Homebase shares top 4 tips to keep olive trees healthy this summer & the exact location it needs to be in your garden
AS summer arrives, bringing longer days drenched in sunlight, now is the perfect time to turn your attention to the garden and give your cherished plants the care they deserve.
With rising temperatures and brighter skies, your green companions will need a little extra love to truly thrive.
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This is especially true for elegant olive trees.
While naturally hardy, they flourish best when given some additional nurturing during the balmy summer months.
Thankfully, the gardening experts at Homebase have shared their top five tips to help ensure your olive tree stays healthy, vibrant, and thriving all season long.
By following their expert advice, you can not only keep your olive tree in top condition but also bring a touch of serene Mediterranean charm to your garden.
Taking to their TikTok page, Homebase kicked off their advice with some essential tips:
Potting Perfection
When choosing a home for your olive tree, always opt for a large pot with excellent drainage.
Olive trees hate waterlogged roots, so ensuring proper drainage is key to keeping them happy.
Sun-Kissed Bliss
These sun-loving trees thrive in full, direct sunlight, so it's vital to position them in a spot that gets plenty of rays throughout the day.
I asked ChatGPT how to transform my bedroom in a single step - all I needed was a Homebase buy & now it's like paradise
Watering Wisdom
Olive trees prefer soil that's lightly moist but never soggy.
Overwatering can lead to root rot, so it's important to strike the right balance when hydrating your tree.
Strategic Pruning
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Early summer is the ideal time for a little light pruning.
This allows you to remove any dead or diseased branches and shape the tree beautifully, encouraging healthy growth and maintaining its structure.
June gardening jobs
The Sun's Gardening Editor, Veronica Lorraine, has shared the tasks you should take this month.
Stake out leggy perennials
With all the dramatic weather we've been having, it's definitely time to stake out your leggy perennials (the ones that come back every year). Heavy rain and growth spurts, can make them collapse and flop.
Picking out the slugs and snails
Hopefully as we move into summer they will do less damage as the plants get bigger. The best way is still to go out at night with a head torch to find them.
Pick elderflower heads
You can use them to make your own cordial, or add to cakes, champagne or even fry them in batter.
Get on top of weeds
It's around now that weeds really ramp up in the garden, so keep on top of them with hoe-ing - or just the traditional 'on your knees with a hand fork'. Try and avoid chemicals - remember weeds are just plants in the wrong place.
Up the mowing
You'll need to mow your lawn weekly now - if you've got time, weed it beforehand as once you mow you chop off the leaves and its harder to see them.
Check on your tomatoes
Your tomato plants will need attention - water, feed and regularly and pinch out the sideshoots.
Chelsea Chop
There's still time for the Chelsea Chop - plants like Rudbeckia's, Asters, Penstemons, Sedums and other perennials can be cut back by a third to help them get a bit more bushy, and prolong the flowering period.
Sort out your tulips
If you can be bothered and have space - lift and story your tulip bulbs to ensure colour next Spring.
Deadheading your roses
Take them down to the first set of healthy leaves - which will ensure more flowers for longer.
Enjoy your space
Take some time to sit and enjoy your garden or outside space - it's great for your mental health. Even just a few minutes a day can make a big difference.
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