Why Is My Olive Tree Not Fruiting?

Not getting the fruit you were expecting from your olive tree? There are a multitude of factors that contribute to an olive tree’s health (and ability to fruit). To help you troubleshoot and identify what might be wrong, we’ve put together a list of common issues.

If any of the below applies to your tree, it might produce little to no fruit. Fortunately though, most of these issues are easy enough to remedy – don’t despair!

The conditions aren’t right

Olive trees need just the right conditions in order to produce fruit. If the tree isn’t getting enough sun or is getting too much (or not enough) water, it’s unlikely to fruit. Problem number one can be fixed simply by moving your tree to a better location, allowing it to soak up the sun’s rays more easily.

As for watering, make sure your tree’s soil has sufficient drainage and the moisture level in the soil is just right: too much or too little water can cause issues.

It’s too young

Most olive trees don’t fruit until they’re at least three years old, and some won’t until they’re eight years old! So, if your tree is still young, you might not be doing anything wrong.

It doesn’t have the nutrients it needs

Planting your tree in good soil is key – it needs to have plenty of nutrients in order to sustain fruit growth. Apply fertiliser at the right time and you’ll dramatically increase your chances of a harvest at the end of the summer.

It needs pruning

Pruning allows the sun to reach the centre of the tree more easily, increasing the potential for fruit growth. When pruning, take care to remove branches that haven’t flowered in the past and keep those that have.

Explore our range of olive trees

As the UK’s largest stockist of olive trees, we’ve got a vast selection of beautiful plants here at Olive Grove Oundle – all available for UK-wide delivery. Explore our site today and place your order online!