Cultivation techniques
The ancient olive tree of Vouves (Vouves Olive Tree of Crete)
Oldest olive tree in the world is located in Crete, 14 / 05 / 2020, Andriana Simos
https://greekherald.com.au/culture/oldest-olive-tree-in-the-world-is-located-in-crete/
Planting: The olive tree thrives in most types of soil. It can utilize a fertile and flat field, a fertile slope or a dry and stony, or even rocky slope. Therefore, it is advisable, before planting in areas with slopes and large irregularities, to do some leveling. Especially in soils with large slopes, cultivation should be done parallel to the contour lines. The root system of the olive tree is concentrated in the upper 50-70 cm of the soil, although it can take roots to a depth of more than one meter in search of additional water resources. After leveling works and in hard soils, a deep plowing is done to a depth of 60-70 cm, in order to improve the composition of the soil. This helps the root system to grow, break down rocks, destroy perennial weeds, if any, and generally clear the field of useless materials, such as stones, roots, logs, etc.
In barren soils, it is good to add manure after deep plowing. Surface cultivation follows, to eliminate the irregularities created by deep plowing. Therefore, the soil must have an optimal texture, structure and composition at a depth of one meter. The development of the root system in the soil can be hindered by the formation of calcareous, iron or stony aggregates, but if they are thin and superficial, they can be broken up by deep plowing to make the soil ready for planting.
[INTERNATIONAL OLIVE COUNCIL, Production techniques in olive growing, https://www.internationaloliveoil.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Olivicultura_eng.pdf, pp. 1-348, ISBN: 978-84-931663-6-6]
[Olive-tree cultivation, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE – Edition 2022, Nicosia – Cyprus https://www.moi.gov.cy/moa/da/da.nsf/All/]
Olive seedlings for planting
Farming systems: The choice of the appropriate farming system for each case depends on many factors and in turn has corresponding effects on the requirements for resources and labor, but also on the productivity of the olive grove. The three main farming systems are: A) Traditional olive groves. These are the oldest types of olive groves and are characterized by sparse planting, with large trees and usually mechanical harvesting. B) Modern intensive olive groves (dense planting). Here, the trees are planted more densely than traditional ones, allowing for greater production per unit area. Harvesting can be partially mechanical or with the help of vibrators. C.) Super-dense planting systems or super-intensive olive groves. This type of olive grove has the highest planting density, aiming to maximize production per acre, and usually uses machinery for harvesting.
Main characteristics of traditional olive groves are:
- Density: 4-12 trees/acre,
- Yields: 20-150 kg of fruit/acre,
- Absence or minimal irrigation, organic fertilization,
- Absence or minimal use of pesticides,
- Contribute to the maintenance of ecosystems and ecological balance,
- Contribute to the reduction of erosion and soil degradation,
- Utilize barren and non-irrigated areas.
Their main characteristics are:
- Density: 8-25 trees/acre,
- Yields: 150-400 kg of fruit/acre,
- Soil cultivation/or use of herbicides,
- Fertilization: mainly chemical fertilizers 2-6 kg/tree,
- Use of pesticides (2-10 times per year),
- Partial irrigation-nozzle or drip system.
[Olive-tree cultivation, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE – Edition 2022, Nicosia – Cyprus https://www.moi.gov.cy/moa/da/da.nsf/All/]
[Olive cultivation forms, http://www.gaiapedia.gr/gaiapedia/index.php/Μορφές_καλλιέργειας_ελιάς]
Traditional Olive-Grove
Cultivation care: After the olive harvest and before the new vegetation begins, olive growers must begin care. A series of tasks are required, such as pruning, weed control, fertilization and irrigation. The most common olive tree formation shapes are the free cup, the bushy shape and the spindle or conical shapes. In the free cup, the goal is to form healthy low-stemmed trees with 3-5 strong arms in such a position and arrangement around the trunk that they do not shade each other.
Renewal pruning: The period after harvest is the most suitable for renewal pruning of olive trees. This pruning is applied to olive trees whose production has decreased significantly, or to trees that, due to their great height, create serious problems in the harvest. Good results in these cases have been obtained either by cutting the trunk at a height of 30 centimeters from the grafting point, or by renewing the branches to a length of around 30-40 centimeters. Renewal pruning must be completed by the end of February. The first shoots from the renewal of the tree begin to appear in the spring. The renewed olive trees soon acquire lush vegetation and return to fruiting.
According to the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food, it is recommended:
- Pruning should be done in dry weather,
- Removal and destruction of branches affected by various pathogens,
- Disinfection of pruning tools,
- Removal of branches from the olive grove and its perimeter (they are sources of infection and a breeding ground for wood-eating insects),
- Covering large pruning cuts with appropriate material (paste).
[Olive-tree cultivation, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE – Edition 2022, Nicosia – Cyprus https://www.moi.gov.cy/moa/da/da.nsf/All/]
Pruning the Olive tree
Fertilization: Like all trees, the olive tree, although it is “low-nutrient”, needs fertilizers to have satisfactory fruiting and production each year. The amounts of fertilizer needed depend on many factors, such as the age of the trees, the fertility of the soil and whether or not they are irrigated.
Rational fertilization has the following objectives:
- Meeting the nutritional needs of olive groves,
- Minimizing the environmental impacts of fertilization, particularly with regard to soil, water and air pollution,
- Ensuring quality of the olive oil,
- Avoiding systematic, excessive application of fertilizers.
By applying fertilizer during the period between the harvest of the olive fruit and flowering, the olive trees are in an excellent nutritional state, a beneficial fact as during this period the buds are formed and satisfactory flowering and fruiting are created. Therefore, fertilization must be done in a timely manner, so that the olive trees have the necessary nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen is needed throughout the year, in order for the olive tree to develop good vegetation and fruiting. The olive tree has a great need for nitrogen during the differentiation of the buds (February-March), the flowering and fruiting period (April-June) and the time when the kernel hardens (July-August). If the tree does not have the required nitrogen during the spring, many incomplete flowers are formed and intense fruit drop is observed.
[INTERNATIONAL OLIVE COUNCIL, Production techniques in olive growing, https://www.internationaloliveoil.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Olivicultura_eng.pdf, pp. 1-348, ISBN: 978-84-931663-6-6]
[Olive-tree cultivation, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE – Edition 2022, Nicosia – Cyprus https://www.moi.gov.cy/moa/da/da.nsf/All/]
Irrigation: Irrigation of trees, especially in spring, contributes to increasing the productivity of the olive grove and ensuring a relatively stable production from year to year. In practice, many different irrigation systems are used. The most important of these are drippers, micropipes and micro-sprinklers. The dripper system is considered the best and most practical of all.
Plant protection: “Lekanios” (Coccidae) and “Dakus” (Tephritidae) insects’ infestations can cause significant damage to both the quantity and quality of production. However, today, thanks to the results of local research, ways and means have been identified that control these infestations quite effectively and quite ecologically with minimal amounts of drugs. And this control is one of the most important factors in the high quality of Cretan olive oil. The use of special Dakus-insects traps may provide a solution for complete freedom from drugs.
[ASSOCIATION OF OLIVE GROWING MUNICIPALITIES OF CRETE (SEDIK). Cultivation Care, https://sedik.gr/elia-kai-ladi-stin-kriti/oi-kalliergitikes-frontides]
Olive tree irrigation with a water volume meter
[Gholami, Rahmatollah & Zahedi, Seyed Morteza. (2021). Young Olive Trees Responses (Olea europaea cv. Mission) To Regulated Deficit Irrigation RegimeReaktionen junger Olivenbäume (Olea europaea cv. Mission) auf eine Defizitbewässerung. Erwerbs-Obstbau. 63. 10.1007/s10341-021-00564-8]