United Kingdom 
I have an olive tree given to me which has been happy in its pot for about 5 years. It has in the past produced flowers and then micro-olives - eaten by birds! - but this year there are many small, green olives. Should these be 1)allowed to grow on, 2) be picked off and, if so 3) can they be processed at home? I should be appreciative of your comments. Thank you! Ann (Wells-Thorpe)
6 Oct, 2011
Quite often, olive trees that are grown in pots are solely a decorative variety and not intended for fruit production, however, you may be lucky. The downside is that if you want them for eating, they need to go through a quite lengthy process of pickling, or smoking or being packed in salt or left in brine or lye, or they are so bitter that they'd be inedible. However, it IS possible. I'm sure you will find recipes and directions somewhere on the internet.
Good Luck!
6 Oct, 2011