The best pots for an olive tree
An olive tree is the easiest Mediterranean plant to keep alive in Britain and the easiest to drown. Nearly every olive lost over a UK winter is lost to wet compost, not to cold – and that is a pot decision.
What size pot does an olive tree need?
An olive tree wants a pot about 1.5 to 2 times the width of its root ball, with several drainage holes and gritty, free-draining compost. A 1m tree suits a 35 to 45cm pot. Olives fruit better slightly root-bound, so go up one size at a time and never pot into something far too large.
- 1m tree: 35 to 45cm pot. Go up one size at a time
- Several drainage holes – winter wet kills more olives than frost
- Two parts John Innes No.3 to one part grit, not multipurpose compost
- Raise the pot on feet so water runs out instead of freezing around the roots
- Frost-proof terracotta or stoneware; avoid cheap low-fired clay outdoors
What we would use
Kit for a potted olive
We do not sell a pot big enough for a mature olive, and we would rather say so than sell you the wrong thing. For the tree itself, look through extra large tree planters or large garden planters. The items above are what goes with it – and pot feet genuinely are the difference between a tree that survives February and one that does not.
Getting an olive through a British winter
- Raise the pot on feet, all year, so the drainage holes never sit in a puddle
- Move it against a house wall – wind chill and driving rain do more damage than still frost
- Stop feeding after August so soft new growth hardens before the first frost
- Water sparingly from November to March; the compost should be barely damp
- In a hard freeze, wrap the pot rather than the tree – you are protecting roots, not leaves
Questions
Olive tree pots – FAQs
What size pot does an olive tree need?
Roughly 1.5 to 2 times the width of the root ball, and no more. A 1m tree is usually happy in a 35 to 45cm pot. Olives crop better when slightly root-bound, and an oversized pot holds cold, wet compost the roots never reach, which is the single most common way a potted olive is lost.
Do olive trees survive winter outside in the UK?
In most of the UK, yes. A mature olive tolerates roughly -8°C. What kills them is not cold but winter wet sitting around the roots and then freezing. Raise the pot on feet, use gritty compost, and move it against a wall out of the worst wind.
What compost should I use for an olive tree in a pot?
A free-draining mix: roughly two parts John Innes No.3 to one part horticultural grit or perlite. Standard multipurpose compost on its own holds far too much water over a British winter and stays sodden for weeks.
Does an olive tree pot need drainage holes?
Always, and more than one. Olives evolved on thin, stony hillsides with fast-draining ground. If you want a decorative pot with no holes, keep the tree in a plain pot inside it and lift it out to drain after heavy rain.
Should I use a terracotta pot for an olive tree?
Terracotta suits olives well because it is porous and dries quickly, which mirrors their native conditions. The one caution is frost: cheap low-fired terracotta absorbs water and can flake or crack over winter, so buy frost-proof and raise it off the ground.
How often should I repot an olive tree?
Every three or four years, in spring. Go up one pot size only. Once the tree is in its final large pot, top-dress instead: scrape off the top 5cm of compost each spring and replace it with fresh gritty mix.