It is now Spring for the olive trees.


They need food in order to grow lots of olives for us to make into oil this Fall. Go down to Friedmans and pick up a sack of 16-16-16 balanced fertilizer. The brand I bought was PAX Professional all purpose fertilizer. I think I paid $15 for a 20# bag.

Rough up the soil out to the drip line under each tree. Sprinkle 2 or 3 handfuls of the fertilizer around and work it into the top six inches. Then water it into the ground with about 5 gallons of water. Your trees will love you for feeding them and will reward you this Fall. To be safe, you should repeat the procedure in June or July once the fruit have set. Give all trees a "DEEP" watering once a month, really soak them deep. They like a heavy watering once a month rather than a shallow watering 2 or 3 times a week.

Now is also a good time to prune your trees. Cut away branches in the interior of the crown in order to lots of light into the center of the tree. The interior olives need to get the same amount of sun the exterior does.

Please remember to buy some GF-120 for the olive fruit fly. Mix it one part to four parts water. You can buy it by the gallon (only) at Purity Products Co. 4 Maxwell Ct. Santa Rosa, 546-2585. Last year it was $122 per gallon, but it will last you for three or four years.....Spray a "glop" or two on the upper trunk of each tree every two weeks once the fruit has set until October.