I’ve been working in the horticultural equipment industry and it is amazing a number of times you see the wrong tools being used for the job. It ends up that a grower may not be comfortable using the equipment and not get the efficiency from the tool. Today we are going to look at Pruning…
Category: Grove Management
Secateurs why choose an anvil, bypass/parrot-beak or double blade type?
There are varying qualities of secateurs from budget to professional quality. But why are there different types of blades fitted to secateurs? Usually, the range extends from bypass (or parrot-beak type), anvil and double blade. Bypass or Parrot-beak secateurs: as the name suggests the blade bypasses the counter blade to make a cut. (i.e. the…
Explaining Curculio Beetle or Apple Weevil in Olives!
Common Name: Curculio Beetle or Apple Weevil Scientific name: ‘Otiorrhynchus Cirbricollis’ One of the species of the Weevil family Curculionidae and is a native to the Mediterranean. In Australia, Curculio beetles or Apple Weevils are mainly known amongst Olive Growers in South Australia and Western Australia. Curculio Beetle is nocturnal so damage will occur during…
Super High Density Olive Groves an Australian Growers insight
Super High-Density Olive Groves are becoming the “norm” for new olive tree plantings around the world. Over half of the total hectares in the USA are Super High Density, two-thirds of the total hectares in Chile and now we are seeing large areas being planted in areas such as North Africa and Saudi Arabia. Australia…
Benchmarking: How to produce more olive than 8T/ha in an olive grove
Each and every grower in the industry has different results in their grove. Why, when olive trees are so hardy? And why are some making a decent profit, while others are struggling to meet costs?
What is causing ‘Wet limbs’ on olive trees?
Hi Amanda, We were wondering if you can tell us from the attached images if the markings on the limbs of these Barnea olive trees are a problem ??
Help, I have Black marks on the trunks on my olive trees, what do I do?
Hi Amanda,
Please help, we are based in the Hunter Valley and it appears that where moisture runs through the tree is where the problem is (see pictures). It doesn’t look like sooty mould but we had scale and olive lace bug issues. The trees are in urgent need of care. What is the black on the trunks and what do I do? P NSW
Water Calculation in Olives by Marcelo Berlanda
At the Australian Olive Conference, Geelong during October 2016, Marcelo Berlanda delivered a talk about Calculating Water for Olive Tree usage. His talk was cut short due to time constraints and this is the completion of that presentation.
How much water will my olive trees need as they grow?
There are many factors which can affect the water requirements of any tree. The soil type is a variable e.g. a tree planted in sand is obviously going to need more regular watering than a tree in clay because of the fast draining nature of sand. The orchard’s local climate – if trees are planted…
Olive Growing: Killer pathogen, Drought in Spain and Olive Fly decimates world harvest
This article it shows a lead into some of the current international olive growing issues. Lucky we don’t have this pathogen in Australia! For the 2015 Olive Harvest, Australian Olive Growers may be able to look at more opportunities to sell their oil this season, here’s why… Plant germ in Europe is killing centuries-old olive…
From a fallen olive tree!
Dear Amanda, I would like some advice on saving some olive trees recently blown over a strong wind. The trees are mature i.e. ranging from 10-15 years and approx 5 to 7 meters tall. They were very shallow rooted in the rocky ground with porous gravely topsoil of approx 200mm above the clay layer, however,…
What is Peacock Spot in Olives?
What can happen in an olive grove that can contribute to the signs and symptoms of Peacock Spot? During a summer-long past, the casual inspection of a Kalamata tree in a home garden suggested a shortage of water at the roots of the tree. The shorter than normal distance between one set of buds and…
Amanda Bailey on Olives by The Olive Centre 