On Feb 12, 10:05*am, Sacha wrote:
On 12/2/08 08:14, in article ,





"Saxman" wrote:
Sacha wrote:
On 11/2/08 15:14, in article ,
"Saxman" wrote:

I have a hardy olive bush in the conservatory. *It appears to be losing
a lot of leaves recently. *Is this normal at this time of the year?

How are you watering it?

I probably water it about once week when the compost is looking dry with
a Baby Bio general feed.

I was doing that last year and it survived the summer (if you can call
it a summer) in the conservatory.

The plant does drop quite few leaves, but I thought for this time of
year, it was excessive?

I think you're probably over-watering it and it doesn't need feeding until
late spring and then once a fortnight at most with perhaps, a seaweed
extract. *Don't water it on any kind of strict regime, either now or in the
summer. *Think of the conditions in which they grow naturally - cold winters
that can be wet, followed by blazing hot, very dry summers BUT, very
importantly, with sharp drainage on rocky land.
Wait until the pot is dry, not just looking a bit dry on top. *Always let it
dry out between waterings and always make sure it's up on bricks or some of
those little clay feet, so that it can drain totally.
The type of compost is a mix of e.g. John Innes No. 3 and some multi-purpose
compost of a good quality.
I imagine your conservatory is frost-free? *If it isn't your olive tree's
compost might be frozen and it can't take up moisture through its frozen
roots. *This, too, will lead to severe leaf drop. * Keep it in the sunniest
spot you can and make sure it's not frozen at night and only water it when
dry, letting it drain completely between waterings.

--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Should he reallly keep it indoors all year round? I would at least
plonk it outside during the summer. In fact, snuggled up to the south
facing facade of the house, I might even chance leaving it out all
year round, right where my grapefruit tree lives. But I am in a
mildish climate.
But, OP, be warned, this is the opinion of a lay person who has killed
many a very good plant with inappropriate treatment!

Cat(h)