The right soil for an olive tree in a pot

The right soil for an olive tree in a pot

1. 01

   Best soil mix

   For a pot under glass, use peat-free loam-based potting mix such as John Innes No. 3 with added sharp sand. A gritty loam-based potting mix or a succulent and cactus potting mix also works for a potted olive.

   Olea europaea needs well-drained or sharply drained soil. Use adequate drain holes and raise the pot so excess water can leave. Do not block the hole with a decorative gravel layer or leave the pot standing in runoff.

2. 02

   Match the mix to the pot and setting

   Olives grow outdoors in deep fertile soil, in large patio containers and under glass. Pot-grown olives can spend winter frost-free and move outdoors for summer sun. Growing one indoors is a seasonal pot setup and does not guarantee good fruiting in a heated room.

3. 03

   Soil pH

   Olea europaea tolerates acid, alkaline and neutral pH, so any ordinary potting mix pH suits it.

4. 04

   When soil alone is not the problem

   Choose the mix and pot for your tree rather than a fixed recipe, since cultivars and ages differ. Drainage, light, winter temperature and pot size matter most.