Just to note that after all the heavy rain our olive tree in the pot is
waterlogged.

We left it too long in one spot on the ground and it has grown a root
through the drainage hole which is now blocked.

Some leaning over and probing now required.

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

On Mar 10, 10:06*pm, Sacha wrote:
On 2012-03-10 18:14:41 +0000, "David WE Roberts" said:

Just to note that after all the heavy rain our olive tree in the pot is
waterlogged.

We left it too long in one spot on the ground and it has grown a root
through the drainage hole which is now blocked.

Some leaning over and probing now required.

The lesson to be learned from this post is Never grow a plant in a pot
with just one drainage hole.
You say that a root has grown through, you don't say if the Olive is
now firmly anchored to the ground by this root, if so then think about
removing the pot and building a small container round the base of the
tree/bush.
If it's not firmly anchored then think about lifting it and re poting
into a more suitable container.
Lastly you say after heavy rain the pot is waterloged, How fast did it
drain?
After heavy rain as with watering containers can look as if they are
waterloged but the water should drain away over a few hours.
David @ the wet end of Swansea Bay.

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2012-03-10 18:14:41 +0000, "David WE Roberts"
said:

Just to note that after all the heavy rain our olive tree in the pot is
waterlogged.

We left it too long in one spot on the ground and it has grown a root
through the drainage hole which is now blocked.

Some leaning over and probing now required.

Drill - very, very carefully indeed, into the sides of the pot. Let water
out in all directions because, as you know, olives grow in sparse, dry,
well drained, stony soil. I will never understand why we think we can
grow them in well nourished pots of water hugging compost...


Because we can :-)

Conventional wisdom does not always apply, especially to pot grown plants.
I have a number of pots of cacti (all grown from one original) which live
outside all the time.
They have been waterlogged and frozen over several winters and some parts
have rotted and died but in general they are soldiering on and flowering
regularly.

The olive has been growing and cropping for a few years now and has been
fine until I left it for too long on soil instead of on hard standing.
The pot is on its side and should have drained by now.
I will clear out the root and see how it goes.

Cheers

Dave R
--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(")

In article , David WE Roberts
writes


The olive has been growing and cropping for a few years now and has
been fine until I left it for too long on soil instead of on hard
standing.
The pot is on its side and should have drained by now.
I will clear out the root and see how it goes.


My larger olive stays out too - but for winter this year I cut an
oversize circle of the green plastic 'groundsheet' stuff you use to
cover things. Raised on the surface of the pot soil by a couple of
bricks, to ensure that water drained off it over the edge of the pot.

Might be an idea to use weed membrane in future - which should let a
small amount oif water through - although lack of water has not been an
issue for it.

--
regards andyw