Why do olive trees only produce fruit every 2 years (is there a scientific name for this?) Answer: Some varieties of olives will alternate year bear if left to their own devices. This can be prevented by proper fertilizing, pruning and culling..
Just so, how often do olive trees produce fruit?
Young and Bitter. If you've provided your olive tree with a happy home, it will begin to bear fruit when it's around five years old. Bear in mind, however, that it's perfectly normal for olive trees to produce fruit only every other year, or to produce alternating heavy and light crops from year to year.
Subsequently, question is, do you need two olive trees to produce fruit? Many varieties of olive trees require cross-pollination but most the varieties that we sell do not because they are self pollinating or self-fruitful. They need another tree or sometimes two other trees for pollination, not of the same variety, but a different variety of the same fruit.
Hereof, why is my olive tree not fruiting?
Pollination Problems Olives are generally considered "self-fertile," meaning they do not require the pollen of another tree in order to set fruit. Because the trees are wind-pollinated, heavy rain during the flowering period can prevent pollination from occurring.
How long do olive trees last?
Provided with the appropriate growing conditions, this tree can survive in relative neglect for hundreds of years. While olive trees may live to be as old as 1,500 years, the average lifespan is 500 years.
Related Question Answers
Can you eat olives straight from the tree?
Olives, like many other kinds of produce such as potatoes and sour cherries, just aren't something that you eat raw. Unprocessed, straight off the tree, they are bitter, very bitter, and the green ones even more so than ones which have fully ripened to black.How do I know when olives are ripe?
Most olives are ready to harvest when the juice turns cloudy, at the “green ripe” stage in late September. They ripen to an uneven reddish-brown through November, finally darkening to the “naturally black ripe” stage by early December. Olives in this stage have a high oil content and are easily bruised.How do you encourage olive trees to fruit?
To promote flowering and growing olives, as well as general tree growth, top dress with a general high nitrogen fertiliser (ideally slow-release) in early Spring. This should be applied around the base of the tree. Continue to feed every few weeks throughout the growing season with either Vitax Q4 or seaweed extract.Do olive trees need a lot of sun?
Olive trees require a well-drained soil and a sunny position. Insufficient water will cause your tree to suffer, and even die if left too dry for too long. Choose a site that receives at least six hours of direct sun per day. Full sun is ideal.What month do olive trees fruit?
Olive trees bloom in late spring; small, whitish flowers are borne in loose clusters in the axils of the leaves. Flowers are of two types: perfect, containing both male and female parts, which are capable of developing into the olive fruits; and male, which contain only the pollen-producing parts.How do they pick olives?
Traditionally, picking olives is done by hand, even in commercial groves. Today, more growers use modern machinery to help them harvest the crop. At the lowest end of the spectrum, this may only mean using a long handled, vibrating tong to shake the olives from the branches and onto nets spread out under the tree.What is the best fertilizer for olive trees?
Nitrogen FertilizersNitrogen is the one nutrient an olive tree may be deficient in. It is needed for formation of flowers, fruit and leaves. During spring growing season, for mature trees, give each tree 2 pounds of urea or 50 pounds of compost. For young trees, give 1 ounce of urea each month and water it in well.How do you process olives for eating?
Place the olives in a glass storage container. Mix 6 tablespoons pickling salt in a gallon of water and pour it over the olives to cover them. Let the olives cure for a week, at which point they're ready to eat. Store the olives in the refrigerator in their brine for up to a few weeks.How do I care for an olive tree?
Olive trees require a well-drained soil and a sunny position. Avoid sites where water stands during rainy periods or where ground water seeps into a hole two feet deep. Do not, however, confuse the olive for a desert plant. It needs regular watering to thrive.Are there male and female olive trees?
Olive trees have two kinds of flowers: male flowers that produce pollen and hermaphrodite flowers that have both male and female parts and develop into fruits. Male flowers are yellow and female flowers are smaller and greenish yellow. Both are on the same tree, and neither have nectar.How do you prune an olive tree?
To prune an olive tree, choose a time either in late spring or early summer and make sure your tree is at least 3-4 feet tall before pruning. Choose 3-4 strong lateral branches to form your main shape and make slanted cuts to remove branches.Can you hard prune an olive tree?
It is best, however, to prune your Olive after the last of the winter frost and before the first autumn frosts. If you prune back your Olive tree 'hard' it will result in a dense growth or a light 'formative' prune will give your tree a natural shape. Your tree will usually flower from late Spring to early Summer.What do olive trees smell like?
The bark is very rough and thick. The scent of olive is very characteristic and we often associate it with scents of the sea and Mediterranean sun. This aroma is green and almost edible; one of my personal favourites. But it is necessary to differentiate scents of olive wood, leaves, fruit and blossom.What to feed olive trees in pots?
Although they can cope with dry periods, olives in containers need regular watering and feeding to produce fruit. During the growing season, keep the compost moist and feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser such as Phostrogen, every month.How much space does an olive tree need?
The trees are planted 5ft by 13ft (1.5m by 4.0m) apart in high vigor sites to 4ft by 12ft (1.2 by 3.6m) apart in low vigor sites. Only highly self-fruitful, precocious varieties will fruit under the conditions of close spacing and heavy pruning.How much olive oil do you get from one tree?
A mature olive tree will produce only 15 to 20 kilograms (33 to 44 pounds) of olives each year. Since it takes about five kilograms of olives to make a liter of oil, one tree is capable of producing only about three to four liters of oil per year—a small output by any measure.Where do olive trees grow best?
Olive trees need a subtropical climate and do best with mild winters and long, warm, and dry summers. They are sensitive to hard freezing environments. They will grow in climate zones 10 and 11 (see map below). Some varieties are hardy enough for zone 9 or even 8.What do black olives taste like?
Green olives are seldom eaten without being in a brine of some nature. They take in the whatever flavor the brine has. Black olives are similar, though my daughter loves them straight from the can! Just raw olives tend to have a bitter taste.Where do black olives come from?
While olives originated in the Mediterranean, they are now grown in many places with similar climates, such as South Africa, Chile, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina and California. The type of olive grown depends on the region. The Kalamata olive is grown most often in Greece. 
Emily Dawson 
