Olive trees love sunny Mediterranean weather, but what if you live where winters are chilly? Don’t worry – with the right precautions, you can still grow and enjoy an olive tree even in colder regions. Olive tree cold weather protection is all about helping your tree survive freezing temperatures. In this guide, we’ll cover Arbequina olive tree winter care for gardeners in frosty climates (including tips for those in Zone 7). From moving potted olives indoors to insulating outdoor trees, here’s how to keep your Arbequina olive tree safe and healthy through winter.
Understanding Olive Tree Cold Tolerance
Arbequina olive trees are more cold-tolerant than many other olive varieties, but they still have their limits. Generally, an Arbequina can handle brief dips to around 15–20°F (-9 to -6°C) once established. Sustained temperatures below that can cause damage. In climates colder than USDA Zone 8, winter protection is essential. For context, Zone 7 can see lows around 0–10°F (-18 to -12°C) in winter – far colder than an olive tree prefers. If you’re in Zone 7 (or anywhere with regular hard freezes), you’ll need to plan ahead to protect your olive tree during the coldest months. The goal is to keep your tree above its critical temperature threshold (ideally no lower than the mid-20s °F) and shielded from harsh wind and frost.
Preparing Your Olive Tree for Winter
As autumn arrives, help your olive get ready for dormancy. Stop fertilizing by late summer and avoid pruning in fall, so the tree can harden off any new growth before frost. As temperatures drop, scale back watering slightly (waterlogged soil can freeze and harm roots), but don’t let the soil go bone dry. Ensure the site has good drainage because standing water combined with cold is very risky for olives.
Protecting Potted Olive Trees in Winter
If your Arbequina is in a pot, bring it indoors or into a sheltered area before hard frost. A cool spot like an unheated sunroom, garage, or bright porch works well – somewhere above freezing but not toasty warm. Indoors, give the tree as much light as possible (near a window or under grow lights) and water sparingly (the soil dries out slower in winter). Keep it away from heat vents or radiators. Your olive might shed a few leaves as it adjusts; that’s normal. Once spring arrives and frosts ease up, you can move it back outside gradually.
Tip: If a potted olive tree must stay outside, place it in a protected corner (for example, next to a south-facing wall) and wrap the container with insulating material to guard the roots. You can also cover the entire plant with frost cloth on the coldest nights for extra protection.
Protecting In-Ground Olive Trees from Freezing
For an Arbequina planted in the ground, you’ll need to shield it during winter weather:
- Mulch the Base: Pile 4–6 inches of straw, dry leaves, or wood chips over the root area to insulate the roots from deep freezes.
- Wrap the Tree: Wrap the trunk with burlap for insulation. During extreme cold, drape a frost blanket or burlap over the whole tree (secure it to the ground to trap warmth, like a tent). Remember to remove or vent the cover on sunny days.
- Add Gentle Heat (Optional): In a severe cold snap, hang old-style (non-LED) Christmas lights in the tree before you cover it. The little bit of heat they give off can help keep temperatures a few degrees warmer under the cover.
Also, try to shield your olive from frigid winds if possible (a nearby fence or windbreak can help). Check the soil occasionally during winter, and water lightly during any prolonged dry spells or mid-winter warm-ups.
Arbequina Olive Tree Winter Care in Zone 7
In USDA Zone 7, it’s safest to overwinter Arbequina olives in containers indoors, because temperatures can drop below the tree’s limits. If your olive is planted in the ground, use all the protection methods described – thick mulch, wrapping, and covering – to give it the best chance. Understand that if temperatures plunge into the single digits (°F) or below, the tree may still suffer damage. Often, an established olive in Zone 7 will die back to the ground in a harsh winter but may regrow from the roots in spring if the root zone was well insulated. Be prepared to prune away any dead branches once new growth appears.
With some planning and care, even cold-climate gardeners can keep an Arbequina olive tree alive and thriving through winter. Whether you bring your tree inside or wrap it up outside, the effort is worth it to preserve this beautiful, productive plant. Cold-climate olive growing is possible – it just takes a little extra care on those freezing nights. Stay warm, and so will your olive tree!
If you’re excited to grow olives but live in a challenging climate, consider trying an Arbequina in a container for flexibility. You can find more details on this hardy variety (and get one of your own) at our [Arbequina Tree Product Page]. Here’s to a successful overwintering and a thriving olive tree next year!