Olives anybody grow them

[zonta223]

Hi
Anybody grow olives or pickle them.
Got a few trees of the eating kind as opposed to oil kind of olives...
Looking for information on pruning and generally looking after the trees.
Whats the best way to make them edible any help you can give me would be great

regards

 

[jinman]

Oh yes! We have a member named Rox who grows olives in France. She is primarily involved in the production of excellent olive oils, but also has posted about preparing olives for eating.

 

[zonta223]

Hi Thanks for the info..however the link you provided did not work....but I will search for her by name...........once again thanks for the reply

 

[jinman]

Yep, the search phrase must have timed out. I tried it right after posting and it worked, but now it returns an error. Search for "rox" and "threads started by" instead of all posts.

 

[dmccarty]

Rox's first posts were about pruning and running the tractor that came with the land they bought.

California is getting into the olive and olive oil markets. I remember finding some documents on olives put out by the state of CA. You might do a search on the Internet. I am sure you will find information.

Rox's makes some very good oil. She and her husband are winning Major Awards with their oil. I had some the other night. The kids are asking for some pasta. I think I will go make some and use Rox's oil. :thumbsup:

Later,
Dan

 

[dmccarty]

:laughing: Just as I posted my last post, I noticed at the bottom of the page links to some of Rox's threads. Not sure you need to search for them, TBN has done it for you. :laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[flusher]

Rox's first posts were about pruning and running the tractor that came with the land they bought.

California is getting into the olive and olive oil markets. I remember finding some documents on olives put out by the state of CA. You might do a search on the Internet. I am sure you will find information.

Rox's makes some very good oil. She and her husband are winning Major Awards with their oil. I had some the other night. The kids are asking for some pasta. I think I will go make some and use Rox's oil. :thumbsup:

Later,
Dan

California has been big in olives for over 100 years. There are over 10,000 acres of olive orchards in Tehama County where I live..

The UC Davis Olive Center does world class research on olive agriculture and has a lot of publications on that subject.

Welcome — UC Davis Olive Center

 

[houstonscott]

I am thinking of growing olives here in Texas. I have studied them allot over the last two years. Where are you, that's about 98% of the answer to growing olives. If your not in central California or central Texas its not going to happen. What questions do you have, I will do my best to answer your questions, I have read the two text books from UC Davis in California that cover olives and have visited a few orchards here in Texas, Calif and Italy, in preparation of a orchard in the Hill Country in Texas. Here are a few sites to get you started.
http://www.cooc.com/
http://www.texasoliveoilcouncil.org/
http://www.santacruzolive.com/planting.asp?page=lime

HS

 

[houstonscott]

Olives are produced on 1-year old shoots in the presence of sunlight. Thus, production is mainly confined to a shell of new, well-lighted shoots 2-3 feet thick on the tree's periphery. Few fruits are produced in the shaded interior or within dense clumps of shoots. The most productive olives shoots are 8-12 inches long. Short or vigorous shoots are often unfruitful. An important objective of pruning is to stimulate vigorous well-lighted shoots on the tree periphery to produce the subsequent year's crop. Prune mature olive trees in spring and summer once winter rains have passed. Pruning then provides the opportunity to manage production at minimum risk of disease infection and insect attack. Pruning strategy should include developing a tree with a lobular shape when viewed from above. Such pruning increases the portion of the tree canopy that is exposed to light, providing for maximum production.

 

[Transit]

Don't olive trees take a long time before they are old enough to produce a crop?

 

[dmccarty]

California has been big in olives for over 100 years. There are over 10,000 acres of olive orchards in Tehama County where I live..

The UC Davis Olive Center does world class research on olive agriculture and has a lot of publications on that subject.

Welcome — UC Davis Olive Center

Davis was where I was getting the documents.

I do not mean to imply that CA is not producing olives and olive products. They are trying to gain more of the market than they have especially with oil. I do not see any CA oil in our stores it is all from Span, Italy, etc. Better yet, from Rox's orchard in France. :laughing:

I did make some pasta for lunch on Sunday. Just pasta, some salt and Rox's EVOO. :thumbsup:

Later,
Dan

 

[houstonscott]

The short answer is 3-5 years if your doing things right.

HS

 

[houstonscott]

California has produced table olives for years and very good ones at that, only in the last few years has oil production become more profitable and so California has begun to produce oil. Most of the verities that grow good in Texas are of the oil producing types, not table olives. Both states produce great olives, California has a 100 year head start on Texas but Texas olive oils are winning taste tests all over the world, and seem to establishing a reputation for great olive oil. Look around at you stores American oil oil is on the shelf and their all very good. This is a very nice Texas olive oil if you are really interested in good olive oil.

Sandy Oaks - Olives with a Texas Accent! (TM)

HS

 

[zonta223]

Thanks for the reply HS

Where are you, that's about 98% of the answer to growing olives. If your not in central California or central Texas its not going to happen.
HS

Hmmmmm a little bit south of these locations.....I am in South Australia on the edge of the Barossa Valley. We have the perfect climate to grow olives...They grow wild and are actually declared a pest plant by local authorities.

Olives are produced on 1-year old shoots in the presence of sunlight. Thus, production is mainly confined to a shell of new, well-lighted shoots 2-3 feet thick on the tree's periphery. Few fruits are produced in the shaded interior or within dense clumps of shoots. The most productive olives shoots are 8-12 inches long. Short or vigorous shoots are often unfruitful. An important objective of pruning is to stimulate vigorous well-lighted shoots on the tree periphery to produce the subsequent year's crop. Prune mature olive trees in spring and summer once winter rains have passed. Pruning then provides the opportunity to manage production at minimum risk of disease infection and insect attack. Pruning strategy should include developing a tree with a lobular shape when viewed from above. Such pruning increases the portion of the tree canopy that is exposed to light, providing for maximum production.

This is great information..Thanks a lot. The trees have been sadly neglected since I started my vineyard but with the price on grapes falling through the floor I am looking to make a few dollars from the olives. And here the growers seem to prune in the middle of winter...will have to do some more research.
Got about 900kilo crop this year which I gave away, was not set up to process them and the price for fresh table olives is very low.

Have some 200 liter food grade drums...Think next year I will make up a bulk salt solution and pickle them......pull them out when ready to eat and pack in small jars to sell at the local market.
Can the olives be pitted before they are preserved or has it been done after???
Have PM Rox but had no answer up to date.
Once again thanks for the great information

 

[RobertBrown]

Thanks for the reply HS


Hmmmmm a little bit south of these locations.....I am in South Australia on the edge of the Barossa Valley. We have the perfect climate to grow olives...They grow wild and are actually declared a pest plant by local authorities.



This is great information..Thanks a lot. The trees have been sadly neglected since I started my vineyard but with the price on grapes falling through the floor I am looking to make a few dollars from the olives. And here the growers seem to prune in the middle of winter...will have to do some more research.
Got about 900kilo crop this year which I gave away, was not set up to process them and the price for fresh table olives is very low.

Have some 200 liter food grade drums...Think next year I will make up a bulk salt solution and pickle them......pull them out when ready to eat and pack in small jars to sell at the local market.
Can the olives be pitted before they are preserved or has it been done after???
Have PM Rox but had no answer up to date.
Once again thanks for the great information

I think the money is in the oil

 

[houstonscott]

Have not considered Australia. The main thing you need a climate that is warm in summer and not to cold in winter. Outside of the med there are few spots like that, California and Texas have areas that are just right. If it gets to cold in the winter or to cold for too long the trees will die, if to warm in winter the trees will live fine but not produce fruit. So you need the right conditions. Soil seems to be less an issue, as long as its well drained, they don't like wet feet. Good luck, olive oil sales are up all over the world, you should do well. Most good olive oils are a blend of verities and are proprietary, like a fine mix in a scotch whisky. You will need to taste test what you have experiment with different blends to come up with your own unique brand from your part of the world. Good luck, I love olives....I would love a taste of your first bottling. Table olives could should be culled from your pressing, take just the best most perfect ones for the table olives you plan to brine. You will get a higher return from those if marketed correctly, but the oil is where your money comes from. Finding an olive press might be hard they are very expensive. Getting into a olive coop with a press is the way to go unless you can afford to invest in one yourself. If you are the only one with a press that can be a source of money pressing oil for others.

HS

 

[RobertN]

The Med... You hit the nail on the head. Calif is great for olives, and grapes. Look at the Latitude; same as the Mediterranean. Similar orientation to the coast. It's also why Chile has some nice wines; similar Lat's, in the southern hemisphere. And, some area's of Oz.

UC Davis would be a good place to research.

Have not considered Australia. The main thing you need a climate that is warm in summer and not to cold in winter. Outside of the med there are few spots like that, California and Texas have areas that are just right.

 

[forgeblast]

The one link lists a lot of different types of olive trees for sale. Are there any types that you would recommend? I was thinking about buying one and putting it in a big pot in the house so summers i could move it outside and winters it would be in.

 

[zonta223]

Thanks for everybody's thoughts and suggestions.
I have been trying to find out if I can chip bud these trees to a different variety.
I found were you can graft them by literally cutting the tree down and starting again but was hoping for something less radical.

regards