quick please; olive pato trees

[Aperolspritzer]

just bought two tall olive patio trees, they are reduced to a fiver in asda!! If i repot them into larger containers will it need holes for drainage and is there any particular 'tree food' I should buy? tif

[cybbo]

Yes to drainage not sure about food.I've never fed any of my potted trees

[Aperolspritzer]

thanks, is a bunch of stones in the bottom enough?

[cybbo]

Without holes? Might get waterlogged if you don't punch drainage in the pot. If pot does have holes, stones fine

[Aperolspritzer]

I know. but it was tesco not asda. my head is scrambled today sorry. they are all reduced but still a few left when i was in. tesco seem to have some tie in with dobbies garden centre so might be from there

[notasausage]

Tesco ownes Dobbies as far as I know. How far North are you. Dobbies sell olive trees in Scotland but they deffinately won't grow here!

[Aperolspritzer]

im probably just being optimistic in hoping they will survive here - 15 miles south of glasgow

[Harr1etJ0nes]

We have 2 doing well in Cumbria. Not quite so cold as Glasgow though

[cybbo]

If you put them against a wall in a sunny spot they should be okay. Do you have a conservatory you could bring them into when it's really cold?

[Aperolspritzer]

no but would a shed do?

[Jergens]

I've had two in Glasgow for a year now and both are doing fine.

[ppeatfruit]

Blimey jergens You're lucky did you bring them inside? my 2 have died after last winter; I'm annoyed 'cos i'd carefully repotted them and got them through last winter outside against the house on sth facing terrace but 2 weeks of under freezing temps. did for them. BTW I'm in mid S.W. france which makes me really envious of you.!

[Jergens]

ppeat I feel like a fraud! I know nothing about gardening and didn't do anything to protect them over the winter! One is quite short, around 4 ft and the other is probably 8 ft. Both against the house in a very sheltered south facing garden.

[ppeatfruit]

Yes you must be very sheltered with a temperate mini climate we are up a not very high hill but it's always 2 degrees colder here than in the surrounding areas. I remember some huge ones planted in a garden in Streatham Sth London i'd love to know how they did after the winter!

[MurielTheActor]

Re drainage - did hear on a gardening prog (sorry NO memory of which or who said it) but there is no need to put stones or broken china (as I have always done ) in the bottom of pots as contrary to what makes sense it clogs drainage rather than aids it.
So glad I found that out....
Also just got olive tree in a pot and planted it in BIG pot (no stones ).
Biggest worry is keeping it standing upright - it now has two sticks holding it up.

[SunnyOutlook]

Muriel same with mine. The breadth of the pot emphasises the slim stem. Think ill get some supports at the weekend. I was wondering if I could plant something around the bottom?