Few plants suit a South African garden like an olive tree. They love our Mediterranean climate, shrug off drought once established, stay green all year and look magnificent flanking a doorway or standing sentinel on a patio. Grow one in a pot, though, and the pot itself makes or breaks the tree. Here is how to get it right.

The short answer on size

A young olive (roughly a 20 to 30cm bag size) is happy in a pot around 40 to 45cm wide and deep. An established or larger tree wants 50 to 60cm or more across, and that becomes its long-term home. As a rule of thumb, choose a pot about 5 to 10cm wider than the root ball, then size up every two to three years until the tree reaches its forever pot. With olives, a little too big beats a little too small every time.

Why depth and weight matter

Olives are wind-catchers with vigorous roots, so depth gives them anchorage and a wide, heavy base keeps a top-heavy tree upright through a Highveld thunderstorm or a coastal southeaster. Drainage is non-negotiable too: olives hate wet feet. Make sure your pot has proper drainage holes and add a layer of stones or LECA at the base before you plant.

Concrete or lightweight?

For a permanent tree at ground level, on a patio or by an entrance, a hand-cast concrete feature pot gives you the weight, stability and timeless look an olive deserves. If it is going on a balcony or rooftop, or you simply want to move it around, a large lightweight Japi planter gives you the same generous size without the load.

Planting and care tips

Use a free-draining potting mix with a little sand or perlite. Give your olive full sun, water deeply and then let it dry out before the next drink, which suits our water-wise gardens perfectly. Feed in spring and summer. Young trees appreciate a sheltered spot in frost-prone areas, and a top-dressing of pebbles keeps the roots cool through summer.

Ready to plant yours? Browse our feature pots and lightweight planters, or pop into any of our four stores in Johannesburg, KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town and we will help you match the perfect pot to your olive.