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<pre>Jon,
From the Western slopes of the same range (but a bit further north!)
and with what sounds like similar soils - the ground was, before we
bought it, a wheat paddock. That means it was totally DEAD!!! with a
serious clay pan at about 200mm depth. We used the recommended crusher
dust (more for the improvement of the soil structure than for the
supposed fertilisation benefits) and Gypsum at planting. We now add a
cup of Urea after harvest and another before fruit set.


jmcdowel@csc.com.au wrote:

> Guys,
>
> what do you folk use as a fertiliser?
>
> Salsi recommend Ammonium Nitrate but I need a licence for that
> because people make bombs out of it.
>
> My barber recommends Super Phosphate and he's getting lots of olives
> on his trees, so he can't be too wrong.
>
> Cow poo has been my fertiliser of choice but I really want to sit
> there and watch the trees growing this year!!!

Vegetative growth is not necessarily a good sign. It might be making
additional woody and leaf matter to the detriment of fruit yeild. Look
to a good local, commercial level, grower or horticulturist with some
olive experience.

>
>
> I'm open to suggestions.

Aren't we all!!!

>
>
> Jon (Wallan, Victoria - on the southern slopes of the Great Divide)
>
> Trees are Frantoio, Kalamata and Leccino, in a heavy clay soil

Cheers
John Attwood
Tamworth
(Northern) NSW Aust
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