Olive is an evergreen tree belonging to family of olives. His homeland is Africa, Australia, the southern parts of Europe and Asia. In the world, the olive tree is known for making healthy oil from it, and the fruits - olives - are pickled. There are many legends about its origin. Despite the fact that the olive grows only in warm countries, it can be grown at home. This can be done from seed - bones. However, to eat tasty fruits from such a tree will not work - they will be tasteless and will appear only 10 years after planting. Plants in this way can be grown only for decorative purposes. How to grow an olive tree at home, read our article.
- Requirements for planting material
- Preparation: germination
- The soil
- Capacity
- Landing
- Conditions and care for seedlings
- Does it fructify at home
Requirements for planting material
If you have already gathered to place a bone in the ground from just eaten canned olives, then we hasten to disappoint you - such planting material will not germinate. You will need only the seeds of fresh fruit, which can be purchased at a specialty store.
Preparation: germination
To start the stones should be placed in an alkaline solution (10%) for 18 hours. This is necessary in order to somewhat soften the shell, which in such a state will be able to break through the sprouted shoots. After processing, the seeds are washed and dried. In the soil they must be placed only in a completely dry form.The sharp end before planting incised with a knife, shears or file off. 
It is also possible to place the bones for several weeks in a bowl with wet compost for germination. Capacity will need to be kept at a warm temperature, constant humidity and with sufficient intake of sunlight. Such a procedure can help increase the germination rate.
The soil
The best substrate for planting the olive will be the following:
- river sand - two parts;
- sod land - one part;
- garden land is one part.
If you use the purchased substrate, then you need to mix the soil for growing cacti (three parts) and ordinary soil (one part), slightly diluting the mixture with sand.
Capacity
Capacity for planting olive must initially be large - not less than 60 cm in depth and width. Prerequisite are drainage holes, which will be good to let in excess moisture or to take the required amount of liquid from the pan. The main enemy of the evergreen tree is the increased soil moisture, death is like its stagnation.
At the bottom of the pot as a drainage you need to lay a layer of fine charcoal or brick chips. 
Landing
It is necessary to plant the seeds in the prepared soil not too deep - at a distance of 2-3 cm.
For successful rooting and germination in the room it is necessary to maintain the temperature at + 20 ° C. You also need to maintain high humidity, proper lighting.
The emergence of sprouts should be expected after two or three months.
Conditions and care for seedlings
The best place for growing an olive will be a window sill, located in the south or south-west. It is there she will come enough sunshine. If it is not enough, the plant will signal to you about this dropping the foliage. In this case, you will need to look for a lighter spot for the pot or additionally install a source of artificial lighting. 
Caring for an olive tree at home is simple and no different from caring for most houseplants. It will consist in watering, spraying with dry air, dressing, pruning and transplanting.
Watering is needed regular, as drying of the top layer of soil.The plant suffers a drought badly - the foliage begins to dry up and fall off. However, the tree will react to constant waterlogging and that is even worse - up to complete destruction.
In the summer, it is necessary to periodically wipe off the olive leaves from dust. In winter, when the heating is turned on, they will need to be sprayed.
In winter, the olive should be left alone - water as little as possible, do not feed and move to a cool place (+ 10-12 ° C). Only under such conditions can it bloom.
When the flowering occurred, the tree should be placed in a room with a temperature of + 18-20 degrees.
A year or two after planting, the plant should be transplanted.To do this, use the method of transshipment (together with the earthy clod, without opening the root system). Carry out a transplant in the spring. Olive is transplanted annually until it reaches the age of five. Then the intervals between transfers should be increased to two to three years. 
Annual sanitary pruning of dry branches should be carried out. It is also possible to carry out the forming hairstyle - it is not difficult for the plant to recover from it. Oliva is perfect for lovers of art bonsai, because of its crown can form various types of miniature trees. 
Lower branches and leaves should be regularly removed - so the plant will be better to grow.
Since this evergreen tree has rather hard foliage, it is not damaged by pests.
Does it fructify at home
With proper planting and care, the olive "from the bone" will bear fruit, but the fruit from the tree planted in this way will not be suitable for food. An important condition for fruiting is warm temperature, dry air and sufficient light intake, that is, creating a climate as close as possible to the natural one.
In nature, evergreens are pollinated by the wind. At home, this will have to be done manually - with a brush. Olive blossoms yellowish small flowers with a pleasant aroma. Flowering tree, obtained from the stone, should be expected at the age of 10-12 years. 
The period after pollination to the phase of full ripening of fruits lasts from three to three and a half months.
