Question
olives
Hello,
I've recently bought a potted olive tree, which is about 30 centimeter tall (I keep it potted, it's too cold in winter here for it to be growing in the garden), and I just can't seem to find out how much water exactly does it need. I bough it with the soil moist to the touch and green olives perfectly round and smooth but when the soil dried out (which was in about a day, we're keeping it on a balcony, which is really hot and dry), olives started to wrinke and shrivel. I am afraid of watering it every day, but it seems like the plant needs it. Should I deep water the whole plant?
Thank you
AnswerHi Nicol, keep it on the moist side, but not wet and in a location where it gets morning Sun and afternoon shade, this way it will not dry out to quickly; when it begins to show drying at the drainage holes is when you will water it again, and when you water, water real well. Many people make the mistake of giving limited water, meaning wetting the surface then stopping, the root system needs to get well watered, and this means watering until you see water dripping out the drainage holes, then you don't water again until those drainage holes begin to dry. Be certain to put your tree in an appropriate container also, it needs to be taken out of the original container and moved into one that is a little larger; this way you can put an inch or so of gravel lining the bottom and then fill it up with a quality potting mix. Nick
