Olive trees nicely in a row.

Nederlands talige teksten

In some areas of Crete the olives trees grow nicely in a row. The majority of the trees is not too old and are planted especially for the production of olives.

The harvest is best when the olive tree has enough sunlight and water. Therefore it is useless to plant as many trees as possible on a piece of land. It’s also more efficient to leave some space between the trees. That way it is easier to drape the netting to catch the olives and the risk of getting branches in the face when walking in the field is smaller.

Also it’s an advantage for irrigation. The pipes that supply the water can be put down straight and irrigate the trees by means of small holes. During the dry summer season it is also possible to plough the ground so the water can get to the roots easier.