Propagation and Care of the TreePomegranateIn the Pot
The pomegranate is a charming and unique plant with many fans due to its beautiful flowers and delicious, colorful fruits. It is one of the best fruit trees and the simplest to grow in pots; however, the challenge is thatPomegranate Treewhen it matures, it can reach about 9 meters in height, which is certainly too much for a home environment.
But don’t worry, you can use a dwarf pomegranate tree that grows to a height of 50 to 120 centimeters (a dwarf pomegranate is an ornamental tree with small, sour fruits full of seeds) or choose the Beautiful variety, which includes decorative flowering pomegranates, or simply plant a standard pomegranate and keep it small with pruning. In this section ofSelMagzwe will introduce you to the methods of planting and caring for pomegranate trees in pots.
How to Plant and Grow Pomegranate Trees in Pots
How to Grow Pomegranate Trees in Pots
Watering the Pomegranate Tree
Mature pomegranate plants are drought-resistant, but young plants need plenty of water to thrive. The water requirement of a pomegranate tree depends on pot size, soil density, temperature, and wind, and should be watered regularly. During summer, when the sun is strong and temperatures are high, the plant may need daily watering or even twice a day, and the soil should remain relatively moist.
Light forPomegranate Tree
To grow and keep the pomegranate tree healthy,it needs sunlight.So place the pot in direct sunlight. This plant can tolerate some shade as well.
Growth of the Pomegranate Tree with Direct Sunlight
Soil for the Pomegranate Tree
The best soil for growing pomegranates is alkaline soil with good drainage and filled withnutrients.It should have a pH of around 7.5. Since most growing media have a neutral pH, you can add a little lime powder to adjust the soil’s acidity and mix it in.
One important factor for the soil is good drainage. If water stays in the soil for too long and the soil is soggy, the plant can be harmed. So make sure the pot you choose for planting pomegranates has adequately sized drainage holes. If the drainage is insufficient, you can add some holes to the bottom of the pot yourself.
Fertilizing the Pomegranate Tree
Like most trees, pomegranate trees require regular fertilization. After you plant the pomegranate in the pot, use organic fertilizers that slowly release nutrients into the soil for the plant. During the growing season, feed the plant with diluted liquid organic fertilizers every few weeks.
Guide to Planting Pomegranate Trees in Pots
Pruning the Pomegranate Tree
In the early years of planting a pomegranate, pruning is very important because the plant produces a lot of foliage. In spring, remove the dead branches from the plant. In later years, the plant does not require heavy pruning; just dead branches should be removed.
Before pruning, visualize the final shape of the tree in your mind and, as read in SelMagz, leave some branches you want to keep on the plant and prune the rest. Sometimes the tree begins to produce suckers (branches that grow from the base and take its energy) that should also be pruned.
Harvesting Pomegranate Fruits
The pomegranate tree starts to bear fruit in its fifth year. Harvest the fruits when they are ripe and turn red, but if the skin of the fruit cracks, it means you’ve waited too long.
Best Time to Harvest Pomegranate Fruits
Propagating the Pomegranate Tree
Propagation of the pomegranate tree can be challenging, done through stem cuttings and rooting hormones in special potting soil or sand.
To plant pomegranates from seeds, clean the seeds from the fleshy pod that surrounds them and place them in loose, soft soil, then cover them with a 1.5-centimeter layer of soil; you will see that the pomegranate seeds grow easily without needing much care.
Repotting the Pomegranate Tree
Repot the tree when it becomes root-bound and does not have enough space for the roots; transfer the pomegranate to a larger pot.
How to Plant and Care for Pomegranate Trees at Home
Taking Care of the Potted Pomegranate in Winter
The pomegranate tree needs at least four to six hours of daylight. In winter, provide this light using fluorescent lights or other artificial light sources, such as grow lights.
Place the pomegranate pot in a container with moist sand, but make sure the bottom of the pot does not sit in water. Keep the soil slightly dry and be careful not to overwater the plant during winter months. This plant doesn’t have many specific pests or diseases.
