By planting two varieties of olives that can pollinate each other, you can grow olives in many home landscapes.
Mission olives take their name from the Franciscan monks who cultivated the trees during the early colonization of California. Most olives can't pollinate themselves, according to the University of California. You will need to plant Mission olive trees with Manzanillo olives. The two varieties will cross-pollinate each other. Olive trees can grow to between 20 and 30 feet tall and with a similar spread. Olives are hardy down to U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zones 7 through 10. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Select a location that has soil that drains well and gets full sun. Select a location that will accommodate the number of trees you will be planting.
2. Remove your young Mission olive tree from its nursery pot.
3. Dig a hole slightly wider than the width of the tree's root ball. Dig the hole slightly shallower than the root ball.
4. Place the tree in the hole with the roots slightly above the level of the surrounding soil and back-fill the hole so the soil on the root ball forms a gentle hill. This will help to keep water from pooling on top of the root ball.
5. Water your olive tree monthly with deep waterings of 3 to 4 inches of water. After several years, your Mission olive will be drought tolerant. However, regular watering will increase fruiting and olive production.
6. Plant the Manzanillo tree using the same procedure as the Mission, but 20 to 30 feet away to ensure best cross-pollination.
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