Spring is now fully underway, and we are approaching the middle of the season. This is the time when we can draw useful conclusions about the condition of the trees and observe the development of their growth.

A quick inspection of the olive groves confirms our observations: the trees are in very good condition, thanks to a rainy and fairly cool winter. Their growth is still at an early stage, of course depending on the location of each grove. Therefore, it is not yet possible to make reliable predictions about the proportion of shoots that will be flowering versus those that will be vegetative, meaning those that will produce new leaves and branches.

In the coming weeks, especially once flowering begins, it will be particularly important for temperatures to remain mild and for no extreme weather events, such as storms, to occur. For the next 3–4 weeks, we’ll be holding our breath and keeping an eye on the weather!

At this stage, we will strengthen the trees with a foliar fertilization using a combination of boron and seaweed extract. Boron is essential for olives and helps with flower formation and fruit set (as well as vegetative growth), while seaweed extract stimulates vegetative growth, enhances the tree’s stress resistance, and improves fruit quality. Elton is off to attend to what is necessary!