By Emilylouisa
United Kingdom 
I bought an olive tree(in a major supermarket!) this year. I supect it may have been grafted onto a dwarfing rootstock as its trunk is only 15" high which hasn't changed over the course of the summer although overall it has gained 2'6". Should this be brought in for the winter or would putting something like bubblewrap around it's pot be sufficient if I put it against a west facing wall?
31 Aug, 2011
Answers
I'm in North East London and I have 2 olive trees outside. They both survived last winter - I have them in the sunniest, most sheltered corner, the pots are kept off the floor with those little feet thingys to keep the air circulating and I did put a bit of fleece over them on the worst days. Also knock the snow off as it bends the branches. In the spring there were a few dodgy looking leaves and branches and I gave them a light prune. They have rewarded me with lots of new growth. The trick is I find is because they are in pots to keep them watered well in the growing season and then as it gets cooler to not water as much. Hope this helps! There is a pic of them in my pictures if you wanted to have a look. :)
31 Aug, 2011
Remember that plants only grow from the tips--a 15" tall trunk this year will be 15" tall 20 years from now, unless you cut the lower branches off.
31 Aug, 2011
Whereabouts are you in the UK Emilylouisa? Expected winter temperatures vary depending on where you are. There is an olive tree growing in the ground in our village - in Cornwall, but I don't think they would grow like that everywhere.
31 Aug, 2011