Growing a home pomegranate is the dream of many gardeners and florists. not only bears tasty and healthy fruits, it also performs a decorative function. Growing exotic crops at home is becoming more and more fashionable. If you follow the basic rules of care, you can get a fruiting tree that will live and bear fruit for more than a dozen years.
considered a subtropical plant. Under natural conditions, it can be found in warm countries. It grows well in India, the Caucasus, China. Pomegranate loves light and warmth.
A pomegranate tree is grown to produce the fruit. It is of medium height, single-stemmed with heavy large fruits. At home, the tree is not grown, so the pomegranate is turned into a bush by pinching and pruning. Pomegranate bushes are more decorative and easy to care for, do not take up much space. Growing a pomegranate from a seed at home does not require much work or skill, but the pomegranate must be kept under certain conditions in order for it to bear fruit.
Features of the structure of the indoor grenade:
- Homemade decorative pomegranate, grown as a bush, reaches a height of no more than 1 meter.
- Its fruits will not be too large, no more than 5 cm in diameter, but they are still edible and healthy.
- The flowers of the pomegranate bush are also decorative, large, red.
If you grow pomegranates at home, big harvest better not to wait. At home, pomegranate does not often bear fruit. On open ground you can grow a single-barreled pomegranate, so it will be easier to care for it. A healthy plant has dark green, smooth, even leaves.
Pomegranate is accustomed to dry conditions, so its root system is very well developed.
It allows him to extract moisture from the very depths. Homemade pomegranate also has a fairly powerful developed, for this reason it has to be transplanted often, all the time increasing the volume of the pot. All varieties of pomegranate have thorns that are easy to break off. Young shoots have a reddish trunk color, which then turns gray and green as growth progresses.
The pomegranate fruit is familiar to everyone. It is a red berry with a dense skin, inside of which are juicy seeds, separated by a thin white film. The weight of one such fruit can reach 500 g, but in decorative varieties they are small. Pomegranate does not like cold, so the main task when growing it is to protect it from frost. When growing indoor pomegranate, this will not be difficult.
Planting rules: seed preparation, soil capacity
Growing pomegranates at home is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. The most popular way to propagate pomegranates is with seeds. To grow a healthy plant, you need to carefully prepare the soil for planting and not neglect the basic rules for planting pomegranate seeds:
- For seeds, only ripe red, burgundy fruits are chosen. You need to carefully examine them for damage, mold, rot spots.
- The smoothest and largest seeds need to be freed from the pulp and rinsed thoroughly. If pulp remains on the seeds, they can become moldy and unsuitable for planting.
- In order for the seeds to hatch well, they need to be soaked in an epin solution. The solution is poured into a saucer so that the seeds are half in the water, and left for 12 hours. It is very important that the seeds are not completely covered with water, oxygen is very important when hatching.
- Pomegranate seeds are not stored for a long time, they need to be processed and planted almost immediately.
- For planting pomegranates, the same soil is suitable as for citrus fruits. It can be purchased at a gardening store.
- Moisten the soil before planting. The seeds do not need to be deeply deepened into the soil, no more than 1 cm.
- You can prepare the substrate for planting yourself. For this, peat, sand and earth are mixed. Such a mixture must be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate or well heated in the oven.
- It is advisable to choose a clay pot for planting pomegranates, not plastic. You need to take care of good drainage.
For the seeds to hatch faster, place the pot in a warm, bright place after planting. Best of all on the windowsill on the south side. You can cover the pot with plastic, but remember to open and ventilate it periodically.
Pomegranate seed germination is very high when proper preparation... However, the seeds do not always germinate immediately. Some will hatch a week after planting, while others may unexpectedly appear six months later, when they have already been forgotten.
Pomegranate is not the most whimsical plant to care for. It does not require constant and complex care, however, it is still necessary to comply with the basic conditions for its cultivation. Only in this case will the pomegranate be beautiful, healthy and fruitful.
Caring for a pomegranate at home:
- After the first shoots appear, the seedlings begin to grow rapidly. As soon as the first 2 leaves appear on the sprouts, they are dived into a deeper container and dived so that the seedlings stretch up less and give more foliage.
- As soon as the third pair of leaves appears on the seedlings, the fourth is pinched. After that, the plant has 2 tops, and an ornamental bush grows instead of a tree. For growing at home, this is the best option.
- For a pomegranate to bloom in the year of planting (the first bloom begins after 10 months), it needs enough light. In the shade, pomegranates will not bloom. However, direct sunlight is also undesirable, in the midday sun it is better to cover the plant.
- Pomegranate does not need frequent. In dry conditions and low air humidity, it is sufficient to water it once a week. Once upper layer the soil in the pot becomes dry and can be watered.
- The pomegranate makes it clear that it does not have enough light. The plant begins to stretch in height, the leaves become sparse. At enough light foliage is quite dense, and the leaves are large.
- If it is not possible to increase the illumination of the house, it is possible to arrange a slight "hibernation" for the plant. Place it in the cold (up to 10 degrees).
- The pomegranate does not need frequent feeding. With an annual transplant, you can add horn shavings.
- The pomegranate is a deciduous plant, which means it needs to arrange dormant periods. In the fall, the pot with the plant must be rearranged to a cooler place (below 20 degrees).
- In order for the pomegranate to bloom and grow well, it must be regularly pruned and pinched. In this case, he will bear fruit every third, fifth year of life.
Transfer: terms and rules
It may be needed if the pomegranate has grown a lot and needs a larger pot, or when transplanting it into open ground. It is necessary to follow the transplantation rules so as not to injure the plant. It is undesirable to touch pomegranates for the first 3 years. During this time, it has not yet grown so much that there is a need for a transplant. A young plant is harder to tolerate a transplant. If a bush has new shoots, shoots that need to be transplanted, this can be done annually, in the spring.
When transplanting a pomegranate, you need to change the soil in the pot. Over the course of a year, they become impoverished, their nutritional properties are lost, so it is advisable to replace it with fresh one. If the pot is large enough and the plant is not cramped, you can replant it every 3 years or even less. If the pots are small, the transplant will have to be carried out annually.
Transplant better in spring after the winter rest of the plant.
It is best to replant the pomegranate before it begins to flower and bear fruit. When transplanting a plant, you can use regular garden soil or purchased soil. In the first case, the soil must be disinfected so as not to leave spores of fungi and larvae in it. harmful insects... If the pomegranate is not dwarf, then it will need to be transplanted into open ground or a greenhouse. In this case, when planting, the pit is made large enough, as for fruit bushes... The soil mixed with manure is poured into the pit.
When transplanting a pomegranate into the ground, you need to carefully choose a place. Pomegranate withstands well any soil, except for swampy, as it is used to an arid climate. After transplanting, a young plant should be watered every 7-10 days and periodically sprayed with foliage. Spraying is necessary not only to remove dust and dirt from the plant, but also to moisturize the ground part. Instead of replanting annually, you can simply change the topsoil and regularly plant organic fertilizers.
Pomegranate does not get sick often. It is a fairly resistant plant. More often you can find a sick pomegranate in the open field, since there is more insect access to the plant. but indoor pomegranate can hurt too.
Branch cancer. This disease often affects pomegranates after severe frosts or when the branches are damaged. The branches of the plant begin to dry out, the bark cracks on them, the leaves fall off. The only way to save the plant is the timely removal of the affected branches and good care.
Often, pomegranate diseases occur due to improper care. It is necessary to regularly inspect the plants, wipe the leaves, monitor the humidity of the room, avoid waterlogging the soil so that the roots do not rot.
More information can be found in the video:
The ornamental plant pomegranate (Punica) is the most unpretentious dwarf shrub for growing on a windowsill or in a greenhouse. At home, pomegranate, in countries with hot and humid climates, it is planted in open ground, decorating lawns with perennial deciduous shrubs. An ornamental plant is quite unpretentious to the composition of the soil and does not require frequent watering. During the flowering period, it is almost completely covered with red inflorescences, which ripen into small pomegranates - a symbol of passionate love among the ancient Greeks.
Indoor pomegranate varieties
Several varietal types of indoor pomegranate are adapted for home floriculture:
- Punica Granatum "NANA" ( Dwarf pomegranate);
- Baby;
- Carthage.
They differ in height (from 30 cm to 100 cm) and fruit size (5-7 cm in diameter).
Secrets of indoor pomegranate care
Lovers of indoor potted flowers appreciate the decorative dwarf plant not only for its exceptional external qualities but also because caring for a indoor pomegranate does not require special skills... If you follow some rules and create a minimum of conditions for the dwarf bush, it will thank lush bloom from November to the end of January.
In summer, indoor pomegranate perfectly "lives" in the garden or on the balcony. To avoid leaf burns, do not plant it on sunny side. The best place- Shaded by trees east or west side.
Caring for indoor pomegranate at home. Photo
In the hot season, the plant requires abundant glaze and spraying.
In order for a mini-shrub to increase the number of green leaves for caring for indoor pomegranates at home, it is better to choose nitrogen fertilizers, and in order for the fruits to appear - phosphorus supplements. You can choose a mineral mixture at any specialized flower shop.
Loss of leaves from a plant may not always be a sign of poor health. Before winter, the pomegranate sheds its leaves, freeing itself from dense greenery. At this time, you definitely need feed its potash fertilizer.
Caring for indoor pomegranates for adults and young people is different. Young plants often need watering, while adults can be watered every 10 days.
For wintering not a hot place, even a glazed loggia, is better suited. An important requirement is the absence of drafts and very low temperatures;
At transplant plants should choose chernozem soil with the addition of sod. A complex primer is ideal;
At the bottom of the pot into which the plant is transplanted, it is imperative to lay drainage so that the roots do not rot.
Bush formation
At correct cultivation indoor pomegranate, the plant will look beautiful and original. To achieve an aesthetic shape and a neat look, growers cut off excess shoots and form a bush. Pruning is best done at the beginning of the active growth period or before wintering - in spring and autumn.
Caring for a indoor pomegranate at home involves pruning:
- dry twigs;
- fattening (not developing) shoots;
- branches that grow deeper into the bush.
External shoots, if they are healthy, should not be cut off. To get a beautiful, full-fledged bush, it is better to start pruning for formation in adult plants that are more than 3 years old. Young pomegranate in indoor conditions must be transplanted. This is done annually to replace depleted soil with fresh soil.
Breeding secrets of indoor pomegranate
The dwarf shrub is a fairly common plant that can be purchased at any flower shop and brought home, transplanted into a suitable pot. But it is much more interesting to grow this flower yourself, especially since it perfectly reproduces both by cuttings and seeds.
Seed propagation
It is very easy to grow a plant from seeds. The main thing is to create the right conditions for him. Florists recommend taking seeds young plant, they have more vitality and germinate better.
Pour any store bought plant growth stimulant into a small bowl and soak the seeds in it.
When they swell, plant them in the ground, covering the container with the soil with plastic wrap.
Remove the plastic when the first shoots appear, and place the container itself on the windowsill on the sunny side.
A hardened plant can be transplanted into a separate pot.
Propagation by cuttings
Reproduction and cultivation of indoor pomegranate from a cuttings has one secret. If you do not choose the right branch for grafting, then the plant will not bear fruit. To cut off the stalk, select a fruiting branch that already had small pomegranates on it.
Place the stalk in a jar with a growth stimulant.
When the bottom cut swells, take out the cutting and transplant into a container with soil, covered with foil.
As soon as new shoots appear on the branch, the film can be removed and the pot placed in a well-lit, warm place.
When the plant begins to form and young twigs appear, pomegranate shoots need pinch... In this case, it will increase the number of branches, it will be lush and beautiful. Do not do this only if they plan to use the flower as a bansai.
Many people believe that it is very difficult to achieve flowering of a pomegranate in indoor conditions, and even more so, so that it gives fruit. In fact, this is not the case. If you properly care for the plant, then even a small pomegranate is capable of bloom in the first year... As for the flowers, few people know that the pomegranate has them for men and women. You can distinguish them by considering the base. In male flowers it is thin, and in female flowers it is thicker. In addition, male flowers fall off almost immediately after opening, while female flowers are rounded during flowering, forming a pomegranate fruit.
Do not wait for flowering and the formation of fruits on young, just emerging branches. As a rule, they appear on the longest, adult shoots. Knowing all these simple secrets, you can easily grow a "flower of passion" on your windowsill.
Pomegranate (Punica) is widely known as a southern fruit with delicious ruby kernels. However, the tree itself, which resembles a lush shrub, has decorative value.
In outdoor conditions, the plant reaches 10 m. In indoor floriculture, the form of dwarf pomegranate (or Punica nana) is popular. it natural variety"ordinary" pomegranate. The pot is very limited in growth, and the tree barely reaches a meter in height.
Caring for a indoor pomegranate at home is quite simple, but it has its own characteristics. Although the homeland of the plant is the East, the fruit of the tree received its name when, in the X century BC. Phoenicians (for the Romans - Punyans) moved from Asia to Africa.
In Carthage (modern Tunisia), the pomegranate took root remarkably, and the Romans called it malum punicum (Punic, or Carthaginian apple), or malum granatum (granular apple). In 1758 K. Linnaeus gave the plant a botanical name - Punica. Today, the pomegranate tree is cultivated as a fruit or ornamental crop around the world.
Preparing for landing
The seed can be purchased at a florist shop. Several popular types of decorative pomegranate have the common name Punica granatum "nana" (or dwarf), the size varies from 30 to 100 cm. Nana-pomegranate requires fairly simple home care. Popular varieties:
- "Carthage dwarf" pomegranate can grow up to a meter;
- baby pomegranate is very miniature - 30-50 cm.
There are other, less popular indoor varieties, but they are larger and are not considered dwarf.
The first description of a dwarf garnet was received in 1803. natural conditions reaches 120 cm, in a pot - no higher than 90-100 cm. Its leaves are glossy, oval, grow in pairs. Since spring, the crown is bright green, by the end of summer it is reddish, in autumn it turns yellow. During the flowering period, it is strewn with bright red flowers. The branches are thin, fragile, erect. How to grow a beautiful and healthy pomegranate on a windowsill?
Choosing a place at home
It is best to place a pot with a home pomegranate plant right on the windowsill. The south, east or west side of the house will work, provided there is enough light. V cloudy weather illumination with phytolamps is very desirable.
Soil selection
Wild pomegranates are often content with poor and dry land. But for full growth room option need to create good conditions... Pomegranate soil loves neutral, loose, nutritious, with drainage (expanded clay, pebbles are suitable). You can prepare the soil for the indoor pomegranate yourself. Usually it is sod and leafy land, humus, sand in approximately the same proportions. You can also add peat, but remember about the neutral reaction! Purchased soil you can choose suitable for roses or begonias.
Pot selection
The root system of a pomegranate grows stronger in width than in depth, like a loofah. The pot should be wide and shallow so that the roots take up the entire volume of the earth. Therefore, large sizes are not required.
Planting seeds
Propagation by seeds (seeds) from purchased fruits is not recommended, since these fruits are often hybrid, which means they do not carry the genes of the mother plant. But you can use the fruits ripened on indoor bushes. The ripest and largest are selected. Pits suitable for sowing must be firm and creamy. Soft and greenish will not germinate. The pulp should be peeled off (otherwise it will rot during germination), the seeds should be washed, they can be kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dried. Now they can be stored for up to six months. Fruits suitable for harvesting seeds ripen for winter. But the best time for any crops is spring, and the pomegranate will sprout quickly enough. At other times of the year, the process can take several months.
Having figured out all preparatory stages, you need to learn how to care for a indoor pomegranate.
Care
Lighting
This is one of the main factors successful cultivation... Pomegranate loves a lot of sun and just bright light. Chronic lack of illumination will provoke the shedding of leaves. Strong and healthy plants can easily tolerate hot sunlight. V summer period it is advisable to take the pot with the plant outside, since Fresh air the plant also loves. But the first days in direct sunlight will not be kept for long, adaptation is needed.
From a lack of light, the branches of a pomegranate tree will begin to stretch, the foliage will become smaller and thinner. Caring for a home pomegranate primarily requires good lighting.
Temperature
During the growing season, that is, from spring to autumn, the optimum is 24-26 degrees, but it easily tolerates periods with higher temperatures. During the rest period, 10-12 degrees are maintained, but not lower than +7. The plant should rest for 1-2 months, this will have a beneficial effect on subsequent flowering and fruiting. If it is not possible to withstand a low temperature, then it is advisable to at least reduce watering, remove it in a dark place and remove the foliage (it will crumble itself under such conditions). But a room pomegranate may well do without a dormant period.
Watering and spraying
During the period of growth and flowering, pomegranates consume a lot of water. Water it abundantly twice a week (or as the potted soil dries up). But you can't fill it either - the plant will start to hurt. In winter, when the tree is resting, the soil must not completely dry out.
Advice: "If you water the pomegranate abundantly after it has bloomed, then on next year flowering will be even more magnificent. But in this case, the fruits are prone to cracking. "
He loves spraying pomegranates, so they need to be done at least once a day in the heat and a couple of times a week in warm weather. It is believed that there is no special need for this, but appearance the pomegranate is improving. Spraying is not required in winter.
Fertilizer
Top dressing is done twice a month during the warm season. Since spring, pomegranate requires more nitrogen, during flowering - phosphorus, and with the arrival of autumn - potassium. Once a month, it is necessary to make a comprehensive mineral fertilizer... In autumn, fertilizing plants decrease, from December they stop completely.
Air humidity
It doesn't really matter and depends on the season. In the heat, the plant will favorably accept spraying, but others additional measures to increase humidity, you can not take.
Pruning
It will help to form a bush, stimulate it to active growth and generally have a beneficial effect on the tree. If the procedure is carried out regularly, then the plant will bush well. Pomegranate is formed into 4-6 main branches. Thin branches are pruned like this: each shoot is left with 5-6 whorls for leaves, and a neat cut is made above the top of the buds. You should not get carried away either - a large loss of the crown will weaken the plant. In addition, only annual shoots bloom, and only young shoots are cut off in the summer. This treatment stimulates flowering.
Tip: "On pomegranate tree fattening branches can form, that is, they do not give flowers and fruits, useless. It is better to cut them off right away, then the plant will begin to grow new shoots faster. "
Bush formation
Beautiful healthy tree consists of a main trunk, 5-6 large skeletal branches and many shoots. Pomegranate, when grown in a pot, often gives root growth- it must be cut off so that the main plant does not grind. Formation begins at a young age using a method such as pinching shoots. This is done after the appearance of the third pair of leaves on each shoot, simply pinching off the growth point. Thus, growing and caring for a houseplant such as pomegranate is not difficult.
Bloom
In the natural environment, it can continue all year round... Pollination is independent. But indoor pomegranate specimens bloom profusely and for a long time. This usually happens from April - May to August. Large bell-shaped flowers are so beautiful that it is worth growing just for their sake. exotic tree... The flowers of the pomegranate are self-pollinated, they are divided into two types:
- jug-like, with 2 pistils, of which fruits are later set;
- bell-shaped, not bearing fruit.
There are about 10 times more empty flowers, they quickly fade and crumble. Pollinated can be fragrant for up to 10 days. Their size is 2-3 cm in diameter and 4 in length.
Fruiting
Comes 3-5 years from planting, depending on the variety. In the fall, the dwarf pomegranate sets fruit. They are small and round. The skin can be from light orange to dark burgundy. The largest-fruited indoor varieties they do not exceed 5 cm in diameter. Outside, the pomegranate fruits are covered with a thin but tough skin, and inside there are many small scarlet seeds with seeds. Pomegranate tastes sour.
Dormant period
If any form of garden pomegranate grows as a room in a tub, then the tree will hibernate for the winter. In the fall, it will shed its leaves, and by the spring it will begin to release new ones. The dormant period lasts more often from November to February.
If ordinary types of pomegranate are deciduous, then dwarf ones are evergreen. It is possible to provide the plant with additional lighting with phytolamps (so that a total daylight hours lasts 12 hours). Then there will be no rest period, but the pomegranate does not bloom at this time. If, nevertheless, the tree crumbled, then it must be placed in a cool place (veranda, loggia, even a basement), not watered or fertilized.
Transfer
A young plant, until it reaches its maximum size, is transplanted annually, each time slightly increasing the pot. You don't need to take too much capacity - until the pomegranate takes up the entire space with its roots, it will practically not grow and bloom itself. An adult tree needs to be transplanted into fresh soil every three years. This is done by the transshipment method in order to damage as little as possible root system.
Reproduction
The pomegranate tree propagates easily in several ways:
Seeds (seeds)
How to grow a tree from a seed? In March or April, they are sown in a container with loose soil under a film. Before planting pomegranates, it is better to soak the seeds in a growth stimulant solution for 12 hours. To do this, they are wrapped in damp gauze and covered with a film so that not only moisture but also air can be accessed. You can just put the bones in a saucer and pour in the liquid so that they are partially in the air. Such measures will speed up seedlings. Growing a pomegranate indoor plant is made from fresh seeds, because they quickly lose their germination. They are deepened by 1 cm. They germinate within 2 weeks. For germination, you need light, heat 25-27 degrees, moist soil (you can save it from drying out by periodic spraying, so as not to accidentally wash out the soil). The pick is made in the phase of 2-3 pairs of true leaves in separate small pots. When the pomegranate reaches 10-15 cm, you can start pinching the shoots so that they bush better.
Vaccination
The method is a little time consuming, but effective. As a stock, you can take any young pomegranate tree, for example, obtained from a stone. But cuttings are used varietal, from a good, healthy, flowering and fruiting tree. The grafting method can be used by any of the known methods, for example in splitting or side-notching. The guarantee of survival is not absolute, but the chances are great.
Cuttings
This method of reproduction is optimal, since the cuttings of the plant easily take root and take root, and all the genetic properties of the variety are preserved. For this, branches with 4-5 living buds are cut from the bush. The cuttings should be young, but already start to grow stiff. In spring and summer, rooting of small plants is faster. The cut twigs are soaked in root growth promoters. The lower part is cleared of buds and stuck into the soil, slightly at an angle, 3-4 cm deep. Rooting is not a quick process, some of the cuttings will dry out, so it is better to plant several of them at once. As soon as the plants take root, new shoots will start up, you can plant each pomegranate in a separate pot.
Diseases
Unfavorable conditions such as high humidity, low temperatures, lack of fresh air, can provoke plant diseases such as:
Powdery mildew starts up from dampness, the fungus that covers the leaves of the tree with a white bloom spreads through the plant at a tremendous speed. At the initial stage, spraying with ash or soap solution, colloidal sulfur will help, but if it does not help, then only chemicals.
Branch cancer- an intractable disease caused by a fungus or bacteria. Branches begin to dry on the tree, the bark deteriorates. The affected parts should be removed immediately (with a margin of 2 cm from the healthy part), and the sections and the whole tree should be treated with copper-containing preparations. If the main trunk is affected, then it will not be possible to save the plant. When the leaves of a plant fall off before the onset of winter, this is the norm.
If leaf fall began in the middle of the growing season, then, probably, watering is insufficient, or there is a lack of nutrients, a stuffy room, too rare spraying in the heat. Growth retardation can be caused by transplanting into an oversized pot.
Excess moisture will cause the leaves to turn yellow. With systematic flooding, the underground part of the tree will begin to rot. Then the pomegranate must be removed from the pot, carefully examine the roots, remove the damaged ones, process the entire root system with potassium permanganate. Sprinkle the sections with ash or activated carbon and then plant the plant in fresh soil. When transplanting, it is impossible to forget about the lower drainage layer in order to avoid relapse.
Pests
Indoor pomegranate is not so often susceptible to attack by pests, here are the most common ones:
Whitefly- under the leaves of the tree, whole swarms of white midges accumulate, taking off when the plant is shaken.
Spider mite- the leaves of the plant cover white dots, thin cobwebs. If there are few pests on the pomegranate, then you can collect them with your hands, a cloth dipped in soapy water or rinse off with a shower. If the disease is in an advanced form, then chemical treatment is needed. Pests are more likely to attack the weakened in bad conditions plant content. The biggest requirements of a flower like indoor pomegranate are bright light and sufficient watering.
The plant can sit in one pot for years and does not require greenhouse conditions. Homemade pomegranate does not require too complicated care, but in terms of beauty and decorativeness it will surpass any indoor plants.
Indoor pomegranate is a simple and at the same time beautiful plant that is not very demanding to care for and will feel good in the apartment. Many of us love and adore indoor plants and be sure you will love the dwarf pomegranate and will be happy to take care of it. Let's find out how you can grow pomegranate at home and look at indoor pomegranate - home care.
Types of pomegranate
As a rule, only one species is grown at home, this is common pomegranate, which resembles Southern Europe and Western Asia. Such a tree is 5-10 meters high. Also bred by breeders a lot different forms... But as a rule, at home, pomegranates, or as it is also called dwarf pomegranate, are popular.
There are also less popular varieties who like to grow at home:
- Terry pomegranate - ornamental shrub three or four meters high.
- Socotran pomegranate which is native to the island of Socotra. Such an abundantly branching shrub with a height of about 2.5-4.5 meters, has more small flowers and pink coloration.
Secrets of proper indoor pomegranate care at home plus photo
At home, it is very easy to start caring for a pomegranate, since this plant is not very moody. In the summer, you can transplant it into a flower garden or garden so that you can give it more original view... The main thing to remember is that this culture needs to select dark places so that the plant can be avoided sunburn... It is best to choose a place under the trees.
If you are firmly convinced that you will grow pomegranates, then you must remember that care will include abundant watering and also systematic spraying, and when spring comes, you will need to add more nitrogen-containing fertilizing. These fertilizers are needed so that the plant blooms more abundantly and the foliage becomes even thicker and, of course, brighter (such fertilizer can usually be taken at any store - any store where indoor plants are sold will do). In the summer, so that the plant begins to bloom better and then an ovary of buds is formed, it is recommended to use the so-called phosphorus fertilizers.
If your indoor pomegranate suddenly began to bloom rarely and weakly, the reason for this may be that you took care of it incorrectly and made unfavorable conditions for flowering. First of all, you must change its location, provide the correct care regimen, increase air humidity and reduce watering. To prepare the pomegranate for winter period you must remember that home care should contain complex fertilizers and, of course, potash fertilizers.
During this period, as a rule, the pomegranates will mutate while shedding foliage. So that your plant can overwinter, it will not be superfluous to transfer it to the balcony, this is due to the fact that the pomegranate needs fresh air, but be careful that temperatures with a minus sign and drafts can negatively affect the plant. In winter, you will have to water the pomegranate at least once or twice a month.
Important: young seedlings ask for more moisture than grown ones.
Transplant plus pruning and caring for pomegranates
If you have set yourself the task of learning how to take care of a pomegranate at home, then you should not forget that you still need to learn how to form a bush at a pomegranate. To form a bush is quite simple, you just need to remove the dried branches and then you can proceed to the shoots growing inward. To make your pomegranate grow beautiful and rather fluffy, it is worth doing this between seasons.
It is possible to form a plant either in the form of a shrub, or it is possible to form a compact tree. When the warm season comes, then it will be necessary to influence the branching (the shoot should be of such length that from 2 to 5 pairs of leaves remain on it). Pruning should be done on the buds that look deep into the bush.
In order for your pomegranate to grow into a normal and full-fledged plant, they do not transplant for three years. After this time has elapsed, every spring it is possible for the plant to replace the soil and, if you wish, you can still replace it yourself flower pots... For a pomegranate, humus is suitable, or if it is absent, you can use sod soil as an option.
It is important to remember about drainage so that your roots do not rot.
Growing pomegranate with seed support at home
If you set yourself a goal to grow pomegranates at home, then this process is not very difficult. To do this, you need seeds, a bone and, of course, another layer.
How to plant and grow a pomegranate from a seed at home
For planting and further cultivation, it is possible to use flower seeds, which can be easily found either on the plant or in its absence in the store. In order to get a decent effect, the seeds must be soaked in a solution in which there are stimulants in order to grow the roots (they should be soaked for a day).
Then you will need to plant the seeds in flowerpots and cover with foil. After the formation of the first shoots, we remove the greenhouse and put the plant in a place where it will be warm and well lit.
Important: very often this method does not bring the required result, is used for breeding novelties.
We grow pomegranate from seed
Growing a pomegranate with a stone at home is also quite simple. The first thing you need to do is prepare the seeds for further germination at the same time: removing the pulp, rinsing in water (the water should be cool) and then drying.
The seeds must be planted to a depth of one centimeter in loose soil with drainage (peat and chernozem soil one to two). Do not forget that the location should be near the sun. If the earthen lump has dried, then it should be moistened.
We grow pomegranates with the support of cuttings
Another option is how to grow pomegranate from cuttings at home, while multiplying it with ordinary cuttings. It is this technique that is the most popular due to high level stickiness.
Diseases and pests
Pomegranate is rarely damaged by pests. If such a case happens, then it is necessary to treat the pomegranate with an appropriate insecticide (either actellic or fitoverm will do).
Outcome
After all of the above, it is worth noting that home care, whether it is either a room or a dwarf pomegranate, will not take much time and effort, and plus such a culture will delight you with tasty and quite healthy fruits.
O healing properties the fruit of the pomegranate has been known to people since ancient times. For centuries, its grains, the juice have been used as a tonic to improve the quality of blood. And in our time, doctors recommend using ruby grains of the fruit to increase hemoglobin, as well as to give strength to people weakened after a serious illness.
This plant is known to thrive and thrive in subtropical climates. Nevertheless, many gardeners manage to grow it in middle lane Russia. And some plant lovers have learned to grow it at home from seeds. At correct fit small grows ornamental plant which blooms with pretty orange bell-shaped flowers. Well, in the fruiting season, small fruits grow on its branches.
The plant will decorate any home space, and besides, decorative fruits, albeit small, but also quite edible. So now we will talk about how pomegranate grows, growing from seeds and caring for it at home, we will discuss it.
Growing a pomegranate from a seed
Now is the time to start planting seeds, as it is recommended to do this in November. It is best to use indoor pomegranate seeds for breeding, already adapted to home conditions. But if there are none, take the seeds from a regular fruit purchased on the market. Only the pomegranate should be ripe, not damaged, rather large.
Place the seeds in a saucer of water before planting. Keep it there for a couple of days. Then fill in Plastic container soft, light soil (peat with sand), pour water, and then plant the seeds there to a depth of 1.5 cm. Then cover the container with a plastic wrap or cover with glass. The main thing is to make a mini-greenhouse. Place your greenhouse where it is very warm. Best temperature for germination - from 25 to 30 degrees.
Usually the seeds germinate in 2-4 weeks. But sometimes they sit in the ground for a very long time - up to six months. But they do sprout anyway, so just wait, periodically moisturizing the soil. When the seedlings grow a little, they will give 2-3 leaves, they can be transplanted into pots. To do this, select the largest, strongest sprouts, plant them in separate, better ceramic pots. The diameter of the pots is about 8 cm.
For pots, when growing pomegranates at home, a universal soil is perfect for indoor plants... Water the transplanted young pomegranates periodically when the soil begins to dry out. If the room is very hot, water them more often, more abundantly.
After about 10 months. after sprouting of pomegranate seeds, young plants will bloom. You need to understand that you are unlikely to grow up tall plant with large fruits. But with good, systematic care, house conditions, it is quite possible to grow a very beautiful exotic fruiting bush, up to half a meter high.
Home care
We have already discussed many important points that the pomegranate needs, home care for this plant is also just as important to get a harvest. And it's not even about watering and feeding, as it seems at first glance. Very important and temperature regime during which the tree should not be in its usual room environment in any way ...
Lighting, watering
Place your home pomegranate in the brightest spot in the room so that it is well lit by the sun's rays. But the constant hit of direct rays on the leaves will be harmful to him, so make sure that the plant receives them in moderation, preferably in a scattered form. When it's warm summer season be sure to take your pet out into the street, into the garden, or take it to the dacha. If there are none, place the pomegranate pot on the balcony or loggia. Even just an open window will suit him perfectly. The main thing is that fresh air flows to it and sunlight... Do not forget to water it regularly and spray the leaves.
A haircut
To keep your plant beautiful, give it regular haircuts. Shape the crown home pomegranate needed annually, from the end of February. Then, in the spring, the active growth of the bush will begin. Moreover, you can make the shape of the crown the way you like best. Be sure to cut off weak shoots, dried branches, and tear off the remaining leaves.
Top dressing
Be sure to feed your pet. From early spring to late summer, feed it every 2 weeks. To do this, use a ready-made universal liquid fertilizer designed for indoor plants. But if you are going to eat the fruits of your homemade pomegranate, it is better not to use it. chemical feeding... After all, all nitrates from fertilizers will be deposited in the fruit. Keep this in mind.
Transfer
To the young home plant a transplant is needed. It must be done annually, as the root system grows. Take a little pot bigger size, fill it with fresh soil. Do this for the first 4 years. Then the pomegranate bush can be left alone. It will feel great in the same pot. Only add fresh soil annually.
Wintering
With the onset of cold weather, pomegranates, like all other deciduous plants, will begin to shed their foliage. At this time, he becomes not very attractive, so some growers are afraid of this. But this is a completely normal, natural process. With the onset of leaf fall, you need to send the plant to winter in a cold room. It is ideal to take it out to an uninsulated loggia.
During wintering, you do not need to water your pet often. Give him peace until spring. Add water little by little when the soil is completely dry, about once every 10 days. This applies to young plants. If the pomegranate is more than 4 years old, water it once a month. Good luck, dear flower growers!