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<pre>> Mike
> We are at Braidwood NSW and also experience some pretty good frosts. We
have planted Frantoio, Correggiola and some Hardys Mammoth. Although our
trees are still young we have had very little frost damage. A possible
reason may be that we have 450mm plastic sleeves around all of the trees -
even if the branches get a bit of damage the main trunk does not.
> Regards
> Paul Moran
>

Paul,

These were reasonably established trees, although perhaps not in the peak of
health after a good lashing with Olive Lace Bug had weakened them. However,
most stood over a meter high and were probably 2 and a half years in the
ground, but not forced along and therefore still fairly small and bushy.

The block is the lower slopes and floor of a valley and the frost cleaned
them all up, bar one! On the valley floor is Manzanillo and on another slope
further round is Correggiola, both of which were affected but not
terminally.

I suspect the contributing factor is the light, sandy loam soil and the lack
of soil moisture during the winter. I understand that olives withstand frost
better if the soil is moist, or is this another old wives tale?

Next year we will be spraying Envy, which I've been recommended to use by a
horticulturalist friend of mine. Has anybody used this stuff? It's supposed
to form a membrane over the leaves to stop the moisture moving through the
leaves. Its also used to stop heat stress in soft leaved plants such as
grapevines.

Following several e-mails with suggestions (many thanks for all the
suggestions), Leccino it is! We are going to have a go with 30 and see how
we go.

Regards,

Mike Wilson.
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