Olive- this is related to olive family. Its homeland is Africa, Australia, southern parts of Europe and Asia. In the world, the olive tree is famous for the fact that it is used to make healthy oil, and the fruits - olives - are pickled. There are many legends about its origin. Despite the fact that olive grows only in warm countries, it can also be grown at home. This can be done from a seed - a seed. However, enjoy delicious fruits This will not work - they will be tasteless and will appear only 10 years after planting. in this way can only be grown with decorative purposes. Read our article about how to grow an olive tree at home.
Requirements for planting material
If you were about to put the canned olive you just ate into the pit, then we hasten to disappoint you - this planting material will not germinate. You will only need fresh fruit seeds, which can be purchased at a specialty store.
When choosing a seed planting method, you should know that the germination process will be quite long - about two and a half months. And the germination rate in this case is quite low - for example, out of five planted seeds, only two, or even one, can sprout. Typically germination is no more than 50%.
Did you know? The ancient Greeks revered the olive as a tree of life and longevity. It was considered such because it was almost impossible to destroy. Even split by lightning, it could live for a long time. If you need to uproot a tree, then to do this you need to remove its roots within a radius of five meters, otherwise even from a small remnant it will grow again. In the wild, an olive grows on average for half a century.
Preparation: germination
To begin, the bones should be placed in an alkaline solution (10%) for 18 hours. This is necessary in order to somewhat soften the shell, which in this state can already be broken through by hatching sprouts. After processing, the seeds are washed and dried. They must be placed in the soil only when completely dry. The sharp end is cut with a knife, pruning shears or filed before planting. 
You can also place the seeds in a damp bowl for germination for several weeks. The container will need to be kept at a warm temperature, constant humidity and with sufficient supply sunlight. This procedure can help increase the germination percentage.
The soil
The best composition for planting olives will be the following:
- river sand - two parts;
- turf land - one part;
- garden soil - one part.
If you use a purchased substrate, then you need to mix the growing soil (three parts) and ordinary soil (one part), diluting the mixture slightly with sand.
Capacity
Container for planting olives should initially be large– at least 60 cm in depth and width. A prerequisite is drainage holes that will allow excess moisture to pass through or be taken from the pan required amount liquids. The main enemy of the evergreen tree is high humidity soil, death is like its stagnation.
At the bottom of the pot you need to place a layer of fine or brick chips. 
Landing
The seeds should not be planted too deeply in the prepared soil - at a distance of 2-3 cm.
For successful rooting and germination indoors, it is necessary to maintain the temperature at +20°C. You also need to maintain high humidity and proper lighting.
The appearance of sprouts should be expected after two to three months.
Conditions and care of seedlings
The best place to grow olives will be a windowsill located in the south or southwest. This is where she will do enough sunlight. If there is not enough of it, the plant will signal you about this by dropping leaves. In this case, you will need to look for a brighter place for the pot or additionally install a source of artificial lighting. 
Caring for an olive tree at home is simple and no different from caring for most trees. It will consist of watering, spraying when the air is dry, pruning and replanting.
Regular watering is needed as the top layer of soil dries. The plant does not tolerate drought well - its leaves begin to dry out and fall off. However, the tree will react even worse to constant waterlogging - even to the point of complete death.
Important! Olives should only be watered after they have been left standing for several days. tap water room temperature.
During the growing season (from April to September) the tree needs to be fertilized. should be alternated with It is recommended to do this once every two weeks during active growth and weekly in the spring and summer. Starting from October, all feeding should be stopped, otherwise it will be difficult for the plant to survive the winter period, and it will eventually not bloom. 
In summer, it is necessary to periodically wipe off dust from olive leaves. In winter, when the heating is turned on, they will need to be sprayed.
IN winter time The olive should be left alone - water as little as possible, do not feed it and move it to a cool place (+10-12°C). Only under such conditions will it be able to bloom.
When flowering has occurred, the tree must be placed in a room with a temperature of +18-20 degrees.
A year or two after planting, the plant should be replanted. To do this, use the transshipment method (together with a clod of earth, without opening the root system). Transplantation is carried out in the spring. The olive tree is replanted annually until it reaches five years of age. Then the intervals between transplants should be increased to two to three years. 
Important! Soil acidity is important for olives. She prefers an alkaline substrate and cannot tolerate overly acidic soils. Thus, when replanting, peat should not be added to the soil.
After replanting, as a rule, the tree grows quickly. After two or three years in spring period or at the beginning of summer, an olive tree in a pot sheds its leaves and acquires new ones.
Sanitary pruning of dry branches should be carried out annually. You can also carry out a formative haircut - it is not difficult for the plant to recover after it. Olive is great for bonsai lovers because its crowns can be used to form a variety of miniature trees. 
Lower branches and leaves should be removed regularly - this will help the plant grow better.
Since this evergreen tree has rather tough foliage,
Sights of Cyprus. Olive Tree
Olive oil. Where did it come from? According to the biblical story, an olive branch was brought to Noah by a dove as a sign that God’s anger against people had subsided and the Great Flood had stopped. The olive tree was the first to grow after the Flood, heralding with its birth a truce between God and man.
Olive tree (lat. Olea europaea) is an evergreen subtropical tree. Belongs to the genus Olive (Olea) of the Olive family (Oleaceae). The southeastern Mediterranean is considered to be the birthplace of the olive tree. It is said that the olive was first cultivated in Greece. Evidence of this is the mention of olives in ancient Greek myths.
A curious fact is that the plant, which has been cultivated since ancient times to obtain olive oil, not found in the wild!
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Botanical description of olive
Olive is a dioecious plant: when planting, two plants are planted in each hole: a female and a male for pollination.
The olive tree is actually considered evergreen shrub, reaching 10-12 meters in height. The olive trunk is very picturesque - covered with gray bark, gnarled, twisted, and usually hollow in old age. The branches of the tree are gnarled and long. The leaves are leathery, gray-green in color, inner part The leaf has a silvery tint. Olive leaves do not fall off in the winter. The tree renews its foliage gradually, over two to three years.
Olive usually blooms from late April to early July. The fragrant flowers are small (2-4 mm), white-yellow in color. On the branches, flowers are located in the axils of the leaves in the form of paniculate racemes. In one inflorescence you can count from 10 to 40 flowers. The period before flowering of a tree is very important: if 6 weeks before flowering the tree experiences drought or lack of nutrients, then its yield decreases sharply! Therefore, spring rains are especially pleasing to the owners of olive groves.
The fruit of the olive (what we call an “olive”) is considered to be a drupe. Most often it has an elongated oval shape, a pointed or blunt nose. The length of a ripe olive is from 0.7 to 4 cm, its diameter is from 1 to 2 cm. Its oil is located in the fleshy pericarp.
The color of the fruit pulp depends on the type of tree (there are more than 500 varieties of olive!): its color can be green, black, dark purple, often with an intense waxy coating. Olive fruits ripen 4-5 months after flowering - in September-November. The olive tree is most productive after 20 years of life. The olive tree bears fruit once every 2 years and with an average yield produces about 20 kg of olives.
An olive fruit on average consists of water - 60%, oil - 10-30%, sugar - 5%, protein - 1.5%, fiber - 2-5% and minerals - 2-6% (proteins, pectin, vitamins B, C, E, potassium salt, phosphorus, iron...).
90% of the fruit is used to make olive oil, which even without preservatives has a long shelf life. Olive oil has a wonderful taste and, importantly, is 98% digestible (sunflower oil is only 80% absorbable!). Unlike animal fats, olive oil is not only not harmful, but brings considerable benefits to the body. The acids it contains are essential construction material the cell membranes of our body! The energy value of olive oil is 898 kcal/100g.
Olive oil is used in the cosmetics industry, widely used in cooking and in the production of premium canned food.
Olive leaves are used in the pharmaceutical industry. They contain organic acids, phytosterol, oleuropein glycoside, resins, flavonoids, lactone elenolide, bitter and tannins, essential oils(phenol, camphene, eugenol, cineole, citral and alcohols), as well as organic acids, bitterness, flavonoids and tannins. Infusions from olive leaves normalize blood pressure, cure respiratory diseases, and stimulate the immune system.
Greenish-yellow, heavy, strong and curly olive wood lends itself well to polishing and is used for making dishes and furniture. It is also valued by woodcarvers; it is used for inlays and the manufacture of expensive turning and carpentry products. Olive tree bark is used by pharmacists as a substitute for cinchona.
Olive trees are a good ameliorant. Planted on mountain slopes, they make the soil resistant to erosion and subsidence, which is very important in stopping landslides, soil erosion and wasteful discharge of rainwater. The long-lasting and powerful root system of trees can stop landslides!
Today, the total area of cultivated olive cultivation is measured in millions of hectares. Largest quantity olives are grown in Spain, Italy and Greece.
Where to buy rustic olive oil and cosmetics based on it?
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Olive branch - symbol of peace
A dove carrying an olive branch is depicted on the emblem of the World Peace Congress. The olive branch is widely used in heraldry, where it has a similar meaning.
The connection of the olive tree with the life of the southern peoples is reflected in numerous legends. The dove with an olive branch in its beak served as a theme and emblem in Old Testament legends. In Mediterranean countries, olive oil was used not only for food, but also for sacrifices, for anointing hair and body, and was added to lamps.
During archaeological excavations in the Mediterranean, ancient oil mills are discovered everywhere. Images of olives and oil amphora are characteristic of the ancient culture of Egypt. Theophrastus wrote that the olive grew in Thebes and the oases of the Libyan Desert. The ancient Phoenicians spread the olive throughout the Mediterranean. The ancient Greek epic is especially rich in legends about the olive. The olive, along with figs, pomegranates and pears, is glorified in the Odyssey. Requirements for olive cultivation are contained in the laws of Solon. Greek settlers to Asia Minor, the Western Mediterranean and the southern coast of Crimea brought olives with them and planted them on new lands.
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Olive picking time is a big holiday
October, November, December are the main olive harvesting months and the time for olive oil production. Cypriots call this time the “Olive Harvest Festival”.
Anyone who has observed the process at least once would hardly dare to call this event a holiday: in order to collect olives from one tree, several hours of manual labor are required!
To collect olives you have to climb a tree and dress in thick work suits, since the branches of olive trees are quite sharp, contact with them is not only unpleasant, but also fraught with injuries to the skin.
The collected olives are taken to the factory, where olive oil is squeezed out of them, that is, Extra Virgin Olive Oil! The most delicious and healthy.
For a photo report on how olive oil is pressed, see here:
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The remaining olives are pickled or salted.
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Oliva in Cyprus
Thousands of evergreen olive trees with colorful shapes, picturesquely curved trunks, and heavy branches strewn with berries in the fall grow on the island. Traveling around the island you will see olive groves everywhere. You will also see olive trees near the houses of local residents - it is a rare family in Cyprus that does not own at least several olive trees.
Oil is still produced here according to ancient traditions - by cold pressing. Here, as before, they prefer not to pickle olives, but to salt them, generously sprinkling them with seasonings and pouring lemon juice over them. Here, as in the old days, hair and skin are anointed with olive oil, and an olive branch, blessed in the church, is pinned to front door Houses.
You can buy excellent quality olive oil and freshly pickled olives in any supermarket on the island, but you can also go straight to the factory to buy neem.
In any pharmacy and even in a souvenir shop you will find cosmetics made from this wonderful oil. You can buy cosmetics from the manufacturer's laboratory
In Cyprus you can purchase healing infusions from olive leaves, as well as unique healing olive tea.
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The olive tree belongs to the Olive family. In the Mediterranean, in the south of Crimea, in the southern regions of Russia and in other areas with a mild climate, this plant is grown in open ground. In more severe conditions it can be grown in winter garden or in a spacious, bright room, including an apartment. Trees of table varieties, with proper care, will bear fruit regularly.
The olive tree is a long-living tree. It has been growing for more than 500 years. In the Garden of Gethsemane (Jerusalem) there are olive trees whose age, according to scientists, reaches 2000 years. Greece is considered the birthplace of the olive. According to ancient legend, the goddess Athena sent an olive branch to this fertile land, from which the first tree grew.
Olives are a real treasure for the human body. They contain more than 100 useful substances. It seems that nature itself took care of the health, freshness and beauty of man, giving him these priceless fruits.
Olives are the simplest and effective prevention diseases of the heart, blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract and malignant breast tumors. To achieve the desired effect, it is enough to eat only eight olives a day or season salads with olive oil.
Olive is the personification of deep internal cultural connections. At least that's what Thomas Friedman thinks. He expressed his thoughts on globalization and cultural identity in his acclaimed 1999 book Lexus and the Olive Tree.
Decorative olive tree
Usually, domestic olive is grown not for its fruits, but because of its decorative, very attractive appearance. Today there are many varieties of this wonderful crop that have characteristics. For growing at home, varieties that reach no more than 2 meters in height and are suitable for growing in a container are suitable.
The olive tree at home is a miniature one, evergreen with a spherical and compact crown. Young plants have light gray bark, older plants have dark bark. The leaves are dense, narrow, lanceolate, dark green in color. They stay on the branches for a long time and do not fall off even in winter. They are updated every 2 years.
The flowers are white, small, bisexual, with a goblet-shaped cup. The fruits are elongated oval single-seeded drupes, about three centimeters long, which have a pointed or blunt end and a fleshy pericarp. The color of the fruit can be green or dark purple, depending on the variety. Its average weight is 15 g.
Olive tree at home
Many people are concerned about the question of whether this plant will take root in our apartments? Under natural conditions, the olive tree grows in semi-deserts, on rocky mountain slopes, and on saline and poor soils. Sometimes where no other plant can survive.
The olive tree appears silvery from afar because its dark green, narrow leaves are covered with a bluish coating on the underside. It is even sometimes mistaken for some kind of willow.
The olive's drought resistance is striking. In this, the date palm can probably be compared with it. Both of these trees like their crowns to be warm and their roots to be cool. In search of moisture, they direct their roots very deep, reaching groundwater, sometimes located at a depth of 5-7 meters.
Olive tree: care
At home it is unpretentious plant does not require complex care. It requires a well-lit “place of residence” and abundant watering during the period of active growth (March-August). In autumn, watering olive trees is reduced, and in winter, when the plant seems to freeze, the soil in the pots is moistened no more than twice a week.
Reproduction
The domestic olive tree, which is easy to care for even for a novice gardener, is propagated by seeds, graftings and cuttings. To grow a tree solely for decorative purposes, the plant is propagated by seeds.
Preparing the seeds
This method is quite lengthy, but it allows you to see the entire development cycle of the tree and guarantees its high survival rate. Before planting, they are soaked for 12 hours in a caustic soda solution. Then they are rinsed with water and planted in a pot with a diameter of no more than nine centimeters to a depth of two centimeters. The soil should be moist and nutritious. In addition, you should pay attention to the fact that the soil is loose and light. This mixture consists of leaf and turf soil, sand, and peat in equal volumes. Large, oblong-shaped olive seeds are planted in small (5 cm in diameter) pots no deeper than 1 centimeter.
You will see the first shoots in 2 months. At this time, you should carefully monitor the soil moisture. It is recommended to water the crops as the clod of earth dries out and try not to allow it to become waterlogged or dry out. Seed germination, as a rule, is 40-50%. Often the seeds do not germinate or produce non-viable, weak sprouts that die after a short time. If we grow an olive tree from seeds, the first fruits should be expected no earlier than ten years later. If you want to speed up the timing of fruiting or flowering, grown seedlings must be grafted onto varietal plants.
Surprisingly, you can grow an olive tree at home even from a seed. True, to get good result a long preparation process is necessary.
Propagation by cuttings
In this case, the olive tree retains all its maternal characteristics. The first fruits appear in the third, in rare cases in the second year. It is necessary to take two or three summer branches. Their sections are carefully treated with a growth stimulant, then planted in sand ten centimeters deep, and the seedlings are covered with glass on top (polyethylene can also be used for this purpose).
For rooting optimal temperature- 25-27 °C. This usually occurs within a month, after which shoots begin to appear. After 3-4 months, the root system will be fully formed, and the seedling can be transplanted onto it. permanent place in a large pot.
Lighting
The olive tree, which is easy to care for at home, loves good lighting, so the window sills of southern windows are suitable for young plants. Mature trees can be placed in any well-lit place in the room.
In the warm season, it is useful to take the plant out into the air - into the garden or onto the balcony. An abundance of light is especially necessary during the period of plant growth and bud formation. If there is not enough of it, the olive will slow down its growth. In winter, the tree needs additional lighting to prevent leaves from falling.
The air should be heated to 18-22 °C - this is the most comfortable for this crop. During the dormant period (winter), the temperature should not exceed 13 °C. Such conditions will promote the formation of flower buds. Watering during this period is reduced, and fertilizing the soil is not recommended.
Blooming olive: care
During the flowering period, the plant needs more careful care. At this time, it is very important to monitor the condition of the soil. Watering is carried out as needed (when the top layer of soil dries out). If there is not enough moisture, the plant's leaves become dull, curl, and then fall off. This may even lead to the death of the tree.
Slightly yellowish or completely white flowers with a delicate and refined aroma bloom in mid-June. At home, the tree is decorated with delicate flowers for several months. The plant is pollinated by wind and insects, but daily shaking of the branches is necessary for home olives. When self-pollinating, fruits may set different sizes, and cross-pollination significantly improves their quality and productivity
Despite the fact that the olive tree tolerates dry air well, we recommend spraying its crown in extreme heat. Until the age of four, the plant needs annual replanting. This is usually done in early spring, and it is not necessary to change the entire contents of the pot, it is enough to replace only upper layer soil to be more fertile and fresh.
Trimming
Regular pruning will help you give the olive crown a spherical, neat shape. When carrying out this procedure, remove dry and weak branches, shorten long shoots, create the desired shape. If you decide to grow an olive tree for its fruit, remember that the bulk of the harvest comes from last year's growth. Therefore, pruning must be done very carefully so that you can enjoy the harvest next year.
Despite the somewhat labor-intensive growing process, the olive tree is unpretentious and not prone to diseases. With regular and proper care, two years after planting you will be able to admire the blooming olive tree and get good harvest(up to 2 kg of fruits per year).
Feeding
During the active growth and development of the olive tree (February-October), regular (once every fifteen days) feeding should be carried out with solutions and infusions of organic and mineral fertilizers. For better fruit set and development in the summer, it is useful to add double superphosphate. For this, an aqueous solution of the substance is used at the rate of five grams per liter of water. In addition, it can be mullein - a two-week infusion, diluted 15-20 times before use.
From November to February, all metabolic processes slow down sharply in an olive tree kept indoors, and it goes into a dormant state. In winter, fertilizing is not carried out.
If you set out to grow a home olive tree, you must remember that insufficient light, excessive watering and very heat air in winter will not allow you to “tame” such a tree in your home. If you cope with these obstacles, then you need to be patient, because in comparison with most plants that experienced gardeners know, the olive develops very slowly, and it does not bloom too quickly. But lovers of indoor plants are attracted by the fact that you can grow it all your life - this small tree lives, according to scientists, for at least three thousand years.
Olive Tree, or olive, belongs to the olive genus. In the natural environment it occurs in the form of shrubs and trees. Particularly famous european olive. There are about sixty types of culture. The plant is native to Africa, Europe, Australia and Asia. Trees have different structures. They differ in long branches. The life span of a tree is about 300 years. The culture is considered to be a long-livers.
An olive tree can be kept at home for up to 10 years. Next, you will need to plant it in open ground. It produces good fruits. The mass of 1 is no more than 5 grams. The leaves of the tree have a dark green tint. The vegetative organs of the plant contain a large concentration of starch. Thanks to this, the crop copes well with prolonged drought. Olive bark is dark in color.
Varieties
First of all, you should decide for what purpose you plan to grow it. The problem is that there are three types of olives:
- canteens- for use in food;
- oilseeds- for making olive oil from them;
- combined- they can be used for food and oil can be extracted from them.
Therefore, based on these criteria, select the variety. Also, the variety must be selected depending on this, in what place you expect to grow (for example, for domestic conditions, select dwarf varieties). If you still decide to grow it for harvest, then do not forget that it is a dioecious plant. That is, for the appearance of flowers and fruits, male and female individuals are needed, therefore, representatives of the two sexes are planted in one pit.
In addition, the olive is pollinated by the wind, therefore, if there is no wind, the harvest may be lower than usual. For the same reason, in domestic conditions, pollen is spread with a brush.
Olive trees are propagated using 2 methods.:
- from seeds
- from cuttings.
Climatic conditions
Olives grow best in climates with mild winters and dry summers. At a temperature of -5 degrees the tree will already feel bad; a lower temperature will lead to death. In open ground and in climates with harsh winters, it can be grown in heated greenhouses, winter gardens and at home. Buildings must be large and well lit.
Soil for planting
Soil for evergreen trees must have neutral acidity, excellent drainage and not be waterlogged. Often it dies due to excessive moisture. Select soil rich in limestone. The best soil for an olive tree is not very fertile, for example, loam or sand. According to the structure - fine-grained. The soil must be loose.
Swampy substrate and not very good land capacity are the main ones causes of olive tree wilting. Avoid areas where water accumulates.
When planting, it is imperative to add a dense layer of drainage. You can protect the plant from excessive rainfall by planting it on a gentle slope. It is preferable not to use fertile substrate. An excessive number of nutritional components generates increased tree growth. As a result, the percentage of yield decreases. The ideal land for growing a tree must meet all the required conditions.
Tree lighting
It usually prefers very warm conditions. In nature, this plant can be found on well-lit shores. Does not tolerate shaded areas.
Temperature regime for wood
The olive tree can withstand temperature drops of even -15 degrees. In severe, prolonged cold, the plant will die. During the period of intensive vegetation formation, it is recommended to maintain the temperature from + 18 to + 20 degrees. At the flowering stage, return frosts can affect high yields. Intense heat, combined with dry air, also harms the tree.
Watering the plant
The culture responds well to measured soil moisture. In the spring-summer season, it is preferable to regularly water the substrate. Prolonged exposure to dry soil causes leaves to fall. In winter, the number of waterings must be reduced. It is enough to moisten as the substrate dries. It is preferable for him to drink warm, soft water.
Ambient humidity
The plant does not require special conditions. In hot weather, it is recommended to increase the degree of water in the air. To do this, you will need to spray the plant with water at room temperature several times a day. During drought, it is preferable to spray warm water on the tree.
Features of plant transplantation
The plant may experience a change in soil and substrate. It is not advisable to transplant into adult representatives of olive trees. The root system is often damaged. For transplantation it is necessary to prepare a suitable place. Growing in very rotten and dry soil often results in wilting. In the natural environment, the plant can be found in the rock. Therefore, during the planting period, you can add charcoal and pieces of brick to the soil.
Tree pruning
He needs to carry out sanitary cleaning in a timely manner. European olive is often damaged by various pests. On outdoors in early spring it is necessary to remove the affected areas. Indoor plant can be given a beautiful compact shape. To do this, it is necessary to remove weakened processes and long branches. The plant withstands pruning perfectly.
In one growing season the crop will give excellent growth. If the plant is grown for harvest, special considerations should be taken into account. The fruits are usually formed in shoots from last summer. Consequently, drastic pruning can eliminate a huge number of olives.
Plant in the garden
Outdoors, the European olive takes root well and bears fruit well in the southern part of Crimea and the Mediterranean. In more severe circumstances, the crop can be grown in a spacious room, winter garden, glass greenhouse or warm room. Frost at -5 degrees will damage weakened branches. At -15 degrees it will die. Even with a slight decrease in temperature, a sudden deterioration in the taste of fruits and oil was noticed. To harvest, you should purchase garden species. The bred subspecies provide constant fruiting.
How to feed the plant?
Nutrient deficiencies can be compensated for with nitrogen. The procedure must be carried out once a year. For 1 hundred square meters you will need no more than 1.2 kilograms. It is allowed to plant natural nitrogen producers (legumes) close to olives. In addition, it is recommended to add fertilizer to the soil from time to time.
Container tree growing
To grow good olives indoors, you first need to prepare the right variety. It is preferable to buy a dwarf plant. The container must initially be selected large enough. The volume of the pot must be at least 60 cm deep and wide. It is imperative to make several large holes in the bottom of the container. The most important enemy of olives is high, constant soil moisture. Therefore, to grow good indoor tree it is necessary to prepare a loamy or sandy base.
Before the next addition, the soil must be dry to at least 3 cm deep. Container olive oil is more demanding. For its full formation, gentle pruning should be carried out constantly. It is not recommended to allow the main branches to thicken.
Main difficulties and pests
The evergreen olive tree is especially sensitive to pests and diseases. The greatest danger to an evergreen plant are dangerous black bugs. Excessive use of chemical protective agents does not have the best effect on olive yield. Therefore, it is preferable to support immunity with organic and mineral preparations.
The tree is often damaged by:
- dangerous whitefly;
- olive moth.
Outdoors, gnawed buds and leaves indicate a caterpillar colony. Sudden drying of branches and leaves indicates infection with dangerous verticillium wilt. A fungal contagious disease usually cannot be treated. If you do not protect the evergreen tree from the affected areas in time, the plant will die. When infected on open area it is necessary to avoid the place for further plantings.
Plant influence
At proper care growing olives at home does not bring difficulties. It is enough to guarantee the crop good lighting and timely nutrition. After some time, fragrant inflorescences and the necessary olives will appear on the tree. A container plant can produce about 2 kg of fruit.
Olive oil contains lecithin. Intolerance to a component causes an allergic reaction. The emerging allergy can also be of a cross nature. People who react to flowers, olives and shrubs of the Pancake family react most to oil. Often the formation of a reaction is associated with a hereditary predisposition. It is preferable to use purified oil to reduce the likely manifestations.
Olive propagation
The evergreen tree can be propagated seeds, And cuttings.
Before sowing, the sprouts must be treated with the correct alkali solution. The softened seed coat ensures the best germination.
To disembark, you must prepare culvert substrate. The mixture should include leaf soil and coarse sand. In addition, you can add crushed wood ash and broken brick.
The depth of sowing European olive should not be higher than 3 centimeters. It is important to continuously maintain the moisture content of the substrate. Even freshly harvested olive seeds have less than 50% germination rate.
Olive tree from seeds is different delayed fruiting. The first olive inflorescences may appear only after 10 years. The tree can be used for grafting. Cuttings ensure the preservation of all original varietal characteristics. Fruiting will occur in 2 years. Seedlings must be placed in the soil at a slope. To create a greenhouse effect, it is preferable to prepare cellophane. It is necessary to constantly ventilate and spray the cuttings. After good rooting of the European olive, you can transplant all the plants into individual pots.
Why doesn't the plant bear fruit?
An evergreen olive tree can begin bearing fruit within a couple of years after planting. Date of first fruit development depends on the growing method. Suitable conditions promote accelerated flowering. There are species that, regardless of the method of reproduction and care conditions, produce fruits only 10 years after planting. It is always recommended to specify all the characteristics of the planting material before purchasing.
Olives grow on a tree called the European olive. In the article we will understand what the difference is between olives and black olives, what their benefits and harms are for the body, we will tell you where they grow and how they grow.
The name “olives” is used exclusively in Russia; in other countries they are called “olives.”
Olive is one of the most popular and beloved trees in its homeland. According to legend, it symbolizes the magical connection between earth and sky, so it has been revered since ancient times. IN Ancient Greece the winners of the Olympic Games were awarded olive wreaths. It was from Greece that olives began to spread throughout the world. Gradually, olive trees conquered America and Africa, and the fruits began to be exported to all continents.
Today beautiful tree with leaves as if made of silver represents wisdom and nobility. The olive tree also holds a special place in religion, being a symbol of rebirth. An olive branch was brought to Noah's ark by a dove, which announced the end of the flood and the opportunity to return to land.
Both the fruits of the olive tree and the oil from them are eaten. There are pickling and oil varieties of olives, the percentage of oil in which reaches 80%.
What is the difference between olives and black olives?
In Russia, the term “olives” is used to designate the green fruits of the olive tree; the black fruits of the same tree are called “olives.” Some gourmets believe that these are fruits different trees, others that their difference is due to different degrees of maturity. Both olives and olives grow on the same tree - the European olive, and differ only in the degree of ripening.
Only green olives are suitable for preservation. Ripe black fruits are used for processing. Oil is made from them. Black or green color of canned fruits is determined by the technology used in production. The technological processing and production stages generally do not differ among different manufacturers, but there may be some subtleties between them.
Green fruits are manually collected from trees and placed in special baskets. To collect ripe fruits, small nets are placed under each tree. The berries are poured into them and then separated by size. This stage is called calibration. After this, to remove the specific bitter taste, the olives are soaked in large vats in a solution based on caustic soda.
The fruits that we buy black are placed in special containers into which oxygen is supplied and the oxidation process takes place. Olives oxidize for seven to ten days, after which they become black and soft, and acquire the familiar piquant taste.
In the technology for preserving green olives, there is no oxidation step. After processing, the olives are preserved in brine. Here producers can show their imagination by adding spices and other ingredients to the brine, creating a signature taste.
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The product is stored in large plastic tanks, which are interconnected and placed underground. The capacity of one such barrel is about 10 tons. When the time comes for the next stages (pitting, packaging), the olives are pumped out of the barrels using special pumps.
Benefits and harm to the body
It is impossible to imagine the diet of Mediterranean people without olives and olive oil, which are considered the healthiest. According to the legends of the Mediterranean peoples, the olive tree does not die, so those who love its fruits are characterized by excellent health and energy.
- Olives contain more than a hundred different substances. The properties of some of them have not even been studied yet.
- Berries are a wonderful preventative against diseases of blood vessels, liver, stomach, and heart.
- Even olive pits are eaten, which are perfectly digested during the digestion process.
- A set of three types of phenolic substances brings particular benefits to the body: lignans, simple phenols, and secoiridoids.
- Olives are a storehouse of useful substances, such as oleocanthal - an anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent.
Where do olives grow and how do they grow?
What is the olive tree so beloved by gourmets? The trunk of an olive tree can expand significantly in width, but its height rarely reaches more than 1 meter. If not provided proper care behind a tree, very quickly it will turn into a bush and die due to lack of light at the base.
Olive – perennial, capable of being reproduced and updated. The roots of the tree go 80 cm deep. The olive tree can survive in dry conditions and can withstand up to 10° frost.
Today, the European olive grows throughout the Mediterranean. It is so popular that it has spread to the countries of North and South America, Asia Minor, India, Australia, Northeast Africa and East Asia.
Spain is recognized as the leader in the supply of olives, where up to 80% of all table olives are supplied by the Andalusia region. The share of its supplies on the world market reaches 50%, therefore most of olives and black olives presented on Russian shelves were brought specifically from Spain. Olives do not grow in Russia, but finding them in stores is not difficult.
Popular varieties
In total there are more than 400 varieties of Greek olives. Typically, olive varieties are named after the location in which they are grown. Depending on the purpose of use, olives are divided into three groups:
- Canteens, eaten as a whole and intended for canning. Varieties Chalkidiki, Konservolia, Amfisa, Kalamon (Kalamata), Frumbolia.
- Oilseeds used in the production of oil. This is a well-known variety of Koroneiki and others.
- Combined or canned oilseeds. These include the Manaki variety.
Olives are an unusual product; they are tasty and healthy. Few plants can compare with olives in terms of the amount of vitamins, microelements, and fiber. Once you love their taste, you will forever be a fan.
