Olive Tree Pruning

Olives grow on second-year growth. In order to produce a healthy olive harvest, the trees are pruned each year, removing about 25% of the volume of wood and promoting healthily lateral growth. Tree pruning promotes healthy airflow and makes it easier for the olives to be picked. Using air-compressor driven tools, the local orchard managers cut huge volumes of wood each spring, which are piled up, and on wet and cloudy days, burned.