Olve Tree: Cultivation

Parts cut off from an olive tree will readily take root and grow into new trees.

The young trees will grow in many different types of soil, but need good drainage to produce large fruit. The grower must irrigate and prune the trees and thin the fruit. Early harvesting partially overcomes alternate bearing. Fertilizers that add nitrogen to the soil give a larger yield, the olive tree has remarkable powers of growing where the climate is very hot and dry. But for bearing good fruit, it needs a moderate supply of water.

The fruit mature from October to January , and is injured if the temperature falls below 26° F the olive tree itself is not injured until the temperature falls 10 degrees lower. The fruit needs much heat if it is to have a good quality when it matures. The air must be dry when the flowers blossom, and when the fruit begins to grow.

The countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea grow most of the world’s olives. Italy and Spain together produce more than half of the world output, there are many acres of olive trees in California. The olive tree also grows in the states along the gulf of Mexico, south America , Africa, Australia, and some parts of Asia.

Harvesting olives requires careful handling. Farmers pick the green fruit and haul it to the processing olive tree in small boxes. In poor countries training programs, and other means of helping nations develop their resources, production, and trade are made. Is also important to support maintainable development, colling attention to air and water pollution and other dangers that threaten man’s environment as oileaafricanafoundation.com