In the Viterbo Tuscia, quality extra virgin olive oil also comes from farming practices carried out with care. Among these, the pruning of the olive trees is one of the most important: it improves the health of the trees and has a direct effect on the quality of the harvest, and therefore of the EVO oil. It is work that shows only months later, at harvest and at the mill.
Why pruning is essential
Good pruning keeps the balance between vegetative growth and olive production. It lets light penetrate the canopy and encourages air circulation, reducing the problems linked to humidity and disease such as peacock spot, common in the groves of the Viterbo area. A well-managed canopy also makes harvesting easier and reduces stress on the tree. Pruning is generally done once a year, between late winter and early spring, removing dry or diseased branches, suckers and shoots, and keeping the shape in check. The best approach is gradual: measured interventions every year are better than occasional drastic pruning, because a cut that is excessive or neglected can harm the fruit and, in turn, the oil.
Our method
At Frantoio Cesare Battisti in Vetralla, founded in 1919, we apply pruning aimed at obtaining healthy fruit, keeping invasive interventions to a minimum and respecting the natural structure of the olive tree. It is a care that starts in the groves and reaches all the way to cold milling, which makes the most of a raw material harvested from consistently tended trees. Clean tools, clean cuts and the right timing complete the picture: details that protect the grove’s health over the years. Behind our cooperative there are more than 500 members who work this way.
A gesture that protects land and quality
Pruning olive trees in Tuscia is part of a cycle that brings together sustainable agriculture, local identity and quality. Keeping the groves healthy also means safeguarding the landscape and passing on an agricultural knowledge that belongs to this territory. It is the work that allows our extra virgin oil to tell the agricultural story of Vetralla and the Viterbo area. Discover our oil in our shop or learn about our story.