Grafting Olive Trees 🫒
Grafting can be intimidating, but in this post, we will try to explain a really easy procedure that will take away that fear.
When is the best time to graft an olive tree?
At the end of winter when new shoots appear, but before the flowers emerge.
What part of the olive tree is best to use as a graft?
Use branches that are the thickness of a pencil where you see dormant buds from the previous year.
Where should I perform the graft?
You could actually do it on any part of the olive or wild olive tree you want to graft onto, but the recommendation would be to do it at mid-height. This way, the new branches start from a certain height, and you can have production in just two years.
What is the grafting process?
- Cut the bark of the donor olive tree by making two horizontal cuts and one vertical cut, creating a square of about 2 or 3 cm that contains two dormant buds.
- Remove a piece of bark of the same size from the olive or wild olive tree where you want to place the graft.
- Fit the bark from the donor olive tree into the host tree.
- Wrap the trunk with plastic film to protect the graft.
- Once we see the buds awaken, make some cuts to allow them to grow freely.