Within our olive groves we are in the botanical phase of veraison! At this time, the epicarp of the olive, commonly known as the peel, is turning in color from green to reddish brown.
This phase is now taking place in regions with a still mild climate, such as Puglia! Walking in the fields you can admire the wonderful palette of colors that nature offers us at this moment. But how do you get here?
The ripening process of the olives is a path divided into phenological phases, the first of which is a herbaceous stage characterized by the swelling of the drupe, immediately green in color, within which the process of chlorophyll photosynthesis takes place with the production of starch. and synthesis of sugars, and a progressive increase of the oil content; it all takes place during the summer, concentrating on the month of August!
We proceed with the veraison which involves the color change of the epicarp, but above all the inolition of the fruit, therefore we will have a peak of the oil content in the olive. This phase takes place from the end of September until the end of October and will continue until December.
The ripening of the olive is the last phenological phase, in which the fruit has now turned completely to the black color, but we specify that reaching this phase is not always synonymous with a higher oil content, in fact the inolition process is attested constant from the end of October onwards! Therefore it is advisable to pay close attention to the olive harvest period! Knowing our olive grove, the varieties of olive trees present and taking care of it will help us to make an optimal harvest!
In the meantime, let’s enjoy the show!
