Well, let me tell you ’bout them r olivo, or whatever them fancy folks call ’em, olive trees. I ain’t no scholar, ya know, but I’ve seen a thing or two ’bout growin’ stuff.
First off, plantin’ the darn things. You gotta find a sunny spot, real sunny, like where the sun shines all day long. Them trees, they love the sun, more sun the better. And the dirt, it can’t be all wet and soggy. Them roots, they need to breathe, so make sure the water drains good. Dig a hole, not too deep, not too shallow, just enough to fit the roots. Put the tree in, pat the dirt around it, and give it a good waterin’. Not too much, though, just enough to wet the dirt.
Now, waterin’, that’s important. But don’t go drownin’ the poor thing. Too much water and the roots will rot. I always say, stick your finger in the dirt. If it’s dry, give it some water. If it’s still wet, leave it be. And them young trees, they need more water than the old ones. Just like babies, always needin’ somethin’, ain’t they?
- Sun: Lots of it, 6-8 hours a day, they say.
- Water: Not too much, not too little, just right. Like Goldilocks and the porridge, you know?
- Dirt: Gotta drain good, roots can’t be sittin’ in water.
Feedin’ the trees, that’s another thing. You gotta give ’em somethin’ to eat, just like us. But not just anythin’. Them fancy folks at the store, they got special food for olive trees. I just use some good ol’ manure, though. Works just fine. Give ’em a little bit every now and then, ‘specially when they’re growin’.
And then there’s the prunin’. Cut off them dead branches, them branches that ain’t growin’ right. It’s like givin’ the tree a haircut, makin’ it look all pretty and neat. And it helps the tree grow better, too. More olives that way, see? But don’t go cuttin’ everything off. Just the bad stuff.
Now, them bugs and diseases, they can be a real pain. Little critters eatin’ the leaves, makin’ the tree sick. You gotta keep an eye out for them. If you see any, gotta get rid of ’em, fast. Sometimes I just pick ’em off by hand, other times I use some stuff from the store. Just gotta make sure it don’t hurt the tree.
Growin’ them olive trees inside? Well, I reckon that’s for city folk. But if you gotta, make sure it’s warm, plenty of light, like a sunny window, and don’t go overwaterin’ it. And keep it away from them cold drafts, they don’t like that. Feed it every now and again, just like the ones outside. And don’t forget to turn the pot every once in a while so it grows even.
And somethin’ else I heard, them lavender plants, they’re good to plant near the olive trees. Makes the trees grow better, somethin’ about attractin’ bees, they say. I don’t know much about that, but if them fancy folks say so, it must be true. And it looks pretty, too, purple flowers and green trees, nice to look at.
Temperature, that’s important too. Them olive trees, they like it warm, not too cold, not too hot, just right. And no big changes in temperature, that ain’t good for ’em. Steady and warm, that’s what they like.
So, that’s about all I know ’bout growin’ r olivo, olive trees. It ain’t rocket science, ya know. Just give ’em sun, water, food, and a little bit of care, and they’ll grow just fine. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll get some of them tasty olives, too. Good for eatin’, good for makin’ oil, good for all sorts of things. And they live a long time, them trees do. Longer than me, that’s for sure. So, plant a tree, watch it grow, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. That’s what I say.
Harvesting, well that’s a whole other story. But that’s for another time. Right now, just focus on gettin’ them trees growin’ big and strong. And don’t forget to talk to ’em every now and then. They like that, I think. Just like people, they need a little bit of love and attention.
