• Gallard Pruning Services John Gallard 0428 761 798 , john@gallardservices.com.au Servicing Hunter Valley and other areas upon request.
  
• Mulching service Peter Birch - Thunderbolt's Olives 0428 669 157 , thunderboltsolives@bigpond.com Mulches wood up to 300mm diameter Servicing NSW areas

• EV Olives Wenbo 203 Everton Road, Markwood VIC 3678 PH: 03 5727 0209, Email: wenbowwu@hotmail.com Service: Contract Bottling & Cask Filling
  
• Fini Olives Jim Hollingworth 237 Orange Springs Road, Regan's Ford, Gin Gin WA 6503 PH: 08 9259 4131, Email: jimh@finiolives.com.au

• Costa - Mount Camel Mechanical Harvesting Contractors servicing around the Mount Camel area with New Generation Sicma B411 Plus call 0488 010 173
• John Daniel - Tarlia Olive Estate Servicing NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC & WA John Daniel resides in Lewiston on the outskirts of Adelaide, SA. Email: jtdaniel@adam.com.au
• Peter Haslett - Haslett Harvesting PO Box 164 Paringa, SA 5340 mail@haslettharvesting.com.au 08 8595 8046  (AH) Servicing SA.
• Puma Olive Harvesting Self propelled tractor mounted shaker.Capable of 1T/hr. Contact: Fran Goryan Ph: 0408 897 869  or 08 8823 3287 Servicing SA only.
  
• Andrew Bucknell Ph: 02 6343 7101  or 0428 232 798 bucknell@westnet.com.au 6 years experience, Sicma F3 harvester Looking to expand into QLD and SA Click here to download information for Andrew Bucknell
  
• Preston Valley Grove Sicma Speedy Harvester Contact Mick Ryan for more info Ph: 0419 907 701 , email:info@prestonvalleygrove.com.au
  
• Barilla Olive Harvesting Lot 286 Stebonheath Rd, Munno Para Downs. S.A. 5015 Shaker Harvesting, grove layout is important, please book early. Servicing South Australia Contact: Steve Barilla Ph: 0411 402 405 , email:bariloil@tpg.com.au
  
• National Olive Harvesters Pty. Ltd. 1 Nelson Road Lameroo S.A. 5302 Over-the-row Style Harvesting,Shaker Harvesting Servicing: ACT,NSW,QLD,SA,TAS,VIC & WA Contact: Ian Mead Ph:0885774062 or 0427879125 E-mail: iwmead@internode.on.net
  
• EV Olives Wenbo Wu 203 Everton Road, Markwood VIC 3678 PH: 03 5727 0209 or 0408 519 955, Email: wenbowwu@hotmail.com Service: Contract harvesting New generation harvester, small or large jobs, bin hire, fruit transport  & processing
  

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Girdling is a readily used practice in citrus and stone fruit orchards where it is typically used as a technique to increase fruit size.

Biennial bearing can be a serious problem in olive trees which can result in heavy crop losses to producers.  Under non-irrigated conditions, yields can fall substantially or drop to zero making the production year uneconomical to harvest.  Girdling may be a practice if done under the right conditions and timing could increase the production of an olive tree.

What does Girdling or cincturing involve?

Girdling also known as cincturing which is a horticultural practice involving eliminating up to a 1.5cm strip of bark around the trunk to stop the translocation of photosynthates to the root system.  A girdling knife or cincturing tool is used to cut the bark of the olive tree.

Researchers in Israel*  found that 15mm scaffolds covered with CaCO3 mineral oil and wax or PVC cover were most effective in facilitating wound healing.  PVC treatment was more rapid in wound healing.   During the first prevailing year after girdling found a 40% in increase yield.  Another study from Spain~ that looked into optimal widths and timing found that removing a 15mm band of bark 30 days before full bloom increased the fruit weight from 3.9g in the ungirdled trial to 4.7g.

Wounds with untreated scaffolds in the Israel study saw a drop in yield.

The width of the scaffold and healing duration as well as the time of year in which the girdling was carried out all had bearing on an increase or decrease in production.  The Israel study found that girdling olive trees increased the yield in the season following treatment with later girdling causing an increase in fruit set only.

Several scaffolds were used in the studies from 30mm to 5mm where the 5mm girdles were reported to heal too quickly and had no effect on increased production.

It was also noted that trees that were about to produce a high yield did not respond to girdling and in some cases actually reduced the yield.  Long-term studies need to be conducted to ascertain if alternate scaffold girdling should be considered.

The studies were interesting because there is potential that girdling practiced correctly in an olive grove may have a positive outcome for increased yield output however, the width of the girdle, healing timing, and time of year need to be taken into account when considering employing this technique in a commercial grove and can also have a positive effect on production in the alternate bearing years.

* STUDY

ABSTRACT

The effect of scaffold girdling on the productivity of olive trees was studied on four cultivars grown under intensive irrigated conditions. Girdling increased the yield when done in midwinter (December-February) and to a lesser extent in April. A girdling width of 10-15 mm covered with PVC tape was most effective and promoted rapid healing. Uncovered girdling wounds healed very slowly, with a resultant decline of the scaffold. Girdling increased both inflorescence formation and fruit set. With cv Manzanillo young scaffolds were more responsive than old ones. The responses of different scaffolds on the same tree to girdling were independent of each other. The degree of response of a scaffold to girdling depended on the potential yield of the scaffold in the year of treatment. No direct prevailing effect of the girdling on of the following year's yield was noted.  

Read the full study:  Girdling olive trees, a partial solution to biennial bearing. I. Methods, timing and direct tree response: Journal of Horticultural Science: Vol 58, No 2

~ STUDY

Olive tree girdling: optimum timing and width

López-Rivares, E. P. ;  Suárez-García, M. P.

Escuela Universitaria de Ingeniería Técnica Agrícola, Seville, Spain.

ABSTRACT

Six-year-old multi-trunk olive trees (cv. Manzanilla) growing under controlled irrigation in an 'off' year were girdled at monthly intervals from 15 Dec. to 15 Apr., removing 10 mm-wide rings of bark. In a separate trial, trees of the same cultivar growing under similar conditions were girdled by removing a 5-, 10- or 15-mm-wide ring of bark in Apr., i.e. a month before full bloom. Ungirdled trees served as controls. Girdling date had no significant effect on either flowering or fruit set. Removing a 15-mm-band of bark at 30 days before full bloom increased individual fruit weight from 3.9 g in the ungirdled control to 4.7 g.

Read the full study:  Olive tree girdling: optimum timing and widths.

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“Olive trees must put out fresh growth each year to produce fruit.”

Training shapes the tree to support efficient harvesting and encourage early production

When trees reach the canopy size best suited to their environment, yields may begin to drop. This often happens because the inner canopy receives limited sunlight, leading to leaf loss and a reduced Leaf-to-Wood Ratio. If a tree grows beyond its ideal size, it creates challenges for mechanical harvesters. Excess height and width, along with thick branches, can strain or damage harvesting equipment, reduce fruit removal efficiency, and slow the harvest. Because olive trees need to produce new shoots annually to maintain fruiting, consistent growth is essential—and pruning becomes an important management practice. Pruning improves fruit size, oil content, light penetration, and the Leaf-to-Wood Ratio. It also stimulates fresh growth and lowers water and fertiliser demand. 

1- TREE TRAINING 

Purpose: Establish early productivity with stronger yields, extend the productive lifespan of the tree, enhance fruit quality, and prepare trees for the harvesting system used in the grove. 

Timing: Training occurs within the first three years of the tree’s development. 

In the first year, pruning is minimal (assuming nursery trees arrive with a good structure). Remove lower or overly vigorous branches that compete with the central leader. The goal is to maintain an upright main trunk with outward-growing horizontal branches. Water shoots should be removed so they do not compete for nutrients and moisture.

During the second and third years, gradually remove lower branches below approximately 600–1000 mm. 

A balance is essential. Removing too much canopy reduces the tree’s photosynthetic area, slowing its progress until new growth resumes.

Light pruning involves removing only small sections of foliage (such as a few short shoots), which keeps the tree stable. This can be done from August through late May. 

Heavy pruning removes larger amounts of foliage, prompting a stronger regrowth response but also increasing frost risk. Heavy cuts should generally be delayed until late September unless conditions are warm enough to begin earlier. 

Tree training may also include tying and skirting as part of shaping and preparation.

2- PRODUCTION 

Young trees contain many non-productive branches because they are still actively growing. Once these branches mature and begin producing fruit, they eventually become exhausted and stop fruiting. At that point, they need to be removed to make room for new productive growth and renewal of the canopy. 

LoIf the bloom is light, pruning should focus mainly on non-productive wood to preserve as much fruiting potential as possible. In years with heavy bloom, pruning can be more assertive without significantly reducing the crop. 

Timing: From bud break through early December.

3- AFTER HARVEST (CLEANING) 

The goal at this stage is to remove large damaged branches left behind after mechanical harvest. This step can be postponed by applying copper after harvest and waiting until spring to remove the affected wood.

Read More: ● Marcelo Berlanda ● Mechanical Pruning ● Mechanical Harvesting