Growing Texas Olives

In this episode I discuss the concept of plant available water in the soil and estimating that available water by feel and appearance. I then talk about using this method to best irrigate newly-planted trees and young, non-bearing orchards. Although the second half of this episode is geared towards new and young trees, the information presented applies to everyone and is excellent knowledge to have even for mature orchards. Link to the NRCS publication "Estimating Soil Moisture by Feel and Appearance": https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs144p2_051845.pdf 

In this episode, I announce the upcoming UC Davis Master Milling Course, discuss an idea to bring together olive people from across the southeastern US, and review two scientific papers. The first paper studied the effects of root pruning on 2-year-old olive trees with interesting results. The second paper studied the potential timing of floral induction; basically, if new buds are produced on the tree from May through October, is there a point after which newly-formed buds will not become floral buds next year? This study has implications for Texas and is welcomed information.

In this episode I discuss some basic irrigation system maintenance practices that often seem to get overlooked. I also discuss ways to periodically evaluate your irrigation system so that you know it is operating correctly and applying as much water as you think it is. This is the first step in excellent irrigation management. In future episodes we will talk about estimating water needs and scheduling irrigation, but you must understand all of the material in this episode before you can effectively and efficiently manage your irrigation in the olive orchard.

This episode will be the first in a series of episodes dedicated to irrigation. It is now hot and dry in Texas, and proper irrigation of olives is crucial. Many experienced growers and experts agree that irrigation management is likely more important than fertilization; so, are you doing it right? In this episode we just start to scratch the surface of understanding proper irrigation of an orchard by re-thinking what it means to apply water to an orchard. 

In Episode 16, we consider what is happening in the olive orchard during May, and I discuss what managers should be thinking about or doing during this time. I also answer questions that I received recently about caterpillar pests and ants. 

This is a long one, and yet it doesn't cover everything there is to know. Maybe listen to this one in two or three sittings. I discuss the fundamental knowledge needed to make weed management decisions in the orchard. Any mention of product or brand names is not an endorsement. Always read the label. 

In this episode I discuss the generalities and theory behind different orchard floor management practices.  This is not specifically an episode on weed control, but obviously weed control is an integral part of orchard floor management. I discuss the two opposite ends of the spectrum of orchard floor management approaches, as well as the middle ground. Pros and cons of each are weighed, and considered against the climate in which an orchard is grown.

In this episode, I discuss what (I think) is happening in olive trees as this point in the year and I consider both potentially reproductive orchards and those orchards that are rebuilding after the February 2021 freeze. I also discuss what (I think) an orchard manager should be doing and thinking at this time of the year. I discuss the physiology of the olive tree as well as considerations for weed control, irrigation, and fertilization. 

In this episode, we consider what the literature says about temperature requirements for olive flowering. What kind of winter temperatures will convince an olive tree to produce flowers? Some people claim that olives require "chill hours" similar to peaches and other fruit; is this true? I discuss some examples of olive trees growing in non-traditional areas and consider the winter weather conditions in those locations. Finally, does Texas have winter weather conditions conducive to olive reproduction? This is a lengthy episode, but there is much to discuss. 

In this episode I discuss dormancy. What is dormancy? Why is it important? What initiates dormancy? Can we manipulate it? Dormancy is of course incredibly important for plants for several reasons, which I discuss in this episode. This episode is a good primer to the next episode which will talk more about dormancy but also about chilling requirements, vernalization, and what is required to convince an olive tree to produce flowers.