When to transplant an olive tree

The olive tree is an evergreen fruit tree that is very popular in gardens. It is one of those that best resists drought and heat, and also one of the few that does not need to be cold during winter to produce a large quantity of fruits.

However, if we want it to have good growth and better development it is important that we know when to transplant an olive tree, because if we do it at the wrong time we can harm it and thus lose a season.

How is an olive tree transplanted?

Its cultivation and care is very simple, since it only needs a sunny exposure and one or two weekly waterings. As it grows wild in limestone soils, which can get flooded once a year with the torrential rains typical of the Mediterranean, if we have this type of soil in the garden we can plant it there without problems.

But, when is an olive tree transplanted? That is, when do you have to move it to a larger pot or to the garden? To know for sure, the best we can do is watch for roots growing out of the pot’s drainage holes. If so, then it will be time to transplant it. Now, you have to know that it is not a good idea to pass it to the garden if it is 20 centimeters high or less, since we could easily lose it unless we protect it with a wire mesh (grid).

It is done as follows:

Find the right location

Olive trees are trees that need to be in sunny exposure throughout the day, and at a distance of about 5-6 meters from pipes, paved floors, other tall plants, and so on.

Its roots are not invasive like those of willows, for example, but it is true that, because there is little rain in their place of origin, they can spread a lot in their search for water.

Make a planting hole

Ideally, it should be at least 1 x 1 meter, especially if the specimen purchased already has a certain height (greater than 1m). Think that the bigger the hole, the more ‘loose’ soil the roots will find and the easier it will be for the tree to root.

Once done, add several buckets of water, until it is completely full, and let the earth absorb all the liquid. This will help you for several things, which are:

Find out if the soil you have in the garden has good drainage or not. If it is good, you will see that the water is absorbed at a good rate when you pour the first bucket; In the event that it has poor drainage, it can take hours for all that water to be absorbed.
Keep the roots hydrated – and therefore the olive tree – from the first moment it is planted in the ground.

Fill it with quality soil

Once you have the hole finished and watered, it is time to fill it with quality substrates. The mix will vary depending on whether or not the garden soil drains well:

Soil with good drainage: you can use the same soil that you have extracted from the hole, or if you prefer, mix it with 30% perlite, arlite, quartz sand or similar.
Poorly drained soil: if this situation occurs, a first layer of about 20cm (or more) of quartz sand, pomx, volcanic clay or similar must be added, and then finish filling with universal cultivation substrate mixed with perlite. equal parts.

It is important that you do not fill it completely, since the tree is not inside yet. To find out how much soil to add more or less, measure the height of the pot. If, for example, it measures 40cm and the hole has a depth of 100cm, you have to add soil to fill 60cm of the hole.

Introduce the olive tree carefully

It must be in the center of the hole, neither too high nor too low. The surface of the root ball should be about 2-5 centimeters below ground level. This is done in order to make better use of the irrigation water, because on the one hand you avoid wasting it in vain, and on the other hand you get the tree to use it to the maximum.

Finish filling

Now that the tree is inside, it is time to finish filling the hole with the substrate or soil mixture that we have mentioned before with the help of a hoe for example, or with your own hands if the hole is small. Then do not hesitate to pack the soil well and add more if necessary.

Make a tree grate

A tree grate is a low natural barrier, of variable height but not usually exceeding 10 centimeters, which is made with the same soil that is in the garden around the plant. It is a very easy measure to perform and above all useful that will allow you to make good use of irrigation water.

Add a tutor if necessary

If it is a young tree or, on the contrary, large and heavy, and if the wind tends to blow strongly in your area, you can help it by placing a stake and tying it to it.

When should it be transplanted?

As for the most propitious season for transplantation, it is spring. At the beginning of this season it will be a good time to transplant the olive tree, just before it resumes its growth.

What if the olive tree is in a pot?

When an olive tree is grown in a pot, you have to transplant it every 2 or 3 years, as soon as you see that the roots come out through the drainage holes or if you see that it takes time (more than 2 years) that it hardly grows.

The way to proceed is similar to if you planted it in the ground, the only thing that changes is that it will be planted in another pot, which has to be about 10cm wider than the previous one. The substrate to be used will be the universal substrate for plants, which you can use alone or filled with 30% perlite.