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<pre>Does anyone know what chemical is necessary to help fruit remain on tree
once they have formed after flowering. Last season we had lots of flowers
but not many fruit. This was good because the trees were only 3 years old,
but they should be old enough this season to start coping with production of
fruit. I would suppose watering would also help, but what is the chemical
requirement as in nitrogen, phosphate or potassium?

Trudy Hollinshead
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<pre>>
> Does anyone know what chemical is necessary to help fruit remain on tree
> once they have formed after flowering. Last season we had lots of flowers
> but not many fruit. This was good because the trees were only 3 years
old,
> but they should be old enough this season to start coping with production
of
> fruit. I would suppose watering would also help, but what is the chemical
> requirement as in nitrogen, phosphate or potassium?
>
> Trudy Hollinshead


Dear Trudy,

If your trees are only 4 years old the chances are that the only chemical
you will need is water.

I would be astounded if the trees have depleted the natural availability of
NAP and the like in 4 years. Nutrition is all about balance, and a good
all-round general fertiliser is always useful, but at this stage of the game
hardy essential.

Nitrogen & Potassium are highly mobile and tend to be used up much faster
than Phosphorus and Calcium as these nutrients are much slower to move
through the soil. Olive trees normally set a lot more flowers than they can
support, and a fruit-set of 10% would be regarded as fantastic, 5% a lot
more likely.
Please bear in mind that olives trees mature at about 20 years of age - much
like people. You have a 4 year old child, and its eating habits are likely
to be a bit odd for a while yet!

Regards,

Mike Wilson
Hunter Valley, NSW.
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