Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

This weekend I found a source of inexpensive olive trees. The guy that sells them will press the oil for a 10% trade of oil. For those of you that have olives growing...will you share the pros/cons. And anyone doing it in AP?

Some interesting stuff on olives here:
http://backyardfarming.com.au/phpbbb/vi ... f=17&t=188

What climate do olive trees need? How old do trees need to be to fruit?

CB

From my reading so far, most olive trees like dry sandy soil that drains well. And mostly warm to hot weather. The guy selling the trees near me sells very young saplings...would prefer something a little mote established. But they are the Misson Olive which is considered hardy and can take the cold snaps.

Olive leaf extract has been proven to kill 96 viriuses in vetro. You can make your own by shredding fresh olive leaves in a blender and soaking for an month in 80 proof vodka. Drain off the liquid and use as required to get over flu or whatever. It tastes horrible. I prefer the weaker treatment of olive leaf tea, which actually tastes good. With your own tree you will have lots of leaf to use. I have had no side effects, and use it regularly as flu prvention. Some olive varities require a pollenator to get fruit. For oil you could easily press your own.

Monya has an olive grove on his farm, I think it's a mix of eating and oil olives and he's been harvesting for a few years since moving there.

I have 2 large olive trees and 1 small about 8ft high the others are about 16ft this year it produced some nice size fruit which I have down in brine.However it was a battle with the birds I got about 75% they ot the rest I do not know what varities they are as they were here.
Is there a way of telling what they are i could post a pic however they all look alike to me, may be the fruit might be the answer
Cheers,
Eagle