We have been given olive tree by friends who are moving to a flat.
They purchased it from a garden centre that closed down last August
and has been in the same container since, it is approx 7ft high. We
water it regularly and it shows plenty of growth and there are plenty
of flowers on it.
The problem we are having now is several of the leaves are turning
yellow and dropping off.
Any ideas what is causing this.
Thanks for any advice

covehithe wrote:
> The problem we are having now is several of the leaves are turning
> yellow and dropping off.
> Any ideas what is causing this.
> Thanks for any advice

Probably no problem - I've just looked at mine and could say the same thing!

"Evergreen" is a confusing term. "Evergreens" shed their leaves just like
deciduous trees but not all at the same time!

pk

In article <1152256165.331345.227940 [at] 75g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>,
"covehithe" <inkyfingers [at] yahoo.co.uk> writes:
|> We have been given olive tree by friends who are moving to a flat.
|> They purchased it from a garden centre that closed down last August
|> and has been in the same container since, it is approx 7ft high. We
|> water it regularly and it shows plenty of growth and there are plenty
|> of flowers on it.
|> The problem we are having now is several of the leaves are turning
|> yellow and dropping off.

If they are the oldest leaves only, that is probably normal. If younger
ones are doing it, check that you aren't overwatering it.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 7/7/06 08:09, in article
1152256165.331345.227940 [at] 75g2000cwc.googlegroups.com, "covehithe"
<inkyfingers [at] yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

> We have been given olive tree by friends who are moving to a flat.
> They purchased it from a garden centre that closed down last August
> and has been in the same container since, it is approx 7ft high. We
> water it regularly and it shows plenty of growth and there are plenty
> of flowers on it.
> The problem we are having now is several of the leaves are turning
> yellow and dropping off.
> Any ideas what is causing this.
> Thanks for any advice
>
Yes, stop watering it! Olive trees grow naturally on stony, sharply
draining areas. You're killing it with kindness. Make sure you only water
it when it's really dry and that the pot is somehow raised off the ground a
little to let water drain right out. If olive trees stand in water, they
drown!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(email address on website)

mine is also doing this (but mine does have scale insect so I assumed that
this was causing it).

--
Hayley
(gardening on well drained, alkaline clay in Somerset)