What’s The Best Fertiliser For Olive Trees?

Olive trees don’t require fertiliser to grow well. Even here in the UK, they can prosper even in poor, rocky soils. But if you want to give your tree the best possible conditions for future growth – and make sure it’s as healthy as possible – the use of fertiliser is encouraged. But which fertiliser should you use?

What fertiliser can be used, and which is the best?

If you’re hoping to enjoy fruit from your olive tree, a liquid fertiliser is your best bet. It’ll keep the soil moist, which increases the likelihood of fruit production. Make sure you choose a product that contains at least 10% nitrogen; olive trees can sometimes be deficient in it, limiting the quantity (and quality) of fruit they produce.

If you’re not fussed about growing fruit and simply want to keep your tree looking its best for as long as possible, we’d instead recommend an organic fertiliser. These products contain manure and compost, which deliver essential nutrients to your tree for months and months. Organic fertiliser takes much longer to decompose than liquid fertiliser, making it a much lower-maintenance option.

Use an organic fertiliser and your tree will benefit from the likes of copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium and manganese.

How and when to apply fertiliser

If you’re using liquid fertiliser, you should apply it every spring. Organic fertilisers only need to be applied every other year, however.

Whichever you choose, don’t apply the fertiliser too close to the trunk, as this will limit how much the tree’s roots are able to absorb. Once you’ve applied it, we’d recommend giving the tree a good water to encourage it to absorb all the nutrients you’ve just added to the soil. There’s no need to fertilise during winter, as this is when your tree grows the least.

Buy olive trees online

Browse the UK’s largest range of olive trees online today at Olive Grove Oundle. We deliver trees nationwide, and have an array of different varieties of stock to suit your requirements – all responsibly sourced from nurseries in mainland Spain.