Q&A for How to Grow a Pomegranate Tree

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  • Question
    I have had my pomegranate in the ground for two years I have to move the tree. What is the best time to move a pomegranate tree?
    Andrew Carberry, MPH
    Food Systems Expert
    Andrew Carberry is a Food Systems Expert and the Senior Program Associate at the Wallace Center at Winrock International in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has worked in food systems since 2008 and has experience working on farm-to-school projects, food safety programs, and working with local and state coalitions in Arkansas. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and holds a Masters degree in public health and nutrition from the University of Tennessee.
    Food Systems Expert
    Expert Answer
    The best time to move it is in the winter, when the tree is dormant. Wait until the leaves have dropped off in the winter. Moving the tree when it is actively growing will stress the tree.
  • Question
    Will a pomegranate tree grow in Ontario, Canada?
    Andrew Carberry, MPH
    Food Systems Expert
    Andrew Carberry is a Food Systems Expert and the Senior Program Associate at the Wallace Center at Winrock International in Little Rock, Arkansas. He has worked in food systems since 2008 and has experience working on farm-to-school projects, food safety programs, and working with local and state coalitions in Arkansas. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and holds a Masters degree in public health and nutrition from the University of Tennessee.
    Food Systems Expert
    Expert Answer
    This is outside the natural growing range. You may be able to grow a pomegranate in a container and move it indoors in the winter. Temperatures below 15 degrees F will kill the tree.
  • Question
    How long does it take for a pom tree to grow?
    Community Answer
    This depends on whether you've planted a seed or a nursery-grown tree. Pomegranate seeds sprout easily but it can be another three to five years before you get the first fruits and the tree isn't considered mature until about 5 years of age. If you purchase a healthy and strong tree from the nursery, you may get fruit the same year it is planted, depending on its age at time of planting. Earlier fruit (in the first 3 to 4 years) may not be as large as fruit that grows when the tree is older and it may not ripen sufficiently to be consumed. However, once the tree is established, the good news is that it can live up to 200 years!
  • Question
    Do I need two trees for them to fruit?
    Srishti verma
    Community Answer
    No, one tree is sufficient.
  • Question
    My Pomegranate tree is about six years old, and it gives a flower twice a year since its fourth year. However, it never produces any fruit.What is the problem with it?
    Gobikrishnan(Gobi)
    Community Answer
    It needs some fertilizer or cow dung manure and proper watering weekly.
  • Question
    Can pomegranate trees be grown in the shade?
    Community Answer
    Pomegranate trees need plenty of sun to grow well and are not suited to shady environments. If grown in shade, you will likely find that the growth is slow and slim. The ideal place for pomegranate trees is the sunniest position you can find.
  • Question
    When is the best time to trim a pomegranate tree?
    Community Answer
    The best time for trimming or pruning a pomegranate tree is after the tree has gone dormant to cope with winter. It is also important to only trim it a little at a time, as it is not able to cope with major pruning. To create the tree shape rather than a bush shape, it is okay to remove the base branches while leaving intact the middle upright growing branch. All scraggly, dead and weak branches are fine to remove. If you cut too far back, the plant won't fruit, so keep pruning to a minimum.
  • Question
    The leaves on my pomegranate are turning yellow. Why?
    Community Answer
    During the growing seasons of spring to early fall, this may be an indication of insufficient or too much watering. Like most plants, pomegranate trees need the right balance of moisture to grow well. Limit watering as the season changes from summer to fall, allowing the soil to dry out before watering again; after all, pomegranate is a desert plant and it's used to aridity. On the other hand, when the plant is first establishing itself in the ground after transplanting, it needs regular waterings to help the roots take hold. This might be another reason for yellowing of the leaves, so be sure to keep a transplanted tree well watered at least twice a week. Other reasons for yellowing leaves can include sap sucking insects, too much fertilizer or insufficient nitrogen and the cooling temperatures. In the latter case of falling temperatures, this is the normal cycle for the pomegranate, which is a deciduous tree and it will lose it leaves in late fall. If the plant appears otherwise healthy and it's late fall, assume that all is normal.
  • Question
    Why would the fruit split open?
    Community Answer
    It's ripe and ready to be consumed! it usually happens at the beginning to mid Fall. We prefer to wait until our fruit just begins to split before pulling it off the tree, finding that recently split fruit proves to have the sweetest and juiciest content. Don't wait too long, though. Once opened, bugs and birds will love it, too!
  • Question
    What zones can pomegranate trees survive in?
    Community Answer
    Pomegranate trees grow best in areas that have hot summers and cold winters. In the USA, the best zones are the warmer USDA hardiness zones, and generally this means zones 8 to 13. Many pomegranate varieties can tolerate temperatures as low as 15ºF (-9ºC) but if they are in the stage of producing new growth, a frost can kill them. If there is a danger of frosts during the spring growth period, look into getting a cultivar specifically bred to cope with this possibility; talk to your local nursery or garden center about what's on offer.
  • Question
    What does a beginning plant look like?
    Community Answer
    It looks like a coniferous tree and has a hook like structure.
  • Question
    How do I know when to harvest the fruit?
    Community Answer
    The fruit will begin to square off from a completely round shape. Here in Tucson Arizona that is usually late October.
  • Question
    Can pomegranate be grown in New Zealand?
    Community Answer
    Pomegranate trees prefer hot summers and cold winters, with poor soil, as would be typical in Middle Eastern desert environments. For the New Zealand context, few places meet each of these requirements but that doesn't mean you can't grow it in New Zealand. The answer is to choose the mini or Nana versions, which are ornamentals, and you should find they grow well. Alternatively, if you live in an area with hotter summers, such as Masterton, you might give the other varieties a try but not have too high an expectation of success––the fruits may be small and they may not ripen sufficiently. If your summer season is either too short or too cool, the fruit probably won't ripen.
  • Question
    Can pomegranates grow in a coastal location?
    Community Answer
    Yes, as long as they are beyond the fog line and receive ample sunlight.
  • Question
    Are Telangana soils in India suitable to grow pomegranate trees?
    Gobikrishnan(Gobi)
    Community Answer
    Yes, it will be suitable to grow pomegranate trees in Telangana soils.
  • Question
    Do pomegranate trees have thorns
    Community Answer
    No.
  • Question
    Can pomegranate be grown in the Philippines?
    Community Answer
    Yes.
  • Question
    Would a pomegranate tree grow in a tropical environment?
    Community Answer
    Since pomegranate trees grow best with cold winters and hot summers, I would not recommend a tropical environment.
  • Question
    Why are all of the flowers falling off of the branches?
    Community Answer
    There could be too much water or the soil may be wet for too long. Being over-watered could cause each of the branches to lose their flowers.
  • Question
    Do pomegranate trees lose their leaves during the winter months?
    Community Answer
    As they are deciduous trees, yes, they lose their leaves.
  • Question
    Will a pomegranate tree grow in Vancouver, Washington in the Pacific Northwest? It usually never gets as cold as 20 degrees, but it does rain a lot here.
    Community Answer
    Yes. I live on Vancouver Island and have been growing my Pom for nearly 20 years.
  • Question
    Will a pomegranate tree grow in the Philippines?
    Community Answer
    Yes, we have one here in Pasig that fruits all times of the year.
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