Expats in Croatia – Olive garden

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Post author SJ

Written by our local expert SJ

Sarah-Jane has lived in Croatia for 10+ years. SJ, as she is known, has been traveling the Balkans & beyond since 2000. She now shares her passion for traveling with her husband & kids.

Did we tell you that we are growing olives?

Growing olive trees is (mostly) low maintenance. Yet it takes around 5 years to get enough olives (masline) on your trees to produce enough olive oil to last you the year. So that is why back in 2010, we decided to plant olives in Croatia, on land we inherited as an investment for future olive oil (maslinovo ulje) production and, more importantly, consumption.

expat olive gardens
Little buds of goodness

We now have almost 50 trees and plan to plant another 20 trees in the near future. We have planted a Croatian olive variety called the Orkula, also known as Oblica, depending on where you are from. These olive trees produce large olives, which makes them easy to pick when harvesting.

Unfortunately for us, we have another 2 years to wait before we start getting enough olives to make oil. Until then, I hope you enjoy the wander through our olive garden in these photos.

You can also read our expat adventures in winemaking and or why not take a look at one of the tasty Croatian recipes we’ve shared.

expat olive gardening
Garden number 1
expat olives
Garden number 2
expat olive tree
The branch needed just a little support to keep it from snapping, until it matures.
expat olive
The future olive oil that will be in my kitchen
expat in the olive gardening
These fell off the tree early. No good for olive oil, but still good in the oven as a snack.
expat olive garden
Getting bigger and bushier by the day
expat in the olive garden
My boys playing in the dirt – country life is fun!
expat olives
1, 2, 3, 4, 5…..

Have you ever grown olives? Any tricks you’d care to share?

Comments (31)

  1. Beautiful photos. And lucky you, how amazing to make your own olive oil. I am growing more envious of your Croatian life by the day!!

  2. I planted two masline 3 or 4 years ago and they haven’t grown very much still, so sorry I don’t have any “tricks” to share. I do, however, have access to the olives from mature groves belonging to friends.

    1. Damn, I hope ours grow. Do you remove the weeds / grass from around base? I’ve learnt that, that is a good way to help them grow. Until then, enjoy the oil from your friends I say :)

  3. I love olives so much and would probably explode to see your fantastic garden. I know we joke about it- but I really would like to swing in for a visit if we can ever get it together and plan a trip there!

    1. Yes, we should arrange something of some kind. I’d suggest you stay in Europe AT LEAST one more year, then you can come and stay at our house and have the 2 guest rooms for you and the boys and we can walk across the road to the beach and sip on home made wine.

  4. How cool is it that to have all those olive trees and you can snack on them and make your own oil. I never realized how much maintenance and patience it seems to grow one. I’m loving reading all about your country life.

    1. Thanks Mary, I feel so blessed with my life right now & even more os that others are enjoying sharing the journey with me. Thanks for coming back xx

  5. Splendid photos! I am jealous of the space, I wish we could grow the olive trees. Beautiful, simply beautiful!

  6. Can’t offer any tips, I’m afraid – We have one olive tree which provides us sufficient fruit to preserve & eat. Good luck with yours! x

  7. I love your olive fields! How wonderful 2015 will be when you can begin to produce oil! :-)
    Kenley

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