Hi, I have a couple of baby olive trees which I have in a plater outdoors. Lots and lots of hot sun but one of them is really struggling. From the base of the trunk (it's only 3/4" wide) it has sort of spidered out to 7 spindly branches but there is no leaf growth for about 10 inches so it looks very weird! Have added some photos at the link below. Am wondering if I was to brutally prune it to the base again, will it grow back? The other one is doing much better and is in the same spot, pot and soil. Different species though I think. Any help and guidance would be much appreciated. I'm pretty black thumbed! http://www.inhongkong.hk/homestuff/oliver.html

Unless 'Arbequina' is a self maintaining seed strain you would have to be buying clonal stock (as in ones grown from "branch cuttings") to get the true item. However, the common sales pitch that container grown nursery stock does better because it can be planted without the roots being disturbed falls apart as soon as the grower leaves the plants in the same pots too long and deforms the roots. In which case these roots need to be pulled open etc. at planting if a defective specimen is not to be installed on the final planting site. Otherwise the tree or shrub may fall over or girdle itself many years in the future. Many kinds of woody nursery plants are also grown in containers because these types are intolerant of being moved bare rooted or otherwise having most of their fine feeder roots cut off or dried out. (Even with balling in burlap most of the small roots are lost when the plant is dug). A broad leaved evergreen such as the olive would be expected to fall within this group - if you find you have been sent pot bound stock (a universal problem) you may discover when you work on the roots at planting that the top shows adverse reactions like wilting or shriveling; all you can do is coddle the new planting with shading, frequent watering and mulching (this last should be standard practice anyway) and assume it is going to pull through. It's either that or plant something with bad roots and hope that circumstance will not come back to bite later. I wouldn't bank on any olive tree being a lasting outdoor specimen in USDA 7.

While olives may be quite drought tolerant when established, they DO appreciate watering during very dry spells. It is suggested to water 1-2 times per month in summer, with a slow deep soaking (not a sprinkler) - no water in winter. A soaker hose or drip irrigation are very efficient methods of slow water delivery. Flowering and fruit production depends heavily on proper pruning practices. Production is heaviest on one year old wood and you want the tree canopy to be vase shaped, open and airy. There is an old Italian saying regarding olives that you want to prune them so that a "swallow can fly through them", meaning that light and air are allowed to penetrate into the center of the tree. This link offer good pruning tips and a helpful video. What is causing the dieback is impossible to determine from just the photos. If you resided in this country, I'd suggest taking in photos and samples to a plant pathology specialist (via extension service) for diagnosis but not sure what similar services you may have in Turkey. This link provides an excellent overview of olive care and cultural requirements plus outlines a number of disease pathogens - some quite serious - that can affect olives in a manner similar to what you are seeing. Regardless, any dead portions should be removed but until you are able to ascertain exactly what is causing the problem, I would suggest sterilizing any pruning equipment between cuts. But my first order of business would be to locate someone local to you to properly diagnose any possible disease issues.

Thanks David, I took some sample cuttings down to my local nursery, and they identified it as Wooly Aphids. I think I caught it early enough and I've given the tree a good washing. I'll wait and see...