Olives are very popular potted plants for balconies, terraces or gardens. They bring a summery touch of the Mediterranean landscape into your home and are also quite easy to care for. But how do you care for an olive in winter?
Are olive trees hardy and frost-proof?
Olive trees are hardy but sensitive to frost. In winter they need a cool, bright location at a maximum of 10 °C, root protection from freezing and regular watering. Frost sensitivity varies depending on the variety, so choose cold-resistant regions of origin.
Olives are hardy but sensitive to frost
The real olive tree, as the olive is often referred to, comes from a warm and dry climate characterized by hot summers and mild winters. Nevertheless, many olive varieties are familiar with light frosts in their homeland, but are not used to long periods of frost and / or very deep frosts. Therefore, olives are described as hardy, although they are quite sensitive to frost.
Properly care for olives in winter
Olives need a winter break, during which they prefer to be left outdoors or in a cool and bright location in the house or apartment at a maximum of 10 °C. Temperatures around freezing point are usually well tolerated as long as the bucket is well protected from freezing. For this purpose, root heating is recommended, especially in regions where it can get very cold. Olives also need to be watered regularly in winter, but much less often.
Preparing for winter
Before you prepare your olive tree for the winter, you must first make the appropriate preparation. To do this, you can prune your tree towards the end of the growing season and you should also fertilize it again with patent potash. This fertilizer is also known as potash magnesia and ensures that young shoots can woody more quickly. Woody shoots, on the other hand, withstand frost much better.
Preparing olives for winter
In order to make your olive winter-proof, it first needs a protected location. The tree needs a lot of light and air even in winter, so dark basement rooms don't make sense. Instead, you can place the tree on a wall of the house that radiates heat, ideally in a sheltered and covered corner. Cover the soil in the pot with a thick layer of brushwood or bark mulch, this keeps the roots warm and optimally protects them from frost. As soon as it threatens to get very cold, wrap the pot, trunk and crown with frost protection mats (€71.00 on Amazon), for example made of jute, sisal, straw or coconut.
What you should definitely not do in winter
- leaving the olive tree outdoors without protection
- place the olive tree in a dark place (e.g. cellar)
- place the olive tree in the living room or another warm place
- do not water
- fertilize
Choose the right olive varieties
There are around 1000 different varieties of olives in the world, some of which are very sensitive to frost and others less so. How sensitive an olive tree is to frost depends primarily on its region of origin. For this reason, when buying, you should make sure that you do not necessarily buy a variety from Andalusia or a similarly hot area. Instead, it is better to choose trees that have been cultivated in a harsher area - these are used to some weather hazards and will certainly survive a German winter better.
Tips & Tricks
If you don't overwinter your olive tree outdoors but rather indoors, ensure there is plenty of light, the right temperature and a regular supply of fresh air. Olives are not houseplants, but feel much more comfortable outdoors. Therefore, regular ventilation is important in the winter quarters.