Edible Olive varieties?

Niv

I would like to grow an olive tree in a large pot that produces edible fruit. I have had a look areound a few garden cenures and all the plants they have say that the fruit is ornimental, however everywhee i have looked online suggest that all varieties are edible but the quality of those grown in the uk are just not to as high a standard. Can anyone help me out here? Can i pick up any olive tee to grow in my garden and its fruit will be edible? I f anyone has has any specific reccomendations for this venture pleas
e let me know!

Farway

Not a real answer, but UK is too far north TBH and I reckon you would be forever fretting about the crop

Why not just buy olives & grow something that does do well in UK, like apples, rhubarb and hundreds of others?

It is of course possible to grow pineapples or bananas here, but the above applies. Sometimes we just have to get on with it and admit that date palms etc will not flourish in Paisley, or even Paignton

stumpycat

Also, to make the ripe fruit edible you have to pickle it in brine for up to a year. Personally, I'd rather buy olives and grow something easier as Farway says!

Niv

Thanks guys, even if it fails to address my query.

I am not looking to become a olive farmer or anything, i just like to grow plants that have a use. I like the look of olive trees and wanted to add an edible variety to my garden that currently contains fig, apple, cherry, plum, raspberry, strawberry, filbert, bamboo, tomatos, a host of herbs and some veg.

Davesnave

Niv wrote: »

Thanks guys, even if it fails to address my query.

In order to address your query, people here would have to know whereabouts you are: i.e. whether you are in Mylor Bridge or Hebden Bridge would make a real difference!

Niv

Davesnave wrote: »

In order to address your query, people here would have to know whereabouts you are: i.e. whether you are in Mylor Bridge or Hebden Bridge would make a real difference!

I live in Somerset.

Davesnave

OK. My relatives live in Somerset, at 750' on the Mendips, and I wouldn't fancy their chances of growing olives there!

However down at Cannington, near Bridgwater, the college has a walled garden where all kinds of semi-hardy plants survive, and thrive.

Beyond the relatively benign climate most of Somerset enjoys, I'd say that success in fruiting olives would depend on the availability of south or west facing sheltered spots to give the right microclimate. As your plants will be in containers, they could come inside for very severe weather periods, like we've had in recent winters.

These people claim it's possible to grow & harvest olives in the South of England and they list several varieties. They also provide details of how to process a crop. I'm not sure how reliable the info is, as I just grow olive plants in Devon at 550' for purely decorative purposes.

http://www.bigplantnursery.co.uk/olives.html

Niv

Many thanks Dave, just what i was looking for. I live in the cannington/Bridgwater area. I understand that growing Olives in this country is hard and although they will probably end up being for decorative purposes I wanted to grow a variety that were edible if i chose to mess around with that side of it.