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<pre>A friend and I are considering rejuvenating an old (at least 40 years) olive
grove in the Napa Valley. Besides having our heads examined, what are the
things we should be considering, as we've never done this before.

Thanks for any advise.

Alan Friedman
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<pre>Dear Alan

you can use mild treatment or severe!

Mild = remove all suckers around the base of the olive tree, cut out any
dead wood, cut canopy to 2-3 metres, remove any cross branches inside
the canopy. Lie on the ground with your head touching the trunk. Look up
throgh the canopy. You should see light. If you cannot see light, then
thin out some more. Spring should bring new shoots and some flowers on
one year old wood.

Severe = remove all suckers. If there is a single trunk, follow this up
to the scaffold branches. There should be 3- 4. Get out the saw and saw
about 0ne foot along the scaffold branches. A sorry looking olive tree!
Paint areas that are likely to get sunburnt with white flat plastic
house paint. Spring will bring new wood, but you will have to wait
another season to get flowers and fruit.

Happy cutting and sawing

Professor Stan Kailis
University of Western Australia
Perth WA
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