Olive trees grow slowly and usually require a little pruning each year if they are healthy and well cared for. Olive trees should start forming when they are young (about 2 years old), and inspected annually at the end of the dry season or the beginning of the rainy season for maintenance pruning. Olive trees can continue to produce fruit for 50 years or more if you take proper annual care.
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Part 1 of 3: Cutting Trees with the Right Tools
Step 1. Prepare a clean and sharp trimmer
Make sure the scissors or trimming tool is clean and sharp. If the tool is old and doesn't look sharp, you can either sharpen it yourself or take it to a professional sharpener to sharpen it inexpensively.
You can clean scissors or saws by dipping them in isopropyl alcohol for 30 seconds to remove germs and disease. After that, dry the equipment with a clean towel
Step 2. Use pruning shears to trim branches that are less than 3 centimeters in diameter
Use clean, double-bladed scissors to cut off small shoots and branches. These scissors can be purchased at a hardware or hardware store. Try using scissors with shock absorbers so you don't get too tired when trimming.
Get double-bladed pruning shears at a hardware or hardware store
Step 3. Cut branches with a maximum diameter of 8 cm using a hand saw
To trim branches inside the dense crown of the plant with a diameter of 3-8 centimeters, use a clean hand saw. For best results, use a saw with a stiff blade at least 40 cm long.
A 40 cm long hand saw can be found at hardware or hardware stores
Step 4. Carefully cut off large branches using a chainsaw
If you are pruning an old, neglected tree and need to cut large branches, you may need to use a chainsaw. Use a lightweight chainsaw so you don't get tired. You should also take frequent breaks. Stand on the ground or solid ground, and wear a helmet, gloves, goggles, and clothing for heavy work.
Do not operate the chainsaw if you have a medical condition that makes you weak from physical activity, or if the chainsaw is too heavy to make maneuvering difficult
Step 5. Make oblique cuts parallel to the branches
The slanted cut will prevent water from entering the wound, which could infect the branches. Make an even cut with the larger branch where the branch you are pruning is growing.
Don't leave any posts when you cut them. Make clean, slanted cuts that are parallel to the larger branches
Part 2 of 3: Creating the Basic Olive Tree Shape
Step 1. Start forming the tree when the plant is about 1 meter tall
When the tree is 2 years old and about 1 meter tall, has 3 or 4 strong lateral (growing sideways) branches, you can begin the first stage of forming the plant.
Trees cannot produce fruit if they have not reached 3 or 4 years. Therefore, this pruning is only used to initiate the formation of a plant canopy that is conducive to healthy growth and fruit emergence
Step 2. Prune annually at the end of the dry season or at the beginning of the rainy season
When the tree begins to bear fruit, the best time to do pruning is before the tree begins new growth for the year. Try to prune the tree when the weather is hot so that the new cuttings don't get wet in water, which makes them susceptible to infection.
Olive trees grow slowly and generally don't require much pruning. Pruning once a year is sufficient
Step 3. Avoid cutting multiple branches when the tree is young
It is important to maintain a balance between the formation of trees that will serve as the main structure and providing opportunities for trees to grow and store energy reserves. Excessive pruning will inhibit the growth of young trees.
If the tree is several years old and not yet 1 meter tall, with one main trunk and more than 3 or 4 strong lateral branches, you can postpone pruning for the following year
Step 4. Shape the tree like a martini glass
The shape of a healthy olive tree is like a wide martini glass, with the main trunk like the handle of a glass. Most branches should grow laterally and point slightly upwards. The center of the "glass" has branches that are not dense so that light can enter the center of the tree.
Step 5. Choose 3 or 4 strong lateral branches to serve as the main shape
For a martini-like shape, choose 3 or 4 strong branches growing outward and slightly upward from the main trunk to serve as the main structure of the tree. Allow small branches to grow from these branches, even if they are growing downwards.
- You can cut other branches that are small, weak, or pointing upwards in addition to these 3 or 4 main branches.
- If your tree only has 2 strong lateral branches, prune any branches that look weak or grow upwards, but next year you will have to find 2 more strong branches to defend. As a final result, the tree must have 4 strong lateral branches to serve as the main structure.
Part 3 of 3: Maintaining Olive Trees with Annual Pruning
Step 1. Observe the tree at harvest
After the tree bears fruit, its main lateral branches will be full of fruit. This branch should be preserved when you do the next pruning. You will find other branches growing vertically, or looking old and weak.
- Mark these vertical, aging, or weak branches as you will need to prune them the following year.
- The tree may take one year to produce fruit again the following year. A light pruning every year is the best way to encourage new growth.
Step 2. Prune the vertical branches
You should cut branches that are growing straight up, especially on thin, weak tree tops. The inside of the tree canopy in the shape of a martini glass should also not be too dense with vertically growing branches. So, also cut branches like this.
- As a rule of thumb, birds should be able to fly between tree branches. If the tree is too full of vertical branches in the middle, birds will not be able to penetrate it. If this is the case, you will need to prune more vertical branches.
- Fruit appears only on lateral branches. Therefore, another reason that requires you to cut vertical branches is so that the tree's energy is used for the fruit-bearing branches.
Step 3. Prune weak and wilted lateral branches
As the tree ages, some of the lateral branches emerging from the main branch may age. When you observe the tree at harvest time, these branches may only bear fruit once and not bear fruit again.
Cut branches like this so the tree can grow other branches that can produce fruit
Step 4. Remove suckers growing on the main stem at any time
Any shoots that grow below the main branch of the tree, and point towards the base of the trunk should be pruned. These branches are usually small, grow up or down, and don't seem to match the main shape of the tree.
