A method for controlling the planting of olive trees for the continuous mechanical harvesting of the olives using harvesting machines, the method having the following steps: planting parallel rows of olive tree saplings with a spacing between the tree trunks and a spacing between the rows; placing trellising on each row; placing divergent supports for each tree; attaching two divergent branches of each tree, which are arranged in a single vertical plane and in the vertical plane of the row to which said tree belongs, onto a pair of supports; removing other branches of said tree; adapting the shape of the foliage of the trees so as to impart a configuration flattened in alignment with the rows thereto; maintaining said configuration by periodically pruning the trees until the latter reach maturity and bear fruit; and removing the supports and the trellising when the trees are fully grown.
