Conditions for Growing
Olive trees will only do well in warm, sunny and dry places; they hail from Mediterranean regions. Although you may not reside in areas with the ideal climate for cultivating olive trees, it is still possible to grow them indoors and outside if their needs are met.
1. Temperature Requirements
Olive trees require warming climate around 60°F to 80 ° F. Although some cool weather is expected, more extended periods of freezing cold will kill or harm the plants. The easiest way to grow an olive tree in a cold winter area is probably in pot so that the plant can be brought indoors.
2. Sunlight
Sunlight Olive trees need a ton of sun to grow. They need preferably 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. If growing olive trees indoors, put them in the brightest area of your home like a south-facing window. If grow lights are necessary, you will need to consider adding this on as well.
3. Soil and Drainage
Olive trees prefer well-draining soil. Sandy or loamy soil is preferable because water will pass through rapidly, and the roots are not going to be sitting in puddles of muck. Mix in sand or gravel if your soil is heavy, such as clay.
4. Watering
While first getting established, they will need to be watered regularly. Don’t forget that olives are drought-tolerant trees! Soil Ideas: Keep the soil consistently moist but not soaking, mainly during their first few years of growth. After the tree is established it will require less frequent watering and can even tolerate dry conditions.
5. Fertilizing
Light applications of a balanced feed in spring and summer will help them to grow. Over-fertilization encourages more leaf growth in place of fruit.
The Advantages Growing Olive Trees from Seeds
Growing an olive tree from seed is a very rewarding pursuit for many reasons:
Olive tree is beautiful: with a silvery green appearance and sculptural look it will add interest to your garden. But even if you can’t get the olives to fruit in your climate, olive trees are a lovely addition as an ornamental screen or shade tree for any part of your home.
Sustainability: due to its longevity and low tolerance for poor soils, the olive tree is a quintessential symbol of sustainability. Mature, they are relatively low maintenance and live for many years to provide shade and beauty.
Problems with Growing an Olive Tree from Seed
True, growing olive trees from seeds is a most rewarding endeavor but it comes with some challenges;
- Slow Germination: Olive seeds have an extended germination period and some may not even be viable.
- Minate Salt: Olive trees are slow-growers and the one you purchase may take years to become tree mature.
- Unpredictable Fruit Production: Your tree may never produce fruit, especially if you live in a colder climate or keep your tree indoors.
Conclusion
The process of growing olive trees from seeds is long and the end result might be overwhelming, however it will all pay off at one point. If you want to bring a Mediterranean atmosphere into your home or even if one day you plan on growing olives i n the garden, planting an olive tree from seed will be both satisfying and fun.
So, find the right instructions to a well guided direction, from seed preparations until getting all necessary growing conditions you could easily have that desired healthy long lasting olive tree.
