An olive tree brings Mediterranean flair into the garden and onto the balcony and delights us all summer long with its green foliage. However, the Mediterranean beauty is not made for the cold German winter and needs help from hobby gardeners to get through the cold season well. We give you numerous tips on how to overwinter an olive tree, regardless of whether it stays outdoors or moves to its winter quarters.
Overwintering an olive tree: What temperatures can the exotic tree tolerate and how much frost can it withstand?
Surprisingly, the olive tree is quite robust and hardy for a Mediterranean plant. The exotic can easily withstand temperatures down to -5 degrees Celsius. In southern Germany there are now many olive trees that are planted in the garden and are simply winterized in October with fleece or geotextile. However, overwintering outdoors proves to be a major challenge for most hobby gardeners, as even cultivated olive trees are adapted to the weather conditions in the Mediterranean region. For example, they can only tolerate frost for a short time, and only when it doesn't rain. But since the winters in Germany are very wet, the tree needs protection. If you want to make sure that your exotic animal will survive the frosty periods,plant it in a potin a place protected from the wind in the garden, on the balcony or on the terrace.
As already mentioned, it has a hard time withstanding permanent frost, which is why in central and northern Germany it is only grown as a container plant and brought into winter quarters during the cold season. The experts recommend leaving the olive tree outside for as long as possible and only bringing it indoors (garage, garden shed, etc.) when there is permanent frost.
Overwintering an olive tree: What plant protection does it use to survive the winter outdoors?
If the climate in your area is mild, you canOutdoor garden plantoverwinter. An important requirement for this is that it is an older tree. In this case, however, it needs plant protection to survive the winter outside. If you want to winterize the exotic plant in your own garden, then you should also find a suitable location.
Overwintering an olive tree outside: Finding the right location
As early as mid to late October you can place the plant in a place protected from rain and wind. The southern side of the house, the covered terrace, the pergola or the garden wall are suitable. The location should be as bright as possible and not in the shade. If you place your olive tree in a shady place, it will quickly lose its leaves. As a rule, that isPlant evergreenand changes its leaves regardless of the season. But if all of the leaves suddenly turn yellow and suddenly fall off, then this is a sign that the plant is suffering from a lack of light.
When and how do you overwinter the olive tree?
You can move the plant to the new location in mid-October so that it can get used to it over the next two weeks. At the beginning of November you can winterize it in the garden. For this purpose, you should protect the trunk and crown of the tree with fleece. You can use weed fleece and geotextile for this purpose, as the two materials are permeable to air.
- The weed fleece with a material thickness of 50 g/m² allows water and liquid fertilizer to pass through, is breathable and scores with its high tear resistance. However, choose a variant without UV protection.
- The geotextile is also permeable to water and has high tensile strength.
- Garden films are not suitable as frost protection because they are impermeable to air.
Overwintering the olive tree: Balcony and terrace as wintering quarters
The balcony and terrace offer the best possible conditions for the cold-sensitive plant. They protect the olive tree from snow, rain and wind. Outdoor areas facing south and west prove to be optimal, where the potted plant can enjoy the winter sun. Simply wrap the pot in bubble wrap to keep it from freezing in sub-zero temperatures. Then place the pot in a tall wooden box and fill the gaps and corners with a mixture of mulch and straw. This means the plant can survive the winter outside even in permanent frost.
Overwintering olive trees: How often do experienced hobby gardeners water their plants?
If you have yourOlive tree in the gardenIf you want to prepare it for winter, you may be asking yourself: Should I water and fertilize the plant in the winter months? As with most Mediterranean plants, the rule of thumb applies here: If the temperatures indoors or outdoors fall below 5 degrees Celsius, then you should no longer fertilize the tree. Watering is also permitted in the winter months, but in most cases it is not necessary. The sensitive exotic has a hard time withstanding waterlogging, so you should learn to recognize and avoid it.
Overwintering and cutting olive trees: When does pruning make sense?
The olive tree is not cut in autumn. The plant will recover over the winter months. As soon as there is no longer any danger of frost, you can carry out moderate maintenance pruning and only remove diseased parts of the plant. It therefore makes much more sense to give the tree a more vigorous pruning in spring. Before the ice saints and before the flowering period begins is the right time to cut out dead shoots. Be careful not to cut out main branches, as they provide the roots with the nutrients they need.
Overwinter the olive tree indoors: in the apartment, in the garage or maybe in the basement?
Unfortunately, mild winters are very rare in Germany. Most hobby gardeners are therefore forced to move their olive trees to winter quarters. There are several options to choose from:
1. You can place the olive tree in a cool room in the apartment. A glazed balcony, a winter garden, an attic room and a garage with windows are well suited. The temperature in the room should be between 5 degrees and 10 degrees Celsius, and the humidity should be around 60%.
2. The basement, on the other hand, is not very suitable, especially because it is dark there. Heated living areas are also not suitable.
3. Do you have a garden or greenhouse? Then you can also store the olive tree there.
Here are also some care tips:
- Leave the tree outdoors until permanent frost. It can survive a night of light frost, but after that you should move it to its winter quarters.
- Ventilate twice a week and, if possible, measure the humidity in the room.
- Water the olive tree as needed. If it is overwintered indoors, you can water the plant sparingly every three weeks. You can also fill a spray bottle with water and spray the tree's foliage every 4 days.
- You do not need to fertilize the tree in the winter months. You can only apply slow-release fertilizer in spring.
- Pruning in autumn is not necessary. However, you can also remove diseased shoots in the winter months.
Overwintering an olive tree: When it loses leaves
Immediately after the olive tree is overwintered, does it start to lose its leaves? There are several reasons why the plant loses its leaves:
Problem:Not enough sunlight.Solution:Check whether the wind protection fleece allows UV light to pass through. Place the potted plant as close to the window as possible.
Problem:It is too warm in the winter quarters.Solution:Measure the temperature in the room. If it exceeds 10 degrees Celsius, find another winter quarters for the olive tree.
Problem:The earth has dried out and the olive tree is withering. If the room temperature is 10 degrees Celsius, you should check regularly whether the substrate is moist.Solution:Repot the plant.
Problem:waterlogging. Many hobby gardeners cannot correctly estimate the amount of water required in autumn and winter and overwater the plant. Heavy rain can also cause rot and damage the plant's delicate root balls.Solution:Place the plant in a covered place and allow the soil to dry. Optionally, you can also repot the tree.
By the way: Don't worry if the tree suddenly loses its leaves. In spring it will produce new shoots, new foliage and flower buds again. What is most important is that you find the reason and solve the problem. Incidentally, the olive trees react to problems with a delay of several days to weeks. So if you can't think of what the plant could be suffering from, ask yourself what happened in the last month.
The olive tree is one of the most popular Mediterranean plants. But it is much more than a useful plant; it also has decorative value. The olive tree brings a Mediterranean touch to the terrace and garden, is fairly easy to care for and robust. That's why it enjoys great popularity in Germany. However, since it is only partially hardy and does not tolerate frost well, winter protection is essential. In the southern regions of Germany, the potted plant can be made winter-proof in the garden. For this purpose, it is covered with fleece and placed in a place protected from the wind. In central and northern Germany, the plant cannot survive the harsh winter and sub-zero temperatures outdoors and must be placed in winter quarters. Cool and bright rooms such as the garage with windows, the greenhouse or the attic room are perfect. No matter where the tree will spend the winter months, you should definitely avoid waterlogging. In the cold season, the plant can get by with very little water and does not need fertilizer. Pruning is also not necessary; you can cut individual shoots if necessary. Continue to pay attention to the temperature in the winter quarters. If it gets too hot, too humid or too dark, the tree can lose its leaves.
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