Olive Cultivation - RoviesOlives

Olive cultivation

1) Pruning : In mature trees, pruning is mainly required to renew the fruiting surface of the tree, achieve higher yields, maintain vegetative growth of fruiting shoots, maintain the skeleton structure, contain tree size, favor light penetration and air circulation inside the canopy, permit control of pests and diseases, prevent aging of the canopy, and eliminate dead wood. Under certain circumstances, pruning can be required to alleviate the effect of stress caused by environmental factors, to re-form the canopy after damage by frosts, fire and pests, to rejuvenate old or abandoned trees.

2) Fertilizing   : We carry out soil tests to establish type and quantity of the organic fertilizers necessary. The organic fertilizers we use are mainly based on  manures and composted vegetative materials.

3)  Pest control  :  Traditionally the pest control methods in Rovies were environmental  friendly. The main enemy of the table olive is the small olive fruit fly called bactrocera olea (Dacus).

In view of the fact that about 95% of the olive grove is organically
cultivated, the population is recorded carefully on a weekly basis
using about 60 Mcfail traps evenly spread throughout the olive
grove, bait traps are used very densely placed on the trees and if
the population increases dangerously then a cover spray with an
insect repellent is sprayed on all production on the trees.   
( http://orgprints.org/10205/1/Perri_et_al_IOBC_Kaolin.pdf)

4) Irrigation :  All the olive grove is irrigated mainly by a micro sprinklers on every tree. Water comes from the Geranias river and several deep wells.

5) Tree clearing :  The undergrowth is cleared by mechanical means, not by herbicides.

6) Collection :  The collection which is done by hand is the most important work carried out and the most costly. We start collecting Green olives from early September until mid October, blond olives from mid October and natural black olives from beginning November until mid December.