How to Care for an Olive Tree in the UK
With their silvery grey-green leaves and gnarled trunks, olive trees bring a touch of the Mediterranean to British patios and gardens all year round.
They're surprisingly easy to look after, as long as you understand one thing: in this country, cold, wet roots kill more olive trees than frost does. Here's how to care for an olive tree in the UK.
Where to Grow an Olive Tree
Olive trees need three things: full sun, shelter and very good drainage.
- Choose the sunniest spot you have, such as a south-facing patio.
- Keep it sheltered from cold, strong wind. Olives cope well with salty sea air, but not with gales.
- Make sure the roots never sit in wet soil or compost.
Pot or Ground?
In the UK, a pot is the best way to grow most olive trees. It keeps the roots well drained, and it means you can move the tree to shelter in a hard or very wet winter. Almost all olive trees are sold as a clipped standard or bush in a container, which is the normal way to grow one here.
In mild southern and coastal gardens with free-draining soil, an olive can be planted in the ground, where given time it can grow into a large tree.
How to Plant an Olive Tree in a Pot
- Choose a pot with drainage holes, a little bigger than the current one.
- Use a soil-based compost mixed with plenty of grit, so water drains away quickly.
- Plant at the same depth the tree was growing before, and firm gently.
- Water well, then stand the pot on pot feet so it can drain freely.
The best times to plant or repot are spring and autumn. See our guide on how to plant trees in pots for more detail.
Watering
Olives cope well with dry spells, and overwatering is a far bigger risk than underwatering. Let the top few centimetres of compost dry out before watering, then water well and let the excess drain away. In summer, potted olives may need watering a couple of times a week in hot weather. In winter, they need very little, and should never sit in water.
Feeding
Feed potted olives during the growing season, from spring to late summer, with a balanced feed. Stop feeding in autumn and winter. Every spring, refresh the top few centimetres of compost, and move the tree into a slightly bigger pot every two or three years.
Pruning
Olive standards and bushes are kept in shape by clipping. Trim in spring or early summer to keep the head neat and balanced, and remove any shoots growing from the trunk or base.
Winter Care
Olives are not reliably hardy everywhere in Britain. They come through most winters outdoors in southern and coastal gardens given sun, shelter and sharp drainage, but in colder or wetter areas they're safer moved under cover.
- Raise the pot on pot feet so it doesn't sit wet.
- Move it against a sheltered, sunny wall.
- In a hard or very wet winter, move it into a bright, cool porch, conservatory or greenhouse.
- Water very sparingly until spring.
See how to protect plants from frost for more winter tips.
Will My Olive Tree Produce Olives?
Fruiting is unreliable in a British summer, so it's best to grow an olive tree for its beautiful silvery leaves and shape rather than for a crop. After a long, hot summer, you may be lucky and see a few olives.
Common Olive Tree Problems
- Leaves turning yellow and dropping: usually too much water or poor drainage, especially in winter. Let the compost dry out and check the pot drains freely.
- Brown, scorched leaves after winter: cold wind or frost damage. Move the tree to a more sheltered spot and wait for new growth in spring before trimming.
Olive Tree Care: Your Questions Answered
Can olive trees stay outside in winter in the UK?
In most southern and coastal gardens, yes, in a sheltered, sunny spot with very free-draining compost. In colder or wetter areas, move them under cover in a hard winter.
How often should I water an olive tree in a pot?
Only when the top few centimetres of compost are dry. That might be a couple of times a week in a hot summer, and very rarely in winter.
Do olive trees need full sun?
Yes. Give them the sunniest, most sheltered spot you have.
Why are my olive tree's leaves going yellow?
The most common cause is too much water or poor drainage. Let the compost dry out, raise the pot on feet, and water less often.
A Touch of the Mediterranean
With sun, shelter and good drainage, an olive tree will look good on your patio for years. Browse our full range of olive trees, from mini bushes to standards, or our other trees and shrubs.
Our garden plants are grown in Britain by growers we know, including the Yorkshire nursery that grows most of them. We check every plant by hand before it's packed, and send it out ready for your garden.