Potted olive trees can be left outdoors until freezing temperatures. Listen to the weather reports closely. If temperatures are expected to drop to freezing within the next few days bring the tree indoors and place it in a sunny location and water as needed. Potted olive trees cannot be wrapped in freeze cloth and left outside. Wrapping is good for only in ground rooted trees. If the temperature during certain periods during the winter go above 40 degrees(F) take the tree outside for some good sunshine and bring indoors at night until nighttime temps don't go below 40.

P.S. I am now having a flashback to a time where, every October, I would help my grandfather wrap up his two fig trees in preparation for the coming winter.

Eclectic, it is common practice in the UK to wrap up trees that are in pots to protect them through the winter. I doubt many folks could give house room to two 7 foot trees. Greengrass where are you in the UK and how long have you had the trees.

As Moon Grower implies, where you are in the UK is critical regarding what to do with your olives over winter. Here in London, I have two olive trees in a client's garden which have been there through the last 2 winters, unprotected, and come through unscathed - but I'm not too sure what would have happened to them in, say, Wigan or Scotland, where I'd be taking precautions of some kind, depending on the situation, particularly if they're in pots.

Greengrass99's question was " do I need to bring in my 7 foot olive trees indoors---". My answer to her was specific to her question. Fortunately gg99 has the room, for gg had no concerns about her capability to bring them indoors in her question. Also, gg did not mention how many trees were at play here so my answer referred to a singular tree since I did not know the number she had. I used an absolute " potted olive trees cannot be wrapped in freeze cloth and left outside." as a failsafe statement since I did not know the depth and duration of subfreezing temperatures in gg99's location. Common practice might not have been the best practice with regards to gg99's situation.

Essentially, Eclectic, there's not sufficient information in Greengrass's question to provide a tailored and complete answer... You just chose a different route to deal with that, by offering sensible general advice - MG and I chose to ask for clarification before giving a detailed answer.

Bet you're glad you asked that question GG99?! Best not chip in my twopennethworth of advice at this stage,though ... mmm?.... If they were my trees i'd be considering migrating to southern Spain with them til late Spring, then reporting the successful overwintering on my return!

GG99 chose to reply to me by sending a PM GG99 could you actually respond here please so that everyone can read.

'Southern' Spain not necessary Pajo. I'm in Northern Spain and my little olive tree has come through the last two winters without any problems or any fussing.

Hand luggage do you think Pajo?

Fabulous Nariz,fabulous! Then north would suffice... & Ginellie,good thought,but no carbon footprinting me would have to think of another method of getting there anyway if I'm to also include my many cats..& theres the geraniums. Fuschias to consider too...well, most of my garden tbh...& all the plants I care for on behalf of others etc,etc... container hire do you reckon? Or stay put & bite the Winter bullet? Things can be so complicated at times,lol