European olive help

[Dmvbonsai]

Hello all. I have two European olives in ground currently. Am in Maryland zone 7a-7b. They can not over winter in ground here so I’m seeking advice on when to lift them and pot them. They’ll overwinter in a greenhouse. I am also seeking advice on a soil mix for the both of them once I do take them out of the ground and pot them in bonsai pots. Thanks in advance for any help

- & if you want to get really helpful I’ll take any suggestions on pot ideas too - shapes, colors, etc. thanks again

 

[Tieball]

I don’t have any olive trees. I have plenty of what’s called Autumn Berry trees/bushes around me which can be mistaken for olives…well, mistaken by me anyway. What I have is highly invasive. I can’t seem to get rid of them. I’ve read about olives though over the years and understand that they can be dug up in autumn or spring. The roots are tough and easily withstand the treatment in either season.

I think that these plantings are appropriate for a growing container so they grow much bigger and are portable for your climate. Any right-sized growing container with good drainage will work. Planting these in a bonsai pot is not going to really make them bonsai trees…these have a long ways to go and grow. At this stage I think your objective should be to get as much unchecked growth as possible every season. Just my opinion.

I don’t have strong soil substrate suggestions for when you remove these from the ground and container-plant them. The Autumn Berry trees around me grow best in a soil composed of a lot of organic matter. My soil is like beach sand covered by layers of decomposed oak leaves and branches. Vey organic. Well draining but the organic matter holds moisture.

 

[Tieball]

There will likely be some Olive tree experienced people chime in over the hours and days with more helpful and targeted replies.

 

[Dmvbonsai]

I don’t have any olive trees. I have plenty of what’s called Autumn Berry trees/bushes around me which can be mistaken for olives…well, mistaken by me anyway. What I have is highly invasive. I can’t seem to get rid of them. I’ve read about olives though over the years and understand that they can be dug up in autumn or spring. The roots are tough and easily withstand the treatment in either season.

I think that these plantings are appropriate for a growing container so they grow much bigger and are portable for your climate. Any right-sized growing container with good drainage will work. Planting these in a bonsai pot is not going to really make them bonsai trees…these have a long ways to go and grow. At this stage I think your objective should be to get as much unchecked growth as possible every season. Just my opinion.

I don’t have strong soil substrate suggestions for when you remove these from the ground and container-plant them. The Autumn Berry trees around me grow best in a soil composed of a lot of organic matter. My soil is like beach sand covered by layers of decomposed oak leaves and branches. Vey organic. Well draining but the organic matter holds moisture.

Yeah I figured they were pretty hardy. They are only in the ground because my dogs knocked them over for days and bare rooted them in the almost winter before I even noticed. So they’ve earned their spot in the collection - will do on the grow box though. I do want the “trunk” or whatever have you to dominate The final look of the trees but a grow box definitely sounds like a better plan than a final pot. thank you.

 

[19Mateo83]

I’m no olive expert but I put mine in a mix of 40% pumice, 40% lava and 20% organic top soil, fines and all. It’s growing good this year and even flowered. It’s in a 10” terracotta bulb pot.

 

[Dmvbonsai]

I’m no olive expert but I put mine in a mix of 40% pumice, 40% lava and 20% organic top soil, fines and all. It’s growing good this year and even flowered. It’s in a 10” terracotta bulb pot.

Noted, thank you for the input