Can Olive Tees Grow in USDA Hardiness Zones 5

Has it ever crossed your mind, can olive trees grow in zone 5? Usually in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 8 olive trees can be grown outdoors. It’s just that if the climate is cooler the olive tree should be planted in a greenhouse or container so that during winter it can be moved indoors. Olive trees can grow in USDA Hardiness Zone 5 if you grow indoors because they need warm, sunny and dry weather conditions where a minimum of six hours of full sun each day is needed.

The olive tree or Olea europaea comes from the coastal areas of the Mediterranean Basin such as Turkey, Italy and Tunisia. Depending on the olive tree’s many variables, they can survive in certain locations.

Generally, growing olive trees in this zone 5 requires a few tricks to do. What type of olive tree is best suited to thrive in this region due to the mild annual temperatures and the frequency of extreme cold. They certainly need special protection from freezing even though olive trees are hardy plants.

Soil Requirements for Olive Trees

Olive trees grow well with a pH level of 7.0 – 8.5 in nutrient rich, well drained soil although they will grow in very poor soil, but if ideal soil conditions are available they will reach their full potential. Well, add soil with garden lime if the pH level is low to a pH level that suits the needs of the olive tree.

Moisture Requirements for Olive Trees

Anything in excess will not produce anything good, as same as olive trees, the quality of the olive tree will decrease including the size of the fruit if excessive watering is given even it can make the olive tree die. Ideally, olive trees are planted in a location that receives 14 to 16 inches of rainfall a year so they will grow best in that area. But don’t let the olive trees waterlog because they won’t survive so make good drainage so that their growth will good. When the soil dries to an inch below the surface the olive tree grown indoors should be watered.

Container Planting

The olive tree has silvery green leaves all year round and it is a slow growing tree. In hardiness zone 5 dwarf olive tree species are very suitable for planting in containers. One of them is Arbequina (Olea europaea “Arbequina”) is an olive tree variety that suitable for growing in zone 5 in containers because it is very adaptable and grows well in soil and most importantly they have the ability to self-pollinate. For good root growth, use a container that is large enough and has excellent drainage.

Arbequina is low maintenance but requires full sun and well-drained soil altought arbequina olives are drought tolerant, pest resistant and heat resistant. This type of olive tree usually produces fruit within a few years of planting and can be harvested starting in November.

Arbequina olive tree can be an option to enjoy the beauty of its silvery green leaves with delicious olives, and delicate oil.

Growing Temperature

Place the tree in a sheltered, out-of-heat area for at least a week before moving it to a sunny summer location as it is best to adjust the tree slowly so as not to stress it out. Wait until the danger of frost has passed, if you plan to move the olive tree outdoors during the summer.

Mature olive trees can reach a height of 40 feet with a 15-foot wide canopy with an eye-catching gray trunk. However, this can be a problem with the roots allowing the olive tree to succeed in all its attributes as the roots will extend further than the crown of the tree if you plant this olive tree too close to the structure then the roots may damage the foundation. Foundation shift and interior/exterior problems will occur if an extensive root system develops under the foundation and then dies. Avoid planting above your sewer or near it as the humid conditions in and around the underground sewer pipe will attract olive tree roots.

Ground Surface

Any disturbance to the soil will inevitably cause damage or interfere with what the roots need and enough damage can lead to the death of the tree. Because trees need their roots to absorb the nutrients they need for growth.

In the northeast, olive trees thrive where they can live from spring to early autumn outside in containers. Note that in winter they must be moved indoors because the low temperatures in the northeast, which range from 10 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 25 F, make them unlikely to survive those temperatures outside. Olive trees do well outdoors in climate zones 10 and 11, while the northeastern region is in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 7. You can keep the trees indoors in large pots year-round if you prefer as they will grow well in big container.

Pruning olive trees

If you want to cut your olive tree, this should happen in the spring. When bud formation begins, you can also cut the twigs firmly, which doesn’t damage the olive tree. Olive trees are characteristically tuberous and short-branched.