A typically Mediterranean plant, the olive likes mild and sufficiently rainy winters and rather dry –though- not arid summers. It is very resistant to cold winters, though the  crop can be  damaged for a sudden drop of temperature: e.g. when it falls below 0° centigrades or when it drops more than 6°C for some hours. The perfect conditions for photosynthesis are when  temperatures are about 25-26°C. During blossoming the ideal temperature is about 10-12°C, while during fruit-setting it is 20°C.

During the year the plant goes through the following stages

- beginning of vegetative functions: from the end of February to the beginning of March

- blossoming: beginning of June

- developing of fruits: end of August

- ripening: from 20^th Spetember to 10^th October

Not very demanding from the point of view of soil composition, the olive tree can grow in  stony and limy soils alike; of course the plant produces larger quantities of olives when the soil is fertile and has a good drainage. It does not like steep  slopes or clay and dump soils which can cause root rottening.

  The olive tree is not excessively water demanding, but when the season is rather dry, it can be useful to provide some irrigation in order to reduce the lack of water and help the tree: it has been observed that in case of severe draught drupes do not develop fully and their mesocarp is harder