Olive trees

Have you ever wondered if you can germinate and grow an olive stone? If many get a tree from the avocado seed, why not from an olive? And if so, how do you plant the olive pits to get an olive tree? , should I use green or black olive seeds?

The answer to this question is that, if it is possible to plant an olive tree from an olive , but this seed must be fresh. So we’re not talking about a stone from a store-bought olive. The olives that we eat are treated and it is very unlikely that they will germinate and serve for the propagation of the plant. You should also know that green and black olives are the same. The green ones are picked before they ripen, while the black olives are left to ripen on the tree.

How are olive trees propagated?

Olive trees ( Olea europaea ) grow in regions characterized by long, hot summers and mild winters. Generally, they are grown from cuttings, but it is also possible to plant olive trees from their seeds or pits. People interested in having olive trees in their gardens or indoors in pots prefer to buy seedlings and transplant them.

To sow olive seeds , they must first be thoroughly cleaned and processed to break dormancy and facilitate germination. When growing olive trees from seed, you must take into account that the germination rate is very low, so if you want to do it, you must be patient and be aware that it can fail. If you also want to try easier-to-grow and equally magnificent species, we recommend this technique for planting a mango tree .

How to plant olives to obtain an olive tree?

The first step in growing olive trees from the olive pit is to harvest the fruits in the fall , once the fruit has ripened but before it turns black. It is not advisable to take olives from the ground, it is better to harvest them directly from the tree. Try to only use olives that are not damaged by bug holes or other signs of damage.

Put the olives in a bucket and lightly tap the pulp to loosen it . Cover the crushed olives with water and let them soak overnight, stirring the water from time to time. Continue by removing the floating debris, which is probably rotten, and draining the water.

Now you must rub the olives to remove any remaining pulp and then rinse them well. Carefully cut off the pointed end of the olive pits, but be careful not to completely break the skin or the pit will be ruined. Soak them for 24 hours in water at room temperature.

Now, you can sow the olive pits . To do this, use a well-draining soil mix of half sand and half seed compost in individual containers. Sow the olive seed at a depth equal to twice its diameter and place the pots in a cool shaded environment with a germination mat at 16 degrees Celsius for about a month.

You should keep the top 2 inches of each pot moist while the seed germinates, but allow the surface to dry out between waterings to prevent fungal and bacterial diseases. Increase the temperature of the germination mat to 21 degrees Celsius after the first month of warm stratification and continue watering as before.

Seedlings should emerge at this time . When you see the plants, start lowering the temperature until it is equal to the outside temperature. Acclimate the seedling to outdoor conditions gradually over the course of a couple of weeks and keep them in a lightly shaded area during the hot summer months, then transplant in mid-autumn when the weather turns cool and humid.