AusBonsai

Please help, look at the leaves of my tree , is it sick? What to do?





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The leaves don't look healthy so I guess there is a problem. I have not seen those symptoms first hand but have checked some olive sites to get some ideas.
Nutrient deficiency can cause yellow leaves. Consider that if you have not been feeding regularly. Sometimes soil can affect how trees take up nutrients. If you mix your own soil you should consider iron deficiency as a possibility.

Some bugs can cause yellow leaves:
Scale is the first possibility but the scales that affect olives appear to be reasonably big and should be readily seen. Check on the stems and under leaves.
Horticultural oil sprays are usually effective on scales.

Olive lace bug is another pest I have not seen but appears to make leaves speckled with white or yellow spots and eventually turn yellow.
The site says pruning off affected foliage can control lace bug but your tree probably doesn't have enough to spare. Insecticides can be used but the site I looked at does not say what sort.
Both oils and most contact insecticides usually need to be used several times to get any new hatchings and any you missed first time.

I don't usually promote systemic insecticides but something like confidor should help with both those bugs and generally does not require follow up sprays.

Thanks for taking the time to write this Neil, I suspect the soil has been too wet and maybe iron deficiencies as I use my own pomice mix... is it safe to repot now?


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I have seen olives repotted at all times of the year. A few years ago our club dug feral trees in March and all mine survived. A couple took nearly 12 months to sprout new shoots though.
This one is already sick. First choice is to try to restore health without disturbing the roots. Maybe try chelated iron or trace elements first if iron deficiency is probable?
Repotting is a last resort but if the soil is killing it then not repotting is probably worse than doing so. Lesser of 2 evils. The vast majority of my emergency repots have survived and grown better as a result of correcting the root problems even if the tree was quite sick before.

What to do must remain your choice.

Just posting a chart that might help. I find it good for anything.
[attachment=0]PlantDeficiances.jpg