September in the Olive Grove

Spring is here with the usual topsy turvy weather and promise of things to come.  The frosty end to winter has hopefully killed off any bugs and the nor’westerly winds will keep things dry and clean.
Your olive trees will be starting to show new growth in the canopy but also water shoots/suckers at the trunk base. Knock the suckers off before they get too mature and woody (they will grow fast).
Weeds and grass will also be enjoying a spring resurgence.  Don’t let them overwhelm your trees.  Ensure you keep ground clear under trees as weeds can harbour insects and disease as well as taking nutrients from the soil which should be supporting your olive trees.
If you irrigate your trees, its time to check for blockages and leaks and get them fixed before the predicted super El Nino hits in summer
Continue with pruning aiming to have it finished in October before flowering.  Prune when the weather is dry and sunny and calm.  It’s much more satisfying than battling through a damp canopy being blown about by a strong nor’westerly. 
If your trees require stakes then check the ties are still in a good position after a year of growth and not strangling or restricting new growth.
It’s still a good time to get some fertiliser on under the drip zone while we are getting some rain to help it soak in and before we start the summer dry out.
 
Olives New Zealand Grove Focused Field Day
Olives NZ are organising a field day in Marlborough on Saturday 17 October.  It involves visiting a local olive grove and looking at management and pruning.  It’s a good chance to meet other growers and ask those questions you’ve always wondered about.
All olive growers are welcome.  Olives NZ members are invited at no cost and there is a nominal fee for non members.
The field day is from 10 – 12 midday followed by a shared lunch (bring something to share) and some networking.  It’s also a good chance to bring along a bottle of your latest olive oil for a tasting and to broaden our olive oil palates.