Can olive trees withstand freezing temperatures?
In these days of snow and ice, our thoughts turn to olive trees.
Olive Growing
Amurca, a natural weed killer derived from olives
In recent times, the debate over weed killer use has once again taken centre stage. The focus now is on glyphosate, the infamous broad-spectrum herbicide that is toxic to all plants. Application of herbicides has always been a common practice in olive tree cultivation, because weeds are strong competitors for nutrient and water uptake. In …
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The fruit of the olive tree
The fruit have now reached a stage known as veraison, during which they change colour, as they start to ripen. The olives start losing some of their firmness, while increasing the concentration and quality of their oil. The duration of this process varies from cultivar to cultivar. In some, progress is slow, and oil quality …
Table olives, green or black?
“Why are some olive green and others black? Are they different varieties?” The answer may seem obvious to the expert, but is actually one of the most frequently asked by our customers, especially when they savour our giant table olives. During their first stages of development, olives are all green, because they contain chlorophyll, but …
Windfalls?
No olive should be picked from the ground, and likewise, all drupes displaying signs of olive fruit fly attack should be discarded, because the oxidation processes taking place in these fruits would cause the oil to be rancid.
Olive tree: from form and nature to symbolism
It would seem that the olive tree is a native of somewhere between the Caucasus, the Iranian plateau, the coasts of Syria and Palestine. From here it then spread to Asia Minor, Africa and Greece. In the words of Maria Vittoria Divincenzo, author of numerous botanical works: “it is a splendid plant, long-living and …
From Mount Baldo to olive oil: get ready!
Unlike other crop species such as the grapevine, which require great, all year round care, olive trees need little or no attention during the summer and autumn months. In an anonymous book dating back to the early Eighteenth century, the author – presumably a landlord living in the Garda district – describes the work …
Casaliva, a precious variety typical of the eastern shores of Lake Garda
It is said that Casaliva was chosen by the olive growers of the area because of its abundant yield of top-quality olives, which give rise to a fine, delicate oil that is a perfect condiment for many dishes. Locally, this cultivar is also known as Drizzar (i.e. to straighten out): as the name suggests, it …
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The flowers of the olive tree
After the period of dormancy and pruning, the olive trees return to life and start growing again. This is when the new leaves appear, and soon afterwards the flower buds follow. These are clustered together in an inflorescence similar to a tiny grape, locally known as mignola. This stage (in Italian, mignolatura) peaks in …
Which is the best training system?
We have asked Mr Natale Brentegani, teacher at a local agricultural school, for his opinion on this issue. Currently, various training systems are used, but the Turri family has always used the Bargioni method , which takes its name from the person who devised it (prof. Giorgio Bargioni). Mr Brentegani says that traditionally, the pruning …
