It’s hard to imagine there’s any unexplored ground in the world of indoor plants, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn that you can cultivate an olive tree. Even before I started looking for them, I began to see olive trees everywhere and wondered why I hadn’t noticed them earlier. For modern homes, olive trees with their light, sage-colored foliage are a great choice because of their versatility. Almost as though you’ve carried some of Tuscany into your living room, they exude sophistication. For those of you who are contemplating growing one of these beautiful specimens here’s all you need to know about the process.
Sun
Most fruit plants require full sun to thrive; unfortunately for those of us living in caves, the olive tree is no exception (at least six hours a day). The best location is near a south-facing window with plenty of sunlight.
Size
In a container, olive trees can grow up to 10 feet in height, but unless your ceilings are exceptionally high, you may want to go with a smaller type. The dwarf olive tree can reach a height of six feet if not pruned regularly.
Planting
A cactus mix is ideal for olive trees because it allows water to quickly drain away. Adding an inch or two of styrofoam, gravel, or other filler to the bottom of the pot will help to maintain the soil well-drained for your plants. The container must, of course, have a sufficient number of drainage holes.) Even though olive trees are slow-growing, the container should be at least a few inches larger on each side than the root ball to allow the roots to develop. Your tree will be less likely to need to be re-potted when you plant it in a larger container.
Care
A single moisturizing is sufficient to allow the top inch of soil to test its elasticity. Due to their Mediterranean roots, olive trees don’t need to be misted because they can handle the dry air in most homes.
Planting Trees and Harvesting Fruit
If you want a fruit-bearing olive tree as well as one that looks nice, make sure you select a fruit-bearing type rather than an ornamental one. Food52 recommends the Arbequina or Picholine kinds of olive oil. A few months outside is required by HGTV for olive trees to produce fruit (it’s all about the shift in temps), so your results may vary.
The Wrong Stuff
Olive trees can be cultivated indoors, although they cannot be grown indoors indefinitely. My research revealed that olive trees can only live for eight to nine years if they’re kept indoors. No word on what occurs after that time period – perhaps the longing fades away? In the interim, eight to nine years is a respectable amount of time, and you may even see some results from it.
