"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2011-04-17 21:16:01 +0100, "Jo" said:

I have a small olive tree that was bought for me as a present some years
ago. It used to reside on a west-facing wall but didn't grow much at
all.
I re-potted it to a larger pot, but still nothing. I have since moved
house
and wonder where to place the tree in the new garden. Also, should I
take
it out of the pot and replant in a bed?
I'd be grateful for any advice as I don't really want to discard the
plant.

These are not fast growing trees, quite the opposite, in fact. As we know
they can live for hundreds of years and so tend not to be fast-growing
plants. Putting plants into larger pots is not always a good idea. Only
the root growth and the type of plant can tell you that. Why did you
re-pot your plant? Was the original pot full of root? With something
like an olive, which grows naturally in dry, stony and barren soil, a
large pot full of wet compost could be a death knell. The bigger the
pot, the higher the volume of wet compost round the roots of a plant
adapted to grow in poor, dry, hot conditions. Yet again - and I'm sorry
to labour this point - you don't tell us where you live so how can we tell
you whether to put your plant in a bed? If you live in Northumberland,
no, if you live in Salcombe, perhaps but at your own risk. I know that
I tend to harp on this subject but it makes such a big difference to
advice given that it's impossible to underestimate its importance.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

Thanks Sacha. I live in Leigh-on-Sea in Essex. I repotted the tree a few
years back as the original pot - way too small - was full of root, and I
only water it very occasionally. I never allow the soil to become wet.
A friend of mine, who also lives in Leigh, has a similar tree and keeps
hers in a shady spot in her garden and her tree has grown wonderfully - and
produces fruit!

Jo