How to optimize olive nutrition?
In order to obtain high quality liquid gold, you must first take care of its fruit, the olive. And, for this, we must start with its origin: the olive tree!
The Olivar calendar It is more complex than it seems and implies very important tasks, such as the nutrition of the olive tree. Now, Do you know what nutrients an olive tree needs or how we can provide them? If you have no idea, don’t worry.
as good experts in Premium olive oil, in Beloleum we have prepared this post in which we are going to tell you everything about the Olivar Nutrition, its importance and some effective strategies to carry it out. Join us!
What is olive nutrition and why is it so important?
Olive nutrition consists of administer to this tree the essential nutrients that it needs in a balanced way, in order to guarantee its growth, its resistance and the quality of its fruit.
In other words, it is about meeting the nutritional needs of the olive tree. Thanks to this task, we can:
- protect it of pests, diseases and adverse weather conditions.
- strengthen and promote olive maturation.
- and therefore, Maximize and optimize oil production.
Key factors influencing olive nutrition
There are several factors that influence the nutrition of the olive grove, and among the most important are:
- Soil. The pH of the soil, its texture and structure or the organic matter it contains influence the absorption of nutrients from the olive tree.
- The weather. Temperature, solar radiation, wind or rain also affect the nutrition of the olive tree.
- THE IRRIGATION. The olive tree needs sufficient and quality water to absorb nutrients well.
- the type of olive tree. The nutritional needs of the olive tree can be somewhat different depending on the variety of said olive tree.
Main nutrients in olive nutrition
In any case, to achieve nutritional balance in the olive grove, An olive tree requires two types of main nutrients:
- macronutrients. They are the ones you need in large quantities: nitrogen (for tree growth), phosphorus (for root development) and potassium (for fruit formation). You can provide them with NPK fertilizers.
- micronutrients. Those that are also essential but in smaller amounts: Boron, iron, zinc or manganese, among others.
How to design a step-by-step olive nutrition plan
Those of us who take care of the olive grove, how can we make sure that the nutrition of the olive tree is adequate? The million dollar question!
If you want to make sure you take the best possible nutritional management of the olive tree, we recommend not skipping any of these steps:
- Observe the state of your olive grove and its surroundings. Look at the appearance of the trees, the type of soil, if there are weaker areas…
- Do analysis and define your harvest goals. A study of the soil and the sheet will help you to know from where you come from.
- Detect which nutrients are missing and which ones are left over. With these results, you can see what needs to be corrected.
- Calculate the most suitable olive grove fertilization strategy. Decide what type of fertilizer you are going to use: organic, mineral, fertigation, foliar…
- Distribute the nutrition. Design an annual calendar to know what to contribute and when.
- Check the results and adjust the amounts. If you see that your olive tree responds well, keep going; If not, there is something to review!
Fertilization strategies to optimize olive nutrition
And how to get it right with olive fertilization? Is there an infallible strategy? The truth is that the secret is not to make the fertilizer of the olive tree “by eye”. You have to know well what the tree needs!
Also, try to follow these tips:
- Adjust fertilization to expected production. The more kilos of olive, the more nutrients your olive tree needs.
- Prioritize nitrogen and potassium, and don’t forget boron. They are key to growth, flowering and fattening of the fruit.
- Split the doses well. It is preferable to opt for several small doses throughout the year than a very large one.
- Take care of the ground. Using manure or compost improves it a lot, and helps to make the most of mineral fertilizers.
- Keep in mind the vecería. Your olive tree does not need the same amount of nutrients in years of low harvest as when there is a lot of production, which requires a little reinforcement of the level of potassium and nitrogen.
- Remember to water! Without enough water, your fertilization plan in the olive grove will not be effective.
Frequent mistakes in olive nutrition and how to avoid them
No matter how much we put all the love in the olive grove… there is always some failure we can fall into.
These are the most commonly repeated:
- pay without having analyzed the real needs of olive mineral nutrition.
- Apply dose without a plan Adapted to the production we expect.
- forget to take care of the ground and water properly.
Olive Nutrition Plan for a Campaign
In short, for a complete campaign you can follow this scheme:
- At the start of the campaign, Analyze the soil and sheet and mark your goal.
- in spring-summer, Distribute the doses of nitrogen, potassium and other nutrients that are needed at different key times.
- In the postharvest, Help your olive tree recover and replenish its reserves with a balanced subscriber.
We are clear about it: if you pamper every detail of the olive grove, the result is noticeable. Taking care of olive nutrition is the first step to obtain a healthy fruit and, with it, make a EVOO as special as that of Beloleum. If you haven’t tried it yet, don’t make yourself more begging. Discover its spectacular flavor in our online store!
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