How to Grow a Pomegranate Tree

 

How to grow a pomegranate tree

Pomegranate (lat. Punica granatum) is a plant that can grow as a bush or as a small tree. The pomegranate plant has upright branches that diverge. The flowers are bell-shaped and red, and the fruits are yellow-red and the size of an average apple. The fruit contains ruby-red seeds with one stone each. The fruits are very refreshing and sweet.

Tree Name – Pomegranate Scientific Name/Species – Punica granatum Family – Lythraceae Genus – Punica Nickname – Winter Jewels, Red Ruby, and Chinese Apple Lifespan – Can live up to 200 years or more when planted in optimal conditions. Type – Deciduous. Hardiness Zone(s) – from 8a to 13a Soil Requirements – Versatile, prefers well-drained rich, fertile soil with full sun exposure. Planting Spacing – 5 to 6ft Watering Requirements – Regular when young or planted. Minimal thereafter. Height – 15ft on average. Can reach 30ft under optimal conditions. DBH – NA Crown Span – 8 to 10ft or more at maturity. Root Spread – Wide and shallow (10-25ft from the trunk and 2 to 3ft deep) Uses in Landscaping – Highlight tree, border or division, and addition to orchards. Winter/Fall Colors – Yellow before leaf-drop in the fall.

Origin and Adaptation

The region of the world from Iran to northern India is known as the origin of the pomegranate. It belongs to the subtropical fruit family and originates from the areas of Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and North India. Some scientists are of the opinion that the pomegranate is an autochthonous Mediterranean plant. Pomegranates were also cultivated in Greece as Greek writers made reference to them several hundred years B.C. before the almond, peach, or apricot. It is thought that Spanish missionaries first brought pomegranates to the New World around 1521.

Its present scientific name Punica granatum is derived from “pomuni granatum” (meaning seeded apple). Pomegranates prefer a semi-arid to subtropical climate (hot summers and mild winters). Pomegranates are suited to USDA Zones 8-11. Plants will harden off when exposed to cold gradually, but will generally suffer damage below 12 degrees F.

The pomegranate grows best in areas with dry and hot summers and mild winters. In nature, as a wild plant, it can be found in areas with a Mediterranean climate. For more detailed info: https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-a-Pomegranate-Tree

Cultivation

Crop rotation

Without proper pollination, the pomegranate will not be able to bear fruit, so planting spices that attract bees, including fennel, basil, mint, and parsley, and melons and berries such as currants, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries, will help. The flowers also attract bees, so pomegranate is most often planted with lavender or sunflowers. Since it is often attacked by aphids, planting jasmine and daisies will help keep the pests away, as will celery and kohlrabi.

Irrigation

In order to ensure that the soil has enough moisture for root growth in the autumn and spring as well as for the growth of fruits and saplings, it is important to consider the soil's requirement for water. The occasional precipitation suits him, but irrigation is required when there is no rain. During the growing season, it is irrigated every 4–5 days. If it is not irrigated regularly, especially in times of drought, the pomegranate will not bear enough fruit.

Fertilization

After the pomegranate is planted, manure and mineral fertilizers should be applied every three years. The amount of fertilizer depends on the age and size of the tree, but on average it is about 1.5 kg per tree. When feeding with nitrogen, be especially cautious because excessive amounts can cause fruit to crack.

Propagation

Pomegranates always grow from their own roots, and grafting is not used. The most common propagation is by root cuttings.

• Rooting Cuttings and Suckers

If your goal for planting pomegranate trees is to clone the fruit of a mature parent plant, then starting with cuttings works well, and offers a few advantages.

Hardwood cuttings taken from a plant that is already producing fruit will generally produce flowers and fruit in less time than starting from seed.

Healthy, disease resistant, productive trees are the best source of cuttings, especially if you’re growing yours in the same region as the parent is growing in, as opposed to a purchased plant that was grown elsewhere.

Rooting is an easy process if it’s done at the right time. Be aware, however, that some cuttings may not root despite your best efforts. Plan to start with a couple extra to make up for any failures.

It’s best to cut dormant branches for rooting if possible, taken when the plant is not actively growing in late winter. At that time, the natural growth cycle of the plant will encourage rooting and leaf growth in late winter and early spring.

In regions where dormancy does not occur, where year-round temperatures remain above about 50°F, cuttings can be taken at any time of year.

Pomegranates flower at branch tips, so be sure to remove any buds before rooting. Don’t cut too many at a time, particularly if your tree is small, as removing budding branches can reduce your overall harvest the next season.

Look for healthy branches in areas where pruning will open up space in the plant, whether that’s in the canopy of the tree or the interior of the shrub. Extra space encourages airflow and can help to prevent some diseases, like powdery mildew.

You can also use suckers that grow from the roots of a pomegranate tree or shrub for rooting, because these plants are rarely propagated by grafting.

Suckers pruned from trees and shrubs that are grafted, on the other hand, will not typically produce plants that produce fruit like the parent, since they will share the characteristics of the rootstock instead of the scion, or the productive top of the plant. Rooting the suckers can be especially attractive – not to mention resourceful – if you’re going to prune them anyway to maintain your plant’s tree form, and to prevent them from drawing energy and resources away from the parent. They’ll have the opportunity to be put to good use, rather than being cast onto the debris pile! Branches that are about as thick as a pencil generally work best for rooting purposes. It’s not necessary to select branches that have leaves, as these will need to be trimmed away. Dormant trees in areas where pomegranates are deciduous won’t have any leaves anyway.

Use sharp pruning shears or a knife to cut the branch between leaf nodes at about four to six inches in length. Trim off any leaves or flower buds, so the new plant’s energy will be directed into rooting, rather than supporting above-ground growth. Suckers can be cut using sharp pruning shears as well, but make sure to cut them above the collar, or the area where the branch begins to widen where it’s attached to the tree. Be sure to keep your cuttings oriented upright, so the cut portion will be planted and the tip will remain above ground. Wrap the cuttings in a wet paper towel to keep them moist while they await planting; dried out branches are less likely to take root.

Prepare a planting flat or four-inch pots by filling them with one part soil to one part coarse silica sand. The rooting medium should be porous and loose in texture with good drainage. Spray the mix with water until it feels slightly moist, but not wet to the touch. You can scrape half an inch or so of bark off at the base to expose the green cambium layer of the cutting and then dip it in rooting hormone powder if you like, to promote rooting. Stick the branches about one-half to one inch deep in the rooting medium, but don’t compact it around the base. Make sure they’re deep enough to stay upright.

Place the tray or pots in a warm location; temperatures should be a consistent 70 to 85°F for optimum results. It’s not necessary to expose the cuttings to sunlight until they begin to form leaf buds, but plan to mist the potting medium at least one a day to keep it moist, as drying out will inhibit rooting. If you don’t have access to a greenhouse, you can place the flat or pots inside a clear plastic storage tote with a lid to maintain humidity, or wrap individual pots in clear plastic bags. Humidity is very important for cuttings as they’re not able to take up water without roots, so they absorb it from the air instead.

It can take anywhere from one to two months for cuttings or suckers to root, but you’ll notice the formation of leaf buds when the roots have become established. After the first few leaves unfurl, you can harden them off to transplant outdoors, or move them to larger pots to continue growing until it’s time to plant them out. When they’re ready to be planted in their permanent home, choose a location with at least eight hours of sunlight per day. Pomegranates need lots of sun, but young plants may need some protection for the first year until their canopies are more established.

The site should have good drainage as these plants can’t tolerate soggy soil. And while they can withstand poor soil, they’ll grow and produce better in soil that is rich in nutrients. You should also be prepared to protect saplings from strong winds, heavy rain, and foraging animals. Prepare a hole that is twice as wide and one to two inches deeper than the root system, and place the plant in the hole. Backfill around the roots and press the soil with your hands to stabilize the plant.

Water it well to settle and be sure to provide about one inch of water per week for the first year, unless there has been adequate rainfall. It is very rarely propagated by seed. Regardless, I grew a few pomegranates from seed.

Air Layering

Air layering is another option that’s available to you. This is the process of encouraging roots to develop on a branch that is still attached to the parent plant, and then cutting the rooted branch free to plant elsewhere.

It’s important to note that you shouldn’t use more than two or three branches per tree to layer simultaneously, because the rooting process can be taxing on the tree, leading to poor health overall.

For more detailed info: https://gardenerspath.com/plants/fruit-trees/propagate-pomegranate/

Soil

Pomegranate requires deep, sandy, loamy soils because they contain sufficient amounts of humus. Heavy clay soils and very wet soils do not suit it. The soil in which the pomegranate will be planted needs to be well prepared. Vegetation growing on it is removed, the terrain is leveled, deep plowing is required, and then ameliorative fertilizing, milling, or flattening. Finally, the rows are staked out and holes are made for planting. Autumn tillage is done at a depth of 30 cm, and spring tillage is shallower and done at 10–15 cm. Breaking the cover is done during the summer, to a depth of 5–8 cm. The direction of the rows is from north to south. In the rest phase, one deep plowing is done, and during the growing season, plow several times to a smaller depth in order to destroy weeds and reduce the need for irrigation.

Climate

Pomegranates are best grown when the summers are hot and the winters are mild, so they are mostly grown in areas with a Mediterranean climate. They don't tolerate temperatures lower than -11 °C, and at -20 °C, they start to freeze.

Planting

Before planting, it is necessary to determine the most suitable time for planting, the best location, and the method of planting.

Planting time

Pomegranates are most often planted in the fall or early spring. In other words, it should be planted eight weeks before the first fall frost or after the last spring frost.

How to plant a pomegranate tree

To successfully grow pomegranates in the garden, it is necessary to provide a place that will be sheltered from the wind and have many sunny hours during the day. When the seedling is placed in the hole, the root of the plant is covered with a layer of loose soil and then with manure and fertilizer. Finally, a layer of fertilizer is covered with soil, and the newly planted pomegranate is well watered.

How to care for a pomegranate tree

The way in which the soil is maintained depends on the type of soil, climatic conditions, and the method of planting. Proper soil maintenance provides favorable conditions for the activity of the root system and the rest of the plant, and thanks to this, high yields and fruit quality are obtained. One of the most important elements of planting maintenance is plant shaping.

After planting the pomegranate, shallow tillage destroys weeds and helps the soil retain enough moisture. To maintain the plants this way, autumn plowing between rows must be done to a depth of 15 cm, and surface treatment must be done during the growing season. Herbicides are most often used to destroy weeds.

Pruning

Pomegranates are pruned to form a shape, to regulate birth, and to increase the quality of the fruit. It also reduces the occurrence of pests and makes harvesting cheaper. In the first two years after planting, it is not pruned, and after that, the growing form is formed. Three to four shoots are selected, which are shortened to 50 to 60 cm. After 4 years, thinning is done, and pruning is done every year. By pruning, the desired shape of the plant is obtained, as is good fertility. The formation of a plant cannot be done all at once; it takes 3–4 years. Pomegranate fruits need light to ripen, so the plant should be pruned so that light reaches all parts. For more detailed info: https://www.wikihow.com/Prune-Pomegranate-Trees

Harvest

Pomegranate harvesting is usually done by hand, and the fruit is fully ripe from the end of August to the middle of November. Ripeness can be determined by fruit color and chemical analysis. If we want to dry the pomegranate, the harvest is done before it is fully ripe and soft. It is cut and left to dry, and then the seeds are removed. The rest is finely chopped or ground.

Storage

The fruit can be kept for up to a month at room temperature, but direct sunlight must be avoided. The full fruit can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 months if you want to keep it there for a longer time. Pomegranate seeds that have been cleaned can be kept for up to a year in the freezer or refrigerator in plastic bags.

Diseases

Diseases appear only in intensive production of pomegranates and are not common for this plant culture; therefore, it is not necessary to carry out any preventive measures to prevent the spread of diseases or treatment.

Pests

Pests also occur in intensive pomegranate production and in separate planting. As a result of their attack, there is a reduced yield and reduced quality of the fruit. The most common pests are: Egyptian locust, Mediterranean fruit fly, green peach aphid, leopard moth, and ash whitefly.

Few diseases have been found on pomegranates; however when they are, it is generally associated with cracked fruits. Insects such as whiteflies, thrips, mealybugs and scale have been identified but none are considered serious. The Leaf-footed plant bug has been found in home grown fruit in Nevada (Crites, Robison, Mills, 2004) and Utah. These do not seem to penetrate the rind but are associated with cracked, overripe fruit. Commercial growing areas of California have reported a half dozen or so pests but only a couple that may require treatment. Fruit cracking is often reported in home culture. The best way to prevent cracking is to provide regular irrigation. Pomegranates will take up water rapidly when available, especially after periods of drought. The rapid uptake will frequently split the rind exposing the soft seeds (arils). This makes them vulnerable to fungal spores and insects looking to feed on the juices and lay eggs inside the fruit. Late summer and early fall rains will encourage cracking. It may become severe the closer rains occur to harvest.

Most of these pests are eliminated with insecticides, and some can be removed with water jets. In the worst case, even the strongest insecticides do not help, so it is necessary to cut and burn the attacked branches or trees and set them on fire.

Utilization

Pomegranate is very often used in kitchens because it has a beneficial effect on people's health. In addition, hardly anyone can resist its taste and juiciness.

Pomegranate seeds and their juice are used as tonics for the throat and heart, and the bark of the fruit and the tree is used in traditional medicine as a medicine against intestinal parasites and diarrhea.

Pomegranate is very rich in nutrients, which are found both in its juice and in its seeds. It has large amounts of vitamin C, then vitamins A and E, minerals, especially potassium, and folic acid. It also has a significant amount of antioxidants, which protect cells from free radicals.

Punicalagin is especially important as a plant compound found in the bark and juice, and it is a very powerful antioxidant. Pomegranates contain more antioxidants than cranberries and oranges.

For more info, check out the following:

https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-a-Pomegranate-Tree

https://gardenerspath.com/plants/fruit-trees/propagate-pomegranate/

https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/pomegranate-fruit-of-the-desert

https://myplantin.com/blog/how-to-grow-pomegranate-from-seed