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Is it possible to grow olives outside of Greece?

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greek_ggirl

greek_ggirl

Active member
This is for all of the users that have a green thumb.... I've always wanted to grow olives in my backyard, but part of me thinks that they will never taste as good as the ones that I get from Greece. Is it even worth trying? For a little bit of context, I live in Montreal where the summers are warm but the winters are pretty cold and snowy. Has anyone tried this out themselves?
 
greek_ggirl said:
This is for all of the users that have a green thumb.... I've always wanted to grow olives in my backyard, but part of me thinks that they will never taste as good as the ones that I get from Greece. Is it even worth trying? For a little bit of context, I live in Montreal where the summers are warm but the winters are pretty cold and snowy. Has anyone tried this out themselves?
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I didn't think olives grew well in climates like that? They wouldn't survive the winter - but maybe if you had the tree indoors or in a greenhouse?
 
k_tsoukalas said:
I didn't think olives grew well in climates like that? They wouldn't survive the winter - but maybe if you had the tree indoors or in a greenhouse?
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I live in New Jersey and we leave our olive tree out starting in May until October. Then bring in to basement with grow lights. Get lots of olives. Good luck.
 
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Dluciani4 said:
I live in New Jersey and we leave our olive tree out starting in May until October. Then bring in to basement with grow lights. Get lots of olives. Good luck.
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Wow this is an amazing idea. Does it take a lot of work to keep the plants from dying when you bring them inside? I would love to get started on this project
 
greggd12 said:
Wow this is an amazing idea. Does it take a lot of work to keep the plants from dying when you bring them inside? I would love to get started on this project
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Not at all. We have it in a large pot and wheel it in. We have grow lights on a timer and maybe water it every 3-4 weeks during the winter.
 
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Ingredients:​

  • 1 jar of grape leaves (about 60-70 leaves)
  • 1 cup short-grain rice
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • Salt and pepper to taste
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Instructions:​

  1. Prepare the Grape Leaves:
    • If using grape leaves preserved in brine, rinse them well under cold water to remove excess salt. If using fresh grape leaves, blanch them in boiling water for about 1 minute, then drain and rinse with cold water. Trim off any stems.
  2. Prepare the Filling:
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    • Fold the bottom of the leaf over the filling, then fold in the sides, and roll tightly into a small cylinder.
    • Repeat with the remaining grape leaves and filling, arranging the rolled dolmades seam-side down in a large pot or deep skillet, packing them snugly together.
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    • Pour enough water into the pot to just cover the dolmades.
    • Place a heatproof plate or lid directly on top of the dolmades to keep them submerged during cooking.
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