Hey everyone!!
If you’ve ever looked at a grove of olive trees and thought, “Maybe I could do that,” you’re in the right place.
Home Growing & Pressing is where we get into the real-world challenges (and the incredible satisfaction) of producing olive oil on a small scale — whether that’s 3 trees in a backyard or 300 trees on a hillside.
A Few Things to Know About Growing Olive Trees at Home
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Olive trees are hardy, but they do have their needs:
Well-draining soil, full sun (at least 6+ hours a day), and a bit of patience.
They’re drought-tolerant once established, but young trees do better with regular watering. -
Fruit production takes time.
A seedling might take 5–8 years to bear meaningful fruit.
If you start with a grafted tree or a potted cultivar, you might see small harvests in 2–3 years. -
Pruning matters.
A well-shaped tree isn’t just prettier — it produces better fruit, makes harvest easier, and keeps the tree healthy.
(And yes, you can absolutely prune for size if you have limited space.) -
Pollination needs vary.
Some olive varieties are self-fertile, others need a second cultivar nearby to ensure good fruit set.
Always check when you’re selecting your trees.
Pressing Oil at Home: What’s Realistic?
Making good olive oil on a hobby scale is possible — but it’s not as simple as just crushing olives and getting oil.
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Timing is critical.
Olives should be processed within 24 hours of harvest (sooner is better) to minimize oxidation and preserve flavor. -
DIY setups can work — hand-crank presses, small electric mills, and even custom rigs people build themselves.
That said, producing truly high-quality extra virgin oil at home requires controlling temperature, minimizing oxygen exposure, and separating solids carefully. -
Yields can vary a lot.
Depending on the variety and ripeness, you might get 10–25% oil by weight from your fruit.
Early harvest olives (high polyphenols) produce less oil, but often better flavor and shelf life. -
It’s messy, a little unpredictable, and hugely rewarding.
(And yes, your first oil will taste different — fresher, wilder — compared to most store-bought bottles.)
Some Topics We’ll Dive Into Here:
- Selecting the right cultivars for your climate
- How to manage pests like olive fruit fly organically
- Home-scale harvesting techniques
- Best small-scale equipment (and when DIY works vs when it doesn’t)
- How to taste and assess your own oil
- Bottling and storing your homemade oil safely
Making your own olive oil — even just a few liters — connects you to centuries of tradition.
It teaches patience, respect for the tree, and a deep understanding of what “real” olive oil actually is.
It’s not about perfection; it’s about learning by doing.
So whether you’re just planting your first sapling or you’re pressing your fiftieth harvest — you’re part of the story.
Welcome to the Home Growing & Pressing section. Can’t wait to see what you’re working on!
Luca 
Tags:
tag:home-olive-oil tag:olive-tree-growing tag:diy-olive-oil tag:backyard-olive-grove tag:olive-oil-pressing