When and how to fertilize the olive grove (organic and conventional farming)

The Azienda Agricola Ardito covers an area of over 50 hectares that extends between Andria and Minervino Murge, at the feet of Castel del Monte, 50 km far from Bari. Here, in the heart of the Apulia region, the owner Felice Ardito cultivates with passion olive trees, grapevine and pomegranates in organic regime.

The company’s expectations are very high and in the 30 hectares of olive grove, entirely of Coratina variety, it aims to achieve very good yields, an oil production of excellent quality and to avoid alternate bearing.

Felice uses Biolchim products for his crops’ nutrition: the olive trees fertilization strategy, now consolidated, is characterized by three specific applications during the crop cycle.

Biolchim strategies are studied to offer the olive tree the perfect metabolic and nutritional support in the most delicate moments of the cultivation cycle. They include an application in the phases of early vegetative awakening, bud differentiation and flowering and post-setting.

The selected nutritional specialties, allowed both in organic and integrated farming, support olive growers favoring the obtainment of abundant, regular and constant productions. Here’s how.

1. HOW TO FAVOR THE DIFFERENTIATION OF THE OLIVE BUDS

At the end of the winter, according to its nutritional status, the olive plant decides which and how many buds to bring to maturation for the production of flowers.

In February, it is therefore essential to provide energy and specific microelements that can favor this process. Ideal is the leaf application of FOLICIST and NUTRI-GEMMA B-Zn: the first is a biostimulant that accelerates plant metabolism and contrasts environmental stress; the second is a liquid fertilizer with a high content of Boron and Zinc.

The synergistic effect of the two products:

• predisposes the plant for abundant flowering;
• avoids the growth arrests due to stress;
• prevents the most risky micro deficiencies in that phenological phase.

2. HOW TO IMPROVE THE FLOWERING OF THE OLIVE TREES

Flowering of the olive tree requires adequate nutritional support and the contribution of anti-stress action substances due to the inconstant spring climatic conditions.

FOLICIST is the perfect specialty to apply at this stage: the product provides compounds that ensure the fertility of the olive flower and, thanks to the content of glycine betaine, it promotes the overcoming of stress. Used during the flowering phase, FOLICIST:

• uniforms the opening of flowers;
• improves fruit setting;
• favours the overcoming of stress.

3. HOW TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE OLIVES AND REDUCE FRUIT DROP

After fruit setting, the olive trees employ great resources to support the growth of the drupes and the accumulation of fats for oil production. Weak or stressed plants can react to this physiological phase letting part of the olives fall to the ground.

To support fruit production and plant development, the use of FYLLOTON and MICROFOL COMBI, respectively a biopromoter based on vegetable amino acids and a balanced and complete mixture of microelements, is therefore recommended.

Leaf application of FYLLOTON and MICROFOL COMBI in june has the following benefits:

• promotes the growth of the drupes;
• improves vegetative development;
• helps to contain fruit drop;
• it supplies fundamental nutrients.