Freezing olive trees

May 2010

I've been nursing this olive tree along in a pot for almost five years. It was finally root-bound so I planted it in the garden bed this fall to fend for itself.  



Nothing adds a touch of California like seeing an Arbequina olive tree outside the window.  This particular variety is the most productive and common olive tree in the world.  And yes, those little green dots are actually real olives.  In the Puget Sound region, these self-fertile trees can produce crops of high-quality fruit (according to the optimistic tag) but that only happens in summers with plenty of hot, sunny weather, and if the birds don’t get them first.

Arbequinas are supposedly hardy to around 15 degrees.  It's only 23 degrees this morning in Seattle, so we're pushing it.   I gave him a little blankie to help keep warm these past few nights.

Hard to believe December has arrived, and there are only 30 days until the end of the year.  With all the hustle of Christmas the month will pass too quickly.  We blinked, and 2014 is almost over.