How to Revive a Young Black Olive Tree From Frost Damage

Remove frost damaged olives from the tree. Olives affected by frost appear wrinkled or blistered on the exterior. Slicing the fruit open with a knife might reveal discoloration around the edges or several brown spots throughout the flesh. Grasp the stem the olive is growing on with one hand and pull the fruit straight down with the other. This prevents the young olive tree from spending valuable energy trying to repair the fruit.

Protect the young olive tree from further frost damage while it heals. Until spring, the best treatment for the young olive tree is to allow it to recover in a protected environment. Wrap the trunk in weatherproof paper to help insulate it, protecting it from cold. Replace the paper frequently to prevent rotting. Cover the olive tree’s entire canopy with a blanket at night to aid in retaining heat it gained throughout the day. Do not wrap the blanket around the trunk; let it hang down to catch rising warm air from the ground. Strand lighting can also provide minor levels of heat when draped around the olive tree’s branches. Avoid using both a blanket and strand lighting on the branches, as this creates a fire hazard. Remove the frost protection once all danger of low temperature has passed.

Prune rotting branches from the olive tree in the spring. Waiting for spring ensures you can differentiate between branches that have died and branches that can recover. Examine the entire tree to locate brown, rotting branches. Scrape away a bit of bark with a sharp knife to locate dead branches. If the exposed wood is brown, remove the branch; if it is green, leave it. Cut the branch directly beneath the dead area -- no closer than half an inch to the tree’s trunk -- with sharp pruning shears. Make the cut as clean as possible to prevent additional injury.

Apply a layer of pruning paint with a paintbrush to all areas the pruning exposed. Pruning paint prevents sunburn and infection, increasing the likelihood that the young olive tree will recover. Ensure the pruning paint covers the entire cut area.