Plant a container olive

Olives make handsome garden trees thanks to their instantly recognisable foliage. They aren’t the hardiest of plants and in the UK you either need to live in a mild area with a sunny spot sheltered from strong winds, or grow them in a container to move under cover of a greenhouse over winter. Young plants and shoots in particular are susceptible to damage by frosts, whereas older trees cope with light frosts, but will still want protection from severe ones. Fruit is best viewed as an occasional bonus rather than a regular feature. Choose a generously-sized container to minimise the amount of watering you have to do, but beware over-potting young plants too quickly. Gradually moving up a pot size each year is important. Make sure the pot has good drainage and is easy to repot; olive jars (where the middle is wider than the opening) make repotting nigh on impossible. Use a loam-based compost such as John Innes No 3 and add about a fifth to a quarter of grit for extra drainage. If not potting on you can still reinvigorate growing conditions in spring by removing a portion of the old compost and adding new. Don’t let plants dry out during the growing season and feed monthly with a balanced fertiliser. You can ease off watering over winter, but make sure the compost doesn’t dry out completely. Overwinter in an unheated greenhouse (they need cold spells to develop flowers) and add extra protection with fleece and straw when frosts are forecast.