Should I be fleecing my mature potted olive trees now ?

Forecast here in Glos overnight is 3c feeling like 1c. My olives are in large pots on the patio. As I understand it I should bubble wrap the pots and fleece the tops. I have bought zip up fleece covers in readiness … just not sure exactly when to start using them ?

 

Not yet, depends on the weather but if in a protected position and a winter like last year you wont have to.
I'd only consider it during times of continuous frost.

 

Well I didn’t fleece last night but we did get our first frost !
They seem to be ok as do the other potted plants that might need overwintering.

 

I had my first frost on the ground this winter but the air temperature was a degree or two above freezing.
Even the bananas and brug are untouched .

 

First frost here too - but my friend a couple of miles away had no grass frost at all.

 

Well they are certainly in use now ! Let’s hope they are doing the job ….

 

I'd move them up close to the house wall.

 

Ahh really ? They are difficult to move ..

 

My sisters olive got major die back below -8 c so maybe move it if it gets below -5 or so. Ive heard of people using non-LED christmas lights as a heater in cold weather

 

They do benefit from the shelter of a house wall in really cold weather.

 

Well I’ve taken the covers off now but left the insulation around the pots. I presume people don’t just leave them on ?

 

I've had a potted olive tree in the garden for more 12 years and I've never protected it and never had a problem. I once left it unattended in its pot in my Kent garden for 2 years (no feeding or watering) during a stint abroad and it survived and recovered. These days I do feed it occasionally and pot it on about once every 3 years.

BUT, I couldn't tell you what variety it is - I would assume not all olives are equally hardy? Plus it's pretty mild down here. My olive has probably never seen much below -8, and most winters not much below -5.

 

I’m in Glos. We don’t normally get lower than -5 here. But with weather changes never say never !