Olive tree help please!

[iknowimcoming]

We've had this olive tree for probably 5 years plus but I'm aware it's not the 'right' shape for an olive tree, it sometimes flowers but has never fruited. Is there a way of pruning it to shape it better and should it be done gradually or in one hit - all advice welcome please - TIA

5 years is still young for fruit.
Keep it trimmed to a pretty shape so it gets stronger
mine fruits but the blackbirds eat them all

Sorry having trouble uploading pic!

It's a bushy mess!

Ah OK, you need to turn it into a tree.
Far too many thin stems.
Starting at the ground .....
trim of ALL side shoots back to the trunk until you are about ten inches up the stem.
Then water it and give it a fortnight to recover.
Then one stem a day, starting half from the bottom, half the length of the stem.
When every stem has been halved, that is this year's pruning done.

Next year halve them all again.
By then it will start to look like a dense pillar.

The year after that you can slightly shape it

Mine is 30 years old and still getting its shape!

PS keep it in that pot for at least the next ten years - they are happier root bound in our climate

I'm glad you've asked this question OP because mine is a large and growing bush with fruit and it needs pruning. I thought this time of the year is the wrong time though?

I was given an olive tree in a similar pot. Dp took it out and planted straight into the ground and it's doing really well.

wonkytonk
Its not the ideal time, but the OP's one has so many weak stems that pruning now will give it a better chance.
1066
OUr soil gets too cold. Mine stays in its pot.

@ListeningQuietly I expect it depends on what part of the country you live in. I'm in the South East so we're pretty warm.

Disclaimer: dp knows about gardening and does the buying and planting. I know zilch so stick to weeding and (over enthusiastic) pruning. 😊

@ListeningQuietly ooh thank you soooo much! Pruning is my favourite type of gardening!

Actually one more question if I may? Do you mean it should end up with only one stem coming out of the soil sort of like a lollipop? The one with the peg on the little twig should be the only remaining stem I assume? Only there's quite a few thick ones and I'm a bit scared! Hopefully pics below!

The thick stem behind the pegged one seems dead already

Hi sorry, I was up the garden having a philosophical discussion with some ivy in which I hold the secateurs

Okidokes my original comment needs amending.

Take out the three thin ones growing at angles and that one that branches widely at the ground.
Then stop and take another picture.

Its better to cut one and then stop and look ...

PS anything that is dead - try to bend the end, if it snaps rather than bends, its dead, trim out till go get back to live wood - take off about three inches at a time

Also you need to rip ALL the weeds off the pot and give it a coating of gravel to reduce rot around the stem bases

Is this right?

Apologies for delay kid came off her bike outside my house - first aid required!

Gosh that is looking better already.

I would say take out the spindly coming off the main right hand stem and the two really spindly just inside the main left hand stem.

More may need to come off but you've given it quite a shock and a week or so of settling time will probably benefit it.

Hopefully the top is starting to look a bit less congested too.

Hope First Aid worked out OK :-)

Ok I think I've done what you said - DH is giving me the oh god you're pruning look!! But yes I really do think it looks better thanks so much @ListeningQuietly - I may come back next week for more advice if that's ok. I've given it a good water! And yes child was ok bashed her face up and lots of blood but dad came and collected her poor love! Thanks again have a great weekend!

Oh wow, it suddenly looks like an olive
I cannot quite explain but they have an aura that yours did not have this morning but its heading towards now.

The next stage will be to shorten each of the main stems by about a foot / 18 inches and then leave it be.

There is a fascinating structure in there one the plant stops trying to head in all directions

silly thing - is it under cover / shade ... they like full sun - think greek hillside ....

It's on a south facing deck, not covered, but actually it's on the south east side so I'll move it round slightly so it gets sun all day - I'm really grateful for your help!

No worries
delighted to see it suddenly getting the aura
I cannot explain
mine has it
I got the feel after visiting groves in the med
they are strange trees but it will outlive you and your children and your grandchildren !

I think you'll want to take the smaller of the two left hand stems off and then drop all the other stems down to windowsill height and let it slowly grow back from there
BUT
you have to give a tree that can live 1000 years time to recover from the headache we gave it today!

I hope think it could do with being in a bigger pot

Cakeand
Nope.
Olives are like figs
They thrive on root constriction.
Mine has been in the same pot for over 20 years and gets top dressed every 10 years
we well the blackbirds get about 50 olives a year
its a non productive but beautiful thing

So here it is after its trim up today much better I think?! @ListeningQuietly I am wondering if it would be better to cut off the two side stems now and bite the bullet of it being somewhat spartan or whether to leave it as three trunks and maybe try and twist them around each other iyswim (not sure that's possible as the stems are so tough tho)?

Better pic of the base I think