Harvesting Olive Trees

Are you ready to enjoy delicious homegrown fruit? Harvest is the time to enjoy the results of your hard work. Keep a few things in consideration as you reap the fruits of your labor: the best time to pick the fruit from your tree, and how to store your harvest.

NOTE: This is part 11 in a series of 11 articles. For a complete background on how to grow olive trees, we recommend starting from the beginning.

When to Harvest

  • Olives can be harvested from late August through November depending on locations and desired ripeness.
  • Olives become milder in flavor as they mature but can be picked at any point when they reach desired size, green or full ripe.
  • For fresh eating, it is best to hand pick to avoid bruising. Spread a tarp under the tree and shake the branch of the tree so the ripe olives will fall. You can beat with a broom or rake to loosen the ripe olives from taller branches.
  • Olives need to be processed immediately after picking.

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