"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 16 Aug 2011 12:57:10 +0100, "Dave East"
wrote:

Our Cosco store is selling some terrific olive trees at the moment.

We now want to put ours in a bigger pot than it came in. Would a plastic
or
earthernware pot suit it best? (from the water retention point of view,
rather than the look of it).

It looks like its been planted in ordinary peat type compost. We thought
we
would replant it in John Innes No3.

Would you say that's the best soil for it please?

Yes, I think I'd use JI, but maybe no 2. I'd certainly use a terra
cotta pot as I think the roots would get too wet in a plastic one. It
depends where you are going to keep it, inside or out.

Pam in Bristol

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Pam thanks. We actually went out and bought some No 3. What might we do to
make it more like No 2 ? Add compost or add sand ?

We intended to keep it outside. It came with a label which said it was
alright outside to minus 2 degrees C.

Since it's too big to bring inside the house on the coldest periods, we are
wondering if we stood it right next to the house (we are south facing) and
threw some fleece over the leaves, would that give it sufficient protection
against our winters in North London would you say?