Olive tree soil.

[Paranoidandroidmarvin]

Have been given an olive tree and never having one before I just wanted to ask the question about the soil.

Im moving it into a much bigger pot. I’m going to add lots of things for drainage at the bottom and keep it on feet so it doesn’t sit on the floor for good drainage.
My question is the soil. Is it like lavender. I mix my lavender soil to 30% horticulture grit and the rest soil. Is it the same for the olive tree ?

I hate the adding stuff at the bottom for drainage. It makes it worse IMO. Never seen it done successfully but maybe that’s just me and everyone I know doing it incorrectly 🤷‍♀️

I would just go full soil - half garden soil, half Sandy loam compost, bit of grit. Not a humousy one like in most garden centres!!! John Innes no.3 is not bad. If you only have access to GC with hideous choice then maybe even a lawn topsoil would be best.

I would prefer it be in the ground. But all I keep seeing is olive trees in pots.

Lavender grows well in my soil. It is full of stones. So I thought that would be good. But everyone seems to keep them in pots

I’ve grown them on all kinds of soil, including very poor and sandy- they don’t really need much from it except drainage and adequate space for the roots. Don’t let the roots get too wet, a terracotta pot is best, not glazed. they will do much better in the ground where the roots will do their own thing. The main thing with olives is to put them in the sunniest spot. They need more than 7 hours sun a day or will be very miserable.

Don't bother with a drainage layer. It is counter-productive, and is only really much use if you use heavy stones to weigh down a pot that might otherwise be top-heavy and blow over in the wind.

The soil mix you use for lavender should be fine.

If the soil in your garden is well-drained, you're in the southern half of the UK and not in a frost pocket, then you could always plant it in the ground anyway.

@Yamadori thsnks for the info. I have very stoney soil and I am in suffolk so normally fairly warm. I think I will put it in the ground.