We associate olive trees with hot and dry Mediterranean climates but can you grow an olive tree indoors? Olive trees are quite popular in households and can be found as potted plants indoors or planted outdoors.
They are known to survive both in situations where there is rain and when there is drought. They are really drought resistant and don’t require a lot of care after a certain point. How well do they fare indoors though? Can you successfully grow an olive tree inside the house?
Can you Grow an Olive Tree Indoors?
Olive trees can be grown indoors without any problems. They require to be watered once or twice a week and need some sunshine in order to grow in a healthy manner. Pruning is also required for a Good Growth of the tree.
Will an olive tree survive indoors?
Olive trees are able to withstand very harsh temperatures in their regions of origin. These places usually experience a lot of sunlight and high temperatures. People may have questions over the tree’s ability to thrive in low light areas with lower temperatures.
If you are keeping your olive tree indoors, you will need to make sure that it gets sufficient sunlight. Though you will only need to water it once a week, you must make sure that it gets enough sunlight.
You can inspect the leaves of your olive tree to inspect their health. They are supposed to be a dark green colour with a waxy shine.
If they are dull looking and a little pale, it means that your tree is not getting enough sunlight. To remedy this, you need to place it close to a window where it can get sufficient sunlight or put it under a growing light inside the house. An olive tree definitely can survive inside the house if you follow these guidelines.
Olive trees are not capable of surviving in freezing temperatures. If you live in an area that experiences temperatures below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, during winter or, you want to keep your olive plant indoors and take it out when the weather is more warmer.
Can olive trees grow in pots?
You can grow an olive tree inside a pot. You can choose to let it grow long by pruning it mainly at the bottom or alternatively choose to prune it as a Bonsai tree and keep it short by trimming it mainly at the top.
The size of the pot will have a lot to do with the size of the tree. In short; the bigger the tree, the bigger the size of the pot needed. A potted olive tree is a great idea because you can take it in out of the house as the need arises.
The other reason why olive trees can grow in pots is that they are generally very slow-growing trees. You can basically go for years with the same pot because of this. If your olive tree is in a pot, make sure to fertilize it once every month. It also needs some acidity in the soil and pouring a cold cup every of coffee into the pot, every now and then, will help a lot in attaining this.
Do olive trees need a lot of sun?
Having originated from areas that experience a lot of sun as well as droughts, an olive tree is accustomed to high temperatures and a lot of light. However, in the case of olive trees grown indoors or in a greenhouse, the tolerance to high temperatures may not yet be there.
You will need to gradually acclimatize them to the sun by taking them outside at intervals. If you rush it, you may damage the plant so things need to be taken at a gradual pace.
Once it has acclimatized though, it can withstand really harsh temperatures and light levels. If it’s an indoor plant, you will need to place it close to a window that allows sunlight to get through.
Are olive trees high maintenance?
Once they have reached a certain level of growth, olive trees are pretty much low maintenance. If you plant them outside, for example, you only need to water them for the first few days until they have taken root. After that point, you can choose to keep watering them or to simply let them be.
Watering and fertilizing will allow them to grow a lot faster while not watering will mean slower growth. Watered olive trees will also be softer while one that is not watered will generally tend to be tougher.
Concluding thoughts on growing an Olive Tree indoors
To wrap it up, yes, you definitely can grow an olive tree indoors. You just need to make sure that the olive tree is watered at least once a week and fertilized once a month. Most importantly, make sure that it receives adequate sunlight.