Managing your olive grove – what to look out for during the growing season
By Laura Thomas
It might not seem like it right now, but spring is just around the corner.
As southern Australia shivers through the final days of winter, now is the perfect time to stay indoors and make a plan for the season of growth that lies ahead.
As all good olive growers know, a well-managed grove is a more productive one.
Trees that have been well taken care of during the growing season are much more likely to produce higher yields come harvest.
The beginning of spring means flower burst is not far away, a very important step in the foundation of a good crop.
So with warmer, sunnier days incoming and the growing cycle beginning to pick up pace, what should olive growers be doing to ensure their grove stays in tip-top shape?
Maintain a healthy growing environment, from the ground up
Soil nutrients and water are basic but essential parts of growing healthy trees and producing a strong olive yield.
It all starts from the ground up, so maximising soil health and quality is key.
Spring is a great time to apply a good, balanced fertiliser and as always. ensure your trees have plenty of water and good drainage.
Read more on the important role healthy soils play in producing healthy trees and lifting grove productivity, or review the Healthy Soils Field Day report, via the AOA website.
Regularly monitor for pests and diseases
While regular monitoring is good practice at any time of year, it is even more important in spring as the sun starts to shine and new life begins to emerge.
Unfortunately, this also includes pest and diseases.
Australian olive growers would be familiar with black scale, anthracnose and the dreaded olive lace bug – the nation’s number one olive pest.
Olive lace bug thrives in warm, moist conditions and infestations can occur regularly throughout the growing season, so it’s important to stay vigilant.
Regularly drive or walk around your grove, know how to spot the early signs of infestation and ensure affected trees are treated quickly to stop the spread.
As always, knowledge is power.
Find out more about some of the most common and destructive insect pests affecting olive trees, or consult the Olive IPDM Best Practice Manual by Robert Spooner-Hart and Len Tesoriero.
Both resources can be found on the AOA website.
Ensure best practice grove management
As always, best practice grove management is recommended for ultimate productivity.
The OliveCare® code provides a framework for good grove management processes, right through to the production of high quality olive products.
Find out more on the AOA website.
More information:
Growers can check out the growing season management checklist published in the March 2023 edition of Australian & New Zealand Olivegrower & Proceessor, available now via the AOA website.
The AOA’s Yearly Orchard Planner is another handy tool and accessible via the website.
Looking for more? AOA membership unlocks a further wealth of exclusive information and resources.
It definitely pays to be a member of the nation’s peak industry body representing Australian olive growers. Click here to find out more.