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<pre>Dear Ian

When olive trees lose their leaves like yours there are several
possibilities

¥ Water - too much or not enough
¥ Pests - especially fungi and nematodes
¥ Poor nutrition including acid soils

With such a rainfall - I am sur this has contributed to the problem.

You do not have to have low lying land to get waterlogging. If the soil
profile has subsurface clay layers you can get a perched watertable with
poor drainage.

Initially this type of problem is prevented by deep ripping that
disturbs the layers, improving drainage at this point lim, dolomite or
gypsum can be added to modify soil pH and structure (the latter).

In your case - trees in the ground

¥ Trim trees back, do not pull out at this stage - but persistent
waterlogging gives stunted trees + poor crops

¥ You can rip within the rows if you can get a machine through

¥ Check the pH - you can buy a kit for about $20 (the kit does over 100
tests)get the one developped by CSIRO. It includes how much lime to
add/Ha

¥ If this is not possible - dig around the trees so that roots are not
disturbed, mix the topsoil with subsoil (+ add other organic matter -
straw, mulch) and put back and in then mound the trees so that water
will drain past. Of course only do this with affected trees.

Was there are a pattern of affected trees eg rows, adjacent trees,
random, particular variety? Let me know.

Stan Kailis
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