Time to prune the olive tree!

Olive trees (Olea europaea) are beautiful evergreen trees (or shrubs) with gray-green leaves. As they age, they develop a lovely gray, gnarled trunk. Olive trees instantly add a lot of charm to your garden! Olive trees can be grown both in the ground (in a sheltered spot with well-drained soil) and in a (spacious) pot. They’re fast growers! By pruning the olive tree regularly, you can keep it small, making it suitable for a small garden.

When should you prune an olive tree?

The best time to prune an olive tree is in late March or early April. The risk of severe frost is still low at that time, and the olive tree begins to sprout again around then. Pruning now ensures that your olive tree has the longest possible growing season.

Do not prune during a frost, or if freezing temperatures are expected in the coming days or week.

In the summer, you can trim the longest shoots to keep the olive tree in shape and prevent it from growing too large. Do this no later than September, so that the new shoots that emerge after pruning are sufficiently hardened off for winter.

How do you prune an olive tree?

Start pruning the olive tree by cutting away dead branches.

Prune any crossing branches and inward-growing branches. This will create a nice, open shape and allow your olive tree to grow to its full potential.

The popular, densely branched spherical shape on a stem isn’t actually such a good idea. Over time, this will lead to problems because the inner part won’t get enough light to grow properly. So aim for a nice, open shape with outward-facing growth.

Prune off any shoots growing on the trunk so that you’re left with a nice, bare trunk.

Long, upright branches should be pruned back severely. These branches often develop after (excessively) vigorous pruning. Prune these long shoots back to about 20–30 cm. However, don’t prune too much of your olive tree at once, to prevent excessive regrowth. Try not to prune more than about one-third of the tree. If more pruning is needed, do it in stages.

Tips for Pruning an Olive Tree

• Long shoots can be pruned at any time during the growing season.

• Do not prune more than one-third of the olive tree to prevent excessive regrowth.

• Do not prune after summer to prevent frost damage to new shoots.

• It's best not to prune before mid-March, also because of the risk of frost damage.

• Has your olive tree become quite bare after winter? Pruning it back heavily encourages new growth. They’re surprisingly hardy plants!

• Keep in mind that blossoms form only on perennial branches.