How to Grow Dwarf Olive Trees

Olive tree foliage

Dwarf olive trees are non-fruiting cultivars that grow naturally in a shrub form but can be trained into classic single-trunk tree forms when young. Dwarf olives are heat and drought tolerant and evergreen like their full-sized ancestors, but reach just four to six feet in height and spread at maturity.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Fertilizer
• Timber stake
• Flexible garden ties
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Water your dwarf olive tree deeply and infrequently once established. Young trees a year or two in age or those recently transplanted should be watered more frequently to support new root development. Allow the soil to dry out a few inches down before watering again.

2. Apply a balanced, complete, slow-release fertilizer each year in the spring before new shoots are visible. Look for a guaranteed analysis of 10-10-10 or 15-15-15, and give the label-recommended dose scattered evenly around the root zone of the tree. Water the fertilizer in well.

3. Train the dwarf shrub into tree form by pruning all of the branches from the lower third to half of the trunk. Slide a sturdy stake into the soil alongside the trunk so that they are nearly touching. Secure the stake to the trunk with soft ties at two or more points to keep the tree upright and straight in the soil. Refrain from using rough ties or tying so tightly as to girdle the tree trunk as it grows. Remove the stake when the tree is sturdy and upright on its own.

4. Prune the canopy of the dwarf olive tree only if needed to control the size or remove damaged or diseased branches. Prune in the winter while dormant, if possible. Cut back to the point of healthy wood or down to the parent branch. Clear the clippings form the soil and discard them.

References

• Monrovia Gardens: Dwarf Olive Little Ollie Dwarf Olive Plant Care