Garnet is a genus small trees and shrubs that belong to the merlin family. In ancient times, this plant was called grain apple. And in the Middle Ages, pomegranate was called the seed apple. It is worth noting that the people of Italy still believe that this particular fruit was the very apple that Eve bit.

Currently, the pomegranate tree can be found on the territory Southern Europe and Western Asia. Only one type of pomegranate is grown in cultivation, which is called ordinary.

Pomegranate fruits are not only tasty, but also quite healthy. It is not surprising that many gardeners who do not have the opportunity to grow pomegranate in their garden try to grow this plant on their windowsill literally from the seed of the fruit.

Below we will look at how to grow pomegranate at home and what is the care of pomegranate at home.

In order to understand how to grow pomegranate from a seed, you should pay attention to the tips experienced gardeners. It is necessary to use fresh seed material of a ripe, beautiful and healthy fruit.

It is worth noting that those pomegranates sold in supermarkets and markets are hybrids. That is why fruits grown at home from a seed will not retain the taste qualities of the parent variety, although the decorativeness of the tree will be beyond praise.

The best way to grow pomegranate at home is to get ripe and tasty fruit indoor tree. After this, the seeds are removed from such a fruit and the pulp is cleared.

The color of the seeds should be creamy and soft to the touch. Greenish seeds for growing in room conditions are unsuitable. Before planting, pomegranate seeds must be soaked for 12 hours in water with the addition of a few drops of zircon or epin, which stimulate the germination process. The solution should not completely cover the seeds, since in addition to moisture, they also need oxygen.

Landing method

To plant pomegranate at home, you need to use a loose substrate, which consists of a mixture:

• Fertile soil;
• Peat;
• Sand.

This substrate can be purchased ready-made at a specialized store for flower plants. It is worth noting that pomegranate is quite unpretentious to the composition of the soil in which it grows. After the grains are ready for planting, they must be buried 1.5 cm into the substrate, while lightly watering and covering the container plastic film or glass. After this, the seedling must be placed in a well-lit place by the sun. If pomegranate is planted at the end of winter or at the beginning of spring, then literally after 2 weeks the first shoots may appear. Seeds that were planted at other times of the year usually do not appear until several months after planting.

Seedling care

When growing a pomegranate tree at home, you must remember that the plant needs optimal comfort. Such comfort implies compliance with the conditions for growing pomegranate indoors at a temperature of about 25 degrees. In addition, the seedling must be constantly ventilated, and the substrate in which it grows must be sprayed. Spraying the substrate should be done only with warm water.

After the seedlings have formed their first leaves, they must be planted in separate containers. It is worth noting that when planting, the roots should be shortened by a third. For planting, nutritious soil should be used, and a layer of drainage should be placed at the bottom of the pot. After planting, the seedling is placed on the brightest windowsill in the house, as it needs to be in direct sunlight for at least 2 hours a day. That is why those seedlings that sprouted in winter time, need additional artificial lighting.

If you notice that the seedlings have already formed 3 pairs of leaves, you need to pinch them, thereby stimulating the growth of the pomegranate with two crowns. When each shoot has three pairs of leaves, they also need to be pinched so that the tree grows lush.

The air temperature in the room where the seedling is located should be within 20 degrees, and the young tree must also be regularly ventilated. IN summer period It is best to take a small tree to a balcony or terrace, as it really likes to be on fresh air and in sunlight. The first flowering of a young pomegranate, as a rule, occurs 10 months after the appearance of the first shoots.

It is worth noting that with the onset of autumn, the pomegranate tree, like most trees, sheds its leaves and enters a state of dormancy. Of course, you can make a pomegranate grow in winter period, but at the same time the plant will become very tired and exhausted, and everyone needs rest, and pomegranate is no exception. In winter, the tree should be kept in a room with a temperature of 10 to 12 degrees. During this period, all fertilizing is stopped, watering is reduced to the required minimum. When the dormant period of the tree stops, leaves appear on the pomegranate again, and the plant becomes more beautiful than before.

But how to care for pomegranate in a pot? Care involves the following rules.

Possible pests and diseases

Pomegranate, which is grown at home, like others houseplants may be attacked by pests. These pests include the following:

• Mealybug;
• Spider mite;
• Shchitovka;
• codling moth;
• Whitefly.

As for the diseases of homemade pomegranate, the most common among them are the following:

• Root cancer;
• Phomopsis;
• Branch cancer;
• Gray rot;
• Spotted leaves.

To kill aphids, as a rule, a two-day infusion of 40 grams of tobacco and 1 liter is used hot water. After infusion, this solution is diluted with water in a ratio of one to two, and 4 grams of laundry soap are added to it.

You can get rid of whiteflies, spider mites and scale insects by treating the pomegranate tree with an infusion of garlic or onion. To do this, you need to take 20 grams of husk and add one liter of water. The infusion should stand for 5 days, after which it is filtered.

But, unfortunately, you can get rid of the codling moth only by collecting all the fallen infected fruits and removing the diseased pomegranates that have not yet fallen from the tree.

Of course, they are also used for pest control. chemicals. For example, to combat mealybug Confidor, Mospalin or is used, and Aktellik or Fitoverm will help get rid of spider mites.

If a pomegranate tree suffers from root cancer or branch cancer, then cracks appear and wounds with spongy swellings form. Drying of shoots, branches and even the entire tree is also observed in case of severe disease damage. At the first symptoms of disease on a pomegranate tree, it is necessary to clean all wounds to healthy tissue, treating them with a solution copper sulfate, and also cover it with garden varnish. If there are a large number of affected areas on the plant, then it is recommended to completely cut down the tree to form a stump. Perhaps this is how it will be possible to save a homemade pomegranate. The most common causes of such diseases are mechanical damage bark and wood.

Attention, TODAY only!

It will not be an exaggeration to say that almost every apartment or house in our country is decorated with indoor flowers. Most often, their assortment is not particularly diverse, but there are exceptions. How do you like indoor pomegranate, for example?

Basic information

Pomegranate (Punica) feels quite comfortable at home. However, in this case it is not the nutritional properties its fruits, and decorative qualities plant flowers. Important! It is still better to grow a dwarf variety of pomegranate (Punicanana) indoors. However, many scientists and gardeners believe that the indoor pomegranate plant is just a separate form of the parent plant. Judging by the appearance and characteristics of the growing season, this is so.

Brief historical background

Oddly enough, indoor pomegranate has been known as a houseplant for a long time. This circumstance is mainly due to the amazing unpretentiousness of this plant. In the subtropics and tropics it is widely grown in open ground, but in our conditions, ordinary pots on windowsills or even indoor greenhouses. By the way, for the excellent decorative qualities of its flowers, pomegranate has long been awarded an Honorary Diploma of the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain.

Ancient legends say that this fruit was once known as the “Punic apple.” In legends, the pomegranate was a symbol representing fidelity in marriage; in Greece it was used as a symbol of fertility, and the Persians revered it as the personification of ardent and passionate love. However, all these are trifles, since the beneficial properties of pomegranate have been known since ancient times.

In general, so useful plant worthy to become a decoration of any home or garden. Moreover, it (as we have already said) is distinguished by its rare unpretentiousness and can grow on brackish and arid soils.

Description of pomegranate

It should be noted that the indoor pomegranate was originally described back in 1803. Its maximum height does not exceed 120 centimeters, and in the form of a potted plant it grows only up to 0.9 meters. The leaves are light green, oval in shape, measuring no more than three centimeters in diameter. They are distinguished by short cuttings that have a slightly reddish tint. In spring the leaves acquire a beautiful bronze color, in summer they are light green, and by autumn they turn yellowish.

Note that the most decorative are special, cultivated varieties of indoor pomegranate. From May to September, these plants are covered in abundance with beautiful purple flowers. They are located in a single order and are formed already in the first year of cultivation. Typically, their size exceeds that of the leaves - about four centimeters. Please note: only flowers with long pistils can bear fruit. The percentage of these is very low, since the indoor pomegranate plant is purely decorative.

Each flower lives for a maximum of three days, but new buds form and bloom every day. Gardeners testify that there are no more than three or four ovaries per hundred flowers. Indoor pomegranate is especially unique due to the fact that the plant can simultaneously have both buds and already ripening fruits.

Separately about fruits

The fruits themselves, by the way, can be colored in the most different colors: orange to brown-red. Alas, they are far from the “regular” pomegranate in taste, and their diameter is a maximum of six to seven centimeters. You can taste them starting in November. The fruiting season ends around January.

Since pomegranates are most often grown at home for their flowers, the fruits are usually removed. This is due to the fact that abundant flowering already greatly depletes the plant, so in order to preserve the decorative properties of the pomegranate, it is better to remove the ovaries that appear. However, you can still leave one or two fruits on one tree.

And it’s worth doing this not so much for culinary purposes, but to obtain own seeds. Let us note, however, that the varietal qualities of plants cannot always be preserved with this method of propagation. And only once every three to four years can you give yourself a gift by leaving all the fruits on the tree. The beauty of a pomegranate that blooms and bears fruit at the same time is simply indescribable.

What varieties are best to use?

On sale you will probably only find dwarf pomegranate(Punicagranatum). Occasionally, indoor pomegranate “Baby” or “Carthage” comes across store shelves. The last two varieties were bred artificially and are intended specifically for indoor cultivation. Their height rarely exceeds 30 centimeters, while the usual dwarf variety often grows up to one meter.

Lighting requirements

Despite its general unpretentiousness, the pomegranate indoor plant is distinguished by its demands on lighting conditions in the house. That is why you can choose any windows in the house to place it except those facing north. However, on hot and sunny days it is still necessary to cover the delicate leaves of the plant from exposure to direct sunlight.

Note that the ideal place for pomegranates in summer is a loggia, attic or veranda. Important! Accustom the plant to " sunbathing"It should be done gradually, since if the process is too abrupt, the formation of sunburn on the leaves cannot be ruled out. As soon as the length of daylight begins to decrease and the nights become colder, this southerner should be immediately brought into the house.

Temperature Range

As you might have guessed, pomegranate requires heat for the entire period of flowering and fruiting. In general, its normal development is possible at a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius. Important! If the room temperature exceeds 25 degrees, it must be taken out to a cooler and ventilated room, otherwise the shoots may begin to dry out. If this is not possible, regularly spray the leaves with water. room temperature(settled, of course).

But! For normal fruit ripening to occur, pomegranate requires a temperature of approximately 16-18 degrees Celsius. From November to March, the plant has a dormant period, during which it is necessary to maintain temperature regime at 10-12 degrees. By the way, these indoor plants can easily withstand frosts down to minus six degrees Celsius.

Requirements for the composition and other characteristics of the soil

Although we said that in nature pomegranate is extremely unpretentious to soils, at home, to create the most decorative plant, the characteristics of soil mixtures should be maintained at the proper level. Please note that they must be neutral (pH 7). We would recommend the following characteristics:

Half turf soil, ¼ part good leaf humus, 12% peat, and 13% sand.
. Half sand, ¼ part loam and peat (watch the pH!).
. Two parts of clay-turf soil, one volumetric part of leaf soil, one part each of sand and humus.
. Especially for young plants: humus, turf, sand and leaf soil are taken in equal proportions.

About watering and air humidity

As you probably yourself understand, proper watering of any plant is the key not only to its decorative appearance, but also to its survival. In our case, there are the following watering rules:

In a state of rest (we talked about it above), the number of waterings is reduced as much as possible: no more than once every one and a half to two months!
. When indoor plants come out of hibernation, you can gradually increase the frequency. Gradually move on to frequent watering, soaking well upper layer soil in a pot. It should be moistened as it dries.
. Please note that during flowering the supply of moisture should be limited, since natural conditions This time coincides with the dry and hot period. But be careful! If there is a lack of moisture and nutrients, you may well be left with nothing, as the plant will simply shed all its buds and ovaries.
. As we have already said, in hot weather and in stuffy rooms it is necessary to spray pomegranate leaves with settled water.
. As soon as flowering is over, the plant needs to be watered abundantly again, since otherwise abundant flowering in the next year will be in question.
. If you need to grow fruits, then the issue of soil moisture should be approached as carefully and carefully as possible. If you overdo it with water, the fruits may crack and even rot.

We feed

Any indoor flowers need feeding. Garnet is no exception. You should “feed” it at least twice a month. IN spring period Any nitrogen fertilizer can be widely used. When the pomegranate blooms, phosphorus fertilizing is required, and in the autumn - potassium fertilizing. However, using complex fertilizer once (per month) is quite acceptable. Important! Fertilizing should be done exclusively in cloudy weather.

Fertilizers must be applied exclusively to moist soil, but all excess water At the same time, it is necessary to drain it from the flower tray. In the autumn, the frequency of fertilizing is gradually reduced, preparing the pomegranate for the dormant period. Most often it occurs in December-January, when the last flowers have faded and all the fruits on the plant have fully ripened.

Rest period

You can easily find out about its onset, since at this moment the plant begins to shed its leaves. As we said, during this period the ambient temperature should be maintained within ten degrees Celsius. Important! As for young pomegranates that have not yet reached the age of three years, a dormant period is not necessary for them, but the temperature at this time should still be lowered to approximately 16 degrees Celsius (as when the fruits ripen).

Of course, in a city apartment it is not always possible to create optimal conditions for hibernation. A simple measure will help to sufficiently reduce the temperature: move the pot of pomegranate close to the glass, and then separate it from the rest of the room with ordinary plastic film. Keeping for three to four weeks will be sufficient. However, the most optimal results can be achieved by taking the plant into the basement for this time.

Trimming procedure

Around February, the pomegranate is taken out of the cold room and, while the buds have not yet opened, they are pruned. The plant best tolerates just this pruning procedure. Most of all small young branches should be removed. To stimulate branching, it is necessary to trim the branches outside the bud at an acute angle, leaving no more than five internodes on the shoot. Important! When forming an indoor pomegranate (a photo of which is in the article), never forget to leave within the six skeletal branches that form the basis of the entire plant.

If you get carried away with pruning, you can significantly weaken the tree. By the way, it is precisely to form the woody form of pomegranate (including bonsai) that you need to mercilessly remove all the young growth in the pot. When forming branches and pruning, you need to be extremely careful, since the shoots are fragile. Excess shoots formed during the current growing season can be removed in the summer. In this case, it is advisable to seal the wound with garden varnish.

How is the transplant performed?

Up to three years, it is necessary to replant the pomegranate annually. After reaching three years, the frequency of the procedure is reduced to once every two to three years. It is best to do this in the spring. The transplant itself is simple, as it is done by conventional transshipment. To do this, you should take soil with the obligatory addition of sand. Of course, drainage in the pot is extremely important.

Despite the developed fibrous system, the pomegranate does not need an extremely wide pot. The capacity should be increased at the rate of two to three centimeters per transplant, no more. By the way, the plant blooms more abundantly, the tighter the roots are in the pot (but don’t overdo it!). Here's how to care for indoor pomegranate.

Propagation of pomegranate by seeds

We immediately warn you that for successful cultivation plants from seeds are extremely important to buy them in specialized stores or from trusted suppliers. However, all gardeners who grow indoor flowers will tell you about this. Pomegranate grown from normal seed material, will allow you to enjoy flowering in the first year, and you will be able to try your own pomegranates in about two to three years.

However, no one forbids trying to grow a tree using seeds from an already ripe fruit. Note that they retain germination for approximately six months. You need to select seeds only from the largest and most well-ripened pomegranates. After this, they are cleared of pulp and dried properly in a warm and dry room. They can be sown in April, to a depth of approximately 0.5 cm. Attention - a pomegranate, the fruit of which has appeared on the tree for the first time, is absolutely unsuitable for use for seed purposes, since its seeds may be too weak and will not sprout.

The substrate for this is made from equal parts of sand and peat, after which it is moderately moistened. Germination occurs at a temperature of about 25-27 degrees Celsius, and seedling development begins quickly. As soon as two or three true leaves appear, the strongest and healthiest-looking seedlings are distributed into pots approximately six centimeters in diameter. In order for plants to grow and develop faster, they need warmth and moisture during this period. For better bushiness, they need to be pinched. Here's how to get indoor pomegranate from seeds.

Important! If you buy a pomegranate at the market or in a store, deciding to use its seeds for sowing, then keep in mind that you can expect it to bloom in seven years at best. In addition, the size of such a plant will be too large (two to three meters) for the average city apartment. Let us remind you that indoor pomegranate, the cultivation of which does not cause any particular difficulties, rarely grows to at least a meter.

Reproduction by cuttings

Cuttings should be taken from mature and well-bearing plants. In the summer you need to take those that are half woody, and in the winter (February), respectively, woody. The branches need to be cut into pieces with five to six buds. The soil for planting is made from equal parts of sand and peat; planting is done at an angle, to a depth of approximately three centimeters. This is how indoor pomegranate is propagated from cuttings.

Cuttings need to be covered with trimmed plastic bottle or a jar, water frequently to maintain high air and soil humidity, as this is necessary for rooting. It is very advisable to treat the cuttings with some humic fertilizer before planting, since this measure dramatically increases the likelihood of successful rooting. After about two or three months, the young plants can already be planted in separate pots. Buds may appear as early as the first year, but they should be cut off during the first two seasons, since the plant is not yet fully strong enough for full flowering.

In short, pomegranate is a plant that every flora lover must have!

Pomegranate - unpretentious fruit plant, which requires only a mild subtropical climate to grow. Where the pomegranate grows there should always be a lot of sunlight and warmth, and then the tree will thank you with long-lasting flowering and sweet fruits. In the temperate climate of the middle zone, as well as in northern regions You can only grow a pomegranate tree at home. This article will discuss how to grow pomegranates at home and what care is needed for pomegranates at home.

Today, several hundred varieties of pomegranate are known, more than a hundred of which are classified as cultivated varieties and are widely cultivated on an industrial scale. Pomegranate varieties are distinguished by the hardness of the seeds. There are fruits with hard and soft seeds.

Of course, every country where this crop is cultivated has its own, everyone’s favorite variety of pomegranate, but there are also well-known, very productive garden varieties, which include:

It should also be noted the excellent taste of Iranian pomegranates “Akhmar”, “Nar-Shirin”, Indian and Israeli varieties (Dholka, Mangulati), which are not cultivated in the CIS, but can easily be grown in the conditions of the Central Asian strip.

Video “Growing”

From the video you will learn how to grow pomegranate.

Varieties for growing indoors

Homemade pomegranate – amazing beauty ornamental plant with bright flowers and small exotic fruits. Those who have long dreamed of, but do not know how to grow pomegranate at home, should know that there is nothing complicated about it, the main thing is to choose the right variety.

There are a few low-growing varieties indoor pomegranate, highly decorative and intended for growing in a pot:

1. "Nana." Dwarf (up to 70 cm) hybrid form. It begins to bloom in the first year, reaching a height of 40 cm. Flowering is abundant, the flowers are large, orange-red. The fruits are small (up to 5 cm in diameter); out of several dozen flowers, no more than 10 ovaries are formed on the bush.
2. "Baby." The shortest (up to 50 cm) indoor variety. The shrub is very decorative, especially during the flowering period. The flower of this pomegranate is large and bright red. Flowering begins in mid-summer, and by early autumn 4-5 fairly large fruits ripen on the hedgehog bush.
3. "Carthage". The most abundantly flowering dwarf pomegranate. It can reach 1 meter in height; the bush is compact, dense, and well-leafed. The pomegranate flower is bright red, semi-double. The fruits are small (4-5 cm in diameter), burgundy-red in color.

Reproduction methods

The most common methods of propagating pomegranate are cuttings and seed material (seeds or seeds). It should be immediately clarified that for planting in the garden it is easier to purchase ready-made seedlings in nurseries, since they are already grafted with varieties that guarantee abundant fruiting and high taste characteristics. If you want to grow garden plant with your own hands, then the most acceptable method would be cuttings, since the seed method does not allow preserving the taste of the variety.

If the main goal is to grow a decorative form of pomegranate, then you can plant a pomegranate tree at home using seeds or seeds.

Here the question may arise: what is the difference between pits and seeds? Seeds are formed in the pomegranate flower when it fades. They can be collected and planted in the soil. Of course, pomegranate grown from seeds grows more slowly, and the germination rate is lower than when grown from seeds.

Seeds can be taken from fresh fruit grains. If planting is done immediately, then there is no need to clear the seeds from the pulp. If later, the material must be separated from the pulp, washed and dried a little to prevent rotting. Dried seeds, before planting pomegranate in a pot at home, will need to be pre-soaked in a solution that stimulates root formation. Then, sow the seeds into the prepared substrate, distributing them evenly over the surface and sprinkling them with a 1.5-2 centimeter layer of soil. Until the seeds have sprouted, it is necessary to maintain soil moisture. When the sprouts reach a height of 3-4 cm, they can be planted in separate pots.

Now in detail about how to plant a pomegranate from a cutting at home:

• at the end of spring, from one-year-old young shoots, cut into pieces about 20 cm long with 3-4 buds (you can use root shoots);
• place the cuttings for a day in a solution that stimulates root formation;
• prepare the soil (add sand, peat, organic fertilizers) and moisturize well;
• Bury the prepared cuttings into the soil so that 1 bud remains on the surface;
• each cutting needs to be provided with a film cover (you can use a plastic bottle);

Cuttings should be planted in warm soil, the temperature of which is not lower than +12°C. If all the conditions have been met, in about a month the cuttings will begin to take root - this will become noticeable by the growth of the buds, and after another month the seedlings can be transplanted.

Planting in the garden

Pomegranate is a southern plant, so growing it in the garden only makes sense if you live in a region with a subtropical climate, on the sea coast or in a steppe area. Of course, there are relatively winter-hardy varieties, capable of growing and bearing fruit not only in the subtropics, but still, if the winter temperature is negative, then a pomegranate growing in the garden will require maximum effort and care from the gardener.

pomegranate tree not demanding on soil composition. In nature, it grows successfully on stones, poor, even saline sandy soil. In addition, an adult plant tolerates drought well.

In order for a pomegranate planted in the garden to feel comfortable, you need to try to create conditions for it that are close to natural: prepare loose, good drainage soil, plant in a sunny place, water from time to time. Position in the sun is the main condition for obtaining large and sweet fruits.

The planting hole for pomegranate is dug and prepared in the same way as for other fruit trees. The average size the hole is 60x70 cm with a depth of at least 50 cm. But these parameters are individual for each tree, as they depend on the size of the seedling’s rhizome. A layer of fertilizer (humus, compost) is placed at the bottom of the hole (about a quarter) and sprinkled with a layer of soil. Next, a seedling is placed in the hole, the roots are straightened, and carefully covered with soil, shaking the tree slightly so that no voids form in the soil. At the end, the seedling is well watered, and if desired, the tree trunk circle is mulched.

Growing conditions and tree care

As already mentioned, the main thing for pomegranate is good lighting and warmth. The tree begins to bloom leaves in the spring at a temperature of +12°C, and at the same temperature in the fall it begins to shed them and prepare for dormancy. Flowering begins at a temperature of +18°C, and the fruits ripen within 5-6 months, depending on the variety, by the end of October - mid-November. You need to understand that if snow already falls in your region in November, then you should not experiment, since pomegranate grown in such conditions will still not bear fruit.

Growing in a dry climate, the tree needs watering, especially during flowering and ovary formation. If a blooming pomegranate does not have enough moisture, the flowers may fall off. The same thing happens with the ovary. During fruit ripening, watering is reduced, as excess moisture can lead to cracking of the peel. As for low temperatures, then spring frosts the pomegranate tree is not afraid, since the pomegranate blooms quite late, but autumn frosts can cause significant harm to the crop, therefore, in our latitudes, pomegranates need to be thoroughly covered for the winter, not only the roots, but also the crown of the tree.

An adult fruiting pomegranate, the care of which involves the application of fertilizers, is responsive to mineral and organic fertilizing. At the beginning of summer, the tree should be fed with a complex mineral mixture, and during the summer it is recommended to apply liquid chicken manure by watering every two weeks. In the fall, before wintering, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers (superphosphate, potassium salt) are scattered around the tree, and the tree trunk circle is covered with a layer of humus.

Tree formation and preparation for winter

Crown formation is a mandatory stage in caring for both home and garden pomegranates. Planned pruning is carried out once in the spring, or after harvesting the fruits. First of all, damaged, dried branches, as well as small ones that lead to thickening of the tree, are completely cut out. Then you should remove all root shoots and shoots formed on the trunk.

Growing at home

Growing pomegranate at home is a very pleasant process in all respects. Watching how a quickly growing bush is densely covered with bright orange-red flowers, from which miniature fruits are then formed, gives pleasure not only to the gardener, but to all household members. In addition, caring for indoor pomegranate is not difficult at all.

Its main requirement is good lighting and a temperature not lower than +20°C, so it is better to place a pot with a tree on a windowsill on the south side. And the rest of home care consists of the following activities:

• The tree should be watered as the soil dries, during the flowering period watering should be more intense, when the fruits ripen - moderate, and closer to winter - very rare;
• before reaching the age of three, homemade pomegranate must be replanted annually into a larger pot, then replanting is carried out once every 2-3 years;
• for abundant flowering, the bush is fed once every 2-3 weeks with a mineral mixture;
• in the fall, after the fruits ripen, the tree should be pruned and placed in a cool place (+12°C) - from December to early February, pomegranate has a dormant period.

Diseases and pests: control and prevention

Pomegranate is not very susceptible to diseases or pests, but since proximity to other fruit crops always carries the threat of infection, every spring for preventive purposes it should be treated with a solution of a complex insecticide, for example, Bordeaux mixture. This drug will protect the pomegranate from fungal diseases (gray rot, leaf spot), and will also serve as a preventative measure against aphids and spider mites.

If these pests do attack the tree, then you can get rid of them using tobacco dust or tobacco decoction (400 g/10 l of water, leave for 2 days), as well as decoction nut leaves(50 g leaves/1 liter of water, leave for 24 hours). The most dangerous enemy of pomegranates is pomegranate moths. These are caterpillars that crawl inside the fruit and eat unripe seeds, which leads to the fall of the ovary and the death of the crop. To avoid the spread of moths, you need to regularly inspect the tree and immediately remove and burn diseased parts of the plant.

Video “Care”

From the video you will learn how to care for pomegranate.

How to grow real pomegranate not only in the apartment, but also in the garden

Pomegranate, or Pomegranate tree (Punica) is a genus of shrubs and small trees of the family Lythraceae. The fruits of plants from this genus are called pomegranates.

Origin of the generic name Lat. “Punica” from the Latin word “punicus” - Punic, Carthaginian, due to the wide distribution of the plant in this country (modern Tunisia). The Russian name “pomegranate” comes from the Latin “granatus” (grainy). The history of the origin of the name of this fruit is in itself very interesting. IN Ancient Rome this fruit had two Latin names - malum punicum and malum granatum.

The first literally meant “Punic apple”; the Romans called the Phoenicians, who moved from Asia Minor to North Africa in the XII-VII centuries BC. e. and founded a number of colonies there: Carthage, Utica, Leptis Magna and others. At that time it was believed that the best pomegranates grew in Carthage. The second name, literally meaning “grainy apple” - malum granatum, formed the basis for the names of this fruit in other languages: in German - Granatapfel (Apfel - apple), Italian - melograna (mela - apple), Swedish - Granatapple, Spanish - Granada, French - Grenade and English - pomegranate (from the Latin pomum - fruit).

Pomegranate is cultivated not only for the purpose of producing fruits; it is grown in the garden as hedges with flowers of various colors (pink, fiery red, white, cream, light yellow), and used for cutting. At a young age, pomegranate has very flexible shoots, allowing you to create any shape of crown and trunk, which is ideal for bonsai.

Description of pomegranate

Socotra pomegranate (Punica protopunica) is endemic to Socotra Island. It is quite rare in nature. The plant grows on limestone and rocky plateaus at an altitude of 250-310 m above sea level, often among croton thickets.

This is low evergreen tree, 2.5-4.5 m high, with rounded or elliptical leaves. It differs from the common pomegranate in its smaller pink (not red) flowers, raised on stalks, the structure of the ovary, smaller fruit, lower sugar content in the fruit, and a number of other anatomical and morphological characteristics.

Pomegranate care

Lighting. Pomegranate prefers bright light, can do without shading, and is suitable for growing near windows facing south, but in summer you should still shade the plant from the midday sun.

In summer, it is advisable to take the plants outside open air, in a semi-shaded place (until September). If there were few long periods of light days, then with increasing illumination, the plant should be gradually accustomed to direct sunlight in order to avoid sunburn, the same should be done with the purchased plant. In winter, place the plant in a bright, cool place.

Temperature. During the growing season, pomegranate prefers air temperatures around 20-25°C. In autumn the temperature decreases.

Pomegranate has a pronounced dormant period in winter (from November to the end of February). It must be kept in cool conditions with infrequent watering. Pomegranate leaves may fall off completely or partially during the winter. Plants overwinter well in cold, bright rooms at a temperature of 5-10°C. If pomegranate overwinters at temperatures above 15°C, frequent spraying is necessary. Keeping it at a higher temperature is also acceptable, but if the pomegranate is kept in a cool room in winter, flowering and fruiting will be better in the spring.

The plant needs an influx of fresh air.

Watering. During the growing season, the plant is watered abundantly with soft, settled water as the top layer of the substrate dries. A plant with fruits can be watered twice a day. From the end of August, watering of the pomegranate is reduced and fertilizing is stopped so that the shoots ripen; after the leaves fall, they are watered extremely moderately, at the same time preventing the earthen clod from drying out and being overly moistened.

Humidity. Air humidity does not play a significant role for the plant.

Fertilizer. Pomegranate takes well to fertilizing. In spring and early summer, nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizers are applied, and at the end of summer, fertilizers with a high potassium content are applied.

Bloom. For lush flowering It is important to form the crown correctly. In spring, dry branches are removed, and young ones are trimmed, leaving 2-3 pairs of leaves. During the summer, excess growth that forms in the lower part of the stems is regularly trimmed. And once every 5 years, the pomegranate is rejuvenated by removing one of the old trunks and leaving a strong young shoot in its place.

Pomegranate is a cross-pollinated plant. This means that flowers are formed on one plant different types: flowers with a short pistil do not form fruits, but flowers with a long pistil, when pollinated, set fruits. If the fruits are more important to you than the flowering of the pomegranate, the flowers of the first type, which take a lot of energy from the plant, can be removed. Beautifully flowering varieties (most decorative double ones), as a rule, only bloom and do not produce fruit.

Transfer. Pomegranates are replanted in the spring after the end of the dormant period: young plants - annually, adults - once every 2-4 years. Pomegranate does not need large pots, this is due to the fact that it blooms well when the roots are a little crowded. Therefore, there is no need to increase the volume of dishes when transplanting. The substrate should be nutritious and loose (turf, humus, leaf soil, sand (1: 0.5: 1: 1). Good drainage is provided at the bottom of the pot.

Reproduction. Plants are propagated by seeds, cuttings and grafting.

Propagation by seeds. Pomegranate seeds are sown in autumn ( better in autumn) or in the spring. Composition of the soil mixture: turf soil with sand in a ratio of 1:1. Germination can be accelerated by maintaining the soil temperature at 22-25°C. Seedlings are planted one at a time into 5-7 cm pots. Composition of the earth mixture: turf - 1 tsp, sand - 1 tsp. Water generously. In winter, watering is limited, especially after the leaves fall. In spring, young plants are transferred to 7-centimeter pots. In the first years, plants grow slowly. Flowering occurs in the 5th-8th year (with potted culture).

Propagation by cuttings. In February-March, cuttings are cut 10 cm long (from mature shoots) and planted in a distribution box, or mini-greenhouse. Rooted cuttings are transplanted into 7-centimeter pots. Substrate composition: turf soil - 1 tsp, humus - 0.5 tsp, leaf soil - 1 tsp, sand - 1 tsp. Cuttings are also taken in the summer with semi-ripe cuttings. Garden varieties propagated by grafting; The seedlings serve as the rootstock. Flowering occurs in the 3-4th year.

Possible difficulties

The pomegranate does not bloom. The common pomegranate blooms in 5-7 years. Dwarf pomegranate blooms in 1-2 years. Flowers form at the ends of shoots, so crown formation during the growing season can interfere with flowering.

The leaves turn yellow and fall off. Pomegranate is a deciduous shrub. In winter, he needs to be given a cool place. Leaves may not fall completely.

The leaves are covered brown spots and fall off during the growing season. The pomegranate was overdried. Follow the correct watering regime, new shoots will appear.

Branches break. Pomegranate branches are thin and flexible; they can break under the weight of ripening fruits. Use support sticks and tie bending branches to them.

The fruits are cracking. During the period of fruit ripening, the soil should not be overly moistened - this will cause the fruits to crack.

The seeds don't germinate. Only freshly collected seeds are used for planting. They must not be allowed to dry out.

There are many flowers, but few fruits are set. Pomegranate fruits only form flowers with a long pistil. The rest wither and fall off.

Damaged

Spider mite, aphids, scale insects, whiteflies.

Tips from the site *Garden and vegetable garden*

When growing common pomegranate fruit, keep in mind that the first generation of flower buds bloom simultaneously with the leaves, and the second generation of flower buds appear after the formation of buds on one-year-old ringlets that appear on biennial, main shoots.

It should also be borne in mind that although for the most part two-year-old pomegranate shoots easily tolerate cold temperatures down to -20′C, some flower buds can die from frost, so at such and lower temperatures the pomegranate requires shelter, this is important because in Lately gardeners are trying to grow cold-resistant pomegranate varieties in more northern regions - the Moscow region, Central Russia, to whose climatic conditions it is unusual.

Pomegranate yields depend primarily on the number of full-fledged flowers remaining after flowering.

A full-fledged pomegranate flower has a thickened base with a long column covered with a capitate stigma, on which, when pollen gets on it, a thick liquid is released that preserves the pollen and promotes its rapid germination.

The already mentioned short-pistillate flowers are bell-shaped, smaller in size, and have an underdeveloped ovary. These flowers will fall off one way or another and they will not produce a harvest, although they bloom very luxuriantly, because their number is greater than that normally developing, so do not be upset when you see that the harvest is not as large as expected after flowering - this is a normal process.

Pomegranate is self-pollinating, pollination occurs within the flower, so take this into account for those who want to try growing pomegranate in greenhouses.

But the main condition for obtaining a grant harvest is its thermophilicity, therefore, when caring for it, the main condition must be met - the sum of positive temperatures cannot be less than 3000 degrees, note that on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus it often reaches 4700-4800 degrees Celsius.

High humidity This is not a problem for pomegranate; it is cultivated in regions where, according to their climatic conditions, precipitation in excess of 500 millimeters is not such a rarity.

It is also undemanding to the quality of the soil, but for its successful cultivation, well-drained crushed stone soils, as well as calcareous or loams with good water permeability, are better suited, but if we are talking about the latter, then they must be rich in nutrients.

Moisture will be retained in the soil better if you mulch annually tree trunk circles straw or weeds, green manure. soil around the pomegranate tree will also help to achieve success in its cultivation along with the addition of organic matter - it is very responsive to this.

I know that some gardeners from the northern regions of the Krasnodar Territory, Rostov Region, Stavropol Territory and Astrakhan grow pomegranate in gardens and dachas as a cover crop, that is, when winter comes, the bush is bent to the ground, just as is done with bushes of heat-loving grape varieties, and then sprinkled with earth starting from the top of the bush.

Landing

When planting pomegranates, you must keep in mind that for a covering form, plants are planted with a slope of 45-60: towards the south. Other gardeners wrap pomegranate branches with burlap for the winter. Considering that this plant is deciduous and frost-resistant, it is still easier to cover with burlap.

Size landing pit- as for other fruit crops. The top layer of soil is poured at the bottom of the hole, then around a bucket of old rotted manure mixed with soil.

During the period of active growth, the soil around the tree is periodically not deeply loosened and moderately moistened, maintaining this condition throughout the entire growing season.

On depleted and poor soils, already in June, pomegranate is fed: 8 g of potassium, 15 g of phosphorus, 10 g of nitrogen. In autumn, phosphorus and potassium are added (25:15) when loosening the soil.

Pruning pomegranate and forming a tree crown

The most convenient form of pomegranate tree to care for is, of course, bush-like - 5-6 trunks.

If the growing season is successful and the pomegranate grows well, getting timely care then these branches begin to age, and as this process progresses they are replaced by fresh ones. Anti-aging pruning is carried out quite rarely - no more than at the age of 25; if during anti-aging pruning you cut off the entire part of the tree that is above the soil, then the pomegranate, under such conditions, can grow and bear fruit with good yield for up to 100 years, so that your grandchildren will get it too.

Formative pruning of pomegranate differs little from the same type of pruning of other garden shrubs and low trees. It is done after harvesting from the tree and in the spring. First of all, dry and fatty shoots, as well as those that are excessively thickening, are cut out. The stem shoots and basal shoots of pomegranates need to be removed regularly.

Pomegranate propagation.

Pomegranate reproduces both by seed (in breeding) and vegetative way- that is, ordinary cuttings.

Photo 2: Pomegranate from seed

Slightly lignified cuttings approximately 23-25 ​​centimeters long are harvested from annual shoots of the best healthy mother bushes, including shoots.

The soil for cuttings must be well fertilized, breathable, well drained, and not in a “wet” area of ​​the site

When planting, the cuttings must be buried so that only one internode is on the soil.

Planting pomegranate cuttings begins at a time when the earth warms up at a depth of 10-12 centimeters to 12 degrees, no less, after all, the plant is southern and thermophilic.

You can also successfully propagate pomegranate from green cuttings (late May - June). The method for growing green cuttings is the same as for other easy-to-root crops.

In room conditions, cut cuttings about 10 cm long. Take into account soil temperature (20-25 degrees), air humidity (can be plastic bag, tied at the top), illumination is sufficient, but not direct sunlight (the temperature rises sharply, which leads to the death of the cuttings).

Many people have seen pomegranate fruits, let’s just talk about their biological characteristics.

Pomegranate is nothing more than a false berry, with many seeds (their number is in different varieties can be from four hundred to seven hundred and fifty). The fruits are surrounded by a very dense, slightly drying peel; it is thanks to it that the pomegranate has excellent transportation characteristics and “reaches” the season to the most northern latitudes as if it had just been picked from the tree.

Pomegranate varieties

Wild pomegranate is much smaller than its cultivated counterparts. In cultivated varieties, the fruits are usually very beautiful, large, reaching a weight of even one and a half kilograms.

Most large varieties pomegranates Kazake, Ak-don, Achik-don.

Pomegranate has many varieties that differ from each other in both color and size, as well as ripening time, cold resistance, sugar content, number of seeds (by the way, among the varieties there are also those that have no seeds at all, the so-called seedless pomegranates, and those with soft seeds).

For example, the following zoned varieties are preferred for Kuban.

Variety "Pink stripe".

Subshrub. The crown is semicircular. The fruits of “Poloshi” are large, oval-shaped, with pink skin and large, rich cherry-colored grains. Very aromatic sour juice.

"Gyulosha red."

The tree is thorny. The fruits are greenish, creamy, round, spotted, with very large grains. The juice is sweet, sour, very tasty.

Nikitsky early.

Low shrub. Very large grenades. The grains are medium in size, the juice is also sweet but with sourness.

Productivity and fruit size depend on agricultural practices. The plant can be shaped to suit the conditions of a given area: large or dwarf, taking into account winter shelter or not.

There are dwarf ornamental varieties up to 30-50 cm high, constantly blooming in the room and producing small (with Walnut) fruits. These forms are extremely beautiful.

Dwarf pomegranate

Let's take a special look at the dwarf pomegranate.

This type is good for everyone, except, of course, for the size of the fruits, which, however, does not negate their beauty. taste qualities. The fruits are better care rarely exceed the weight of 70 grams, but the taste is indistinguishable from large-fruited varieties.

The height of the dwarf pomegranate bush reaches no more than a meter, but very quickly, even when this pomegranate is propagated by seeds, it can “throw away” flowers in the first year, although it barely reached 20-25 centimeters. By the way, it blooms for six months (from May until the first frost), and the flowering is one of the most beautiful that I have ever seen in nature. If dwarf pomegranate is grown at home, indoors, then New Year you will meet with a flowering tree.

The bush of this species has a regular pyramidal shape. Its flowers are large and beautiful, orange color, but can also be bright red, grow directly in the axils of the leaves, which are much smaller in size than those of large-fruited brothers of the genus. It drops its leaves for only two, rarely three months.

The ovary is formed by only a few flowers. On one bush, about ten to twelve fruits grow and ripen, of the most varied colors - often red, less often yellow or greenish-cream. The pulp of the fruit is very juicy and sweet. Pomegranates can ripen indoors or at home even in December - there is no rush.

The fruits of the dwarf pomegranate have very useful properties, such as anthelmintic. Brew 45 grams of twigs or roots with 400-450 milliliters of boiling water, evaporate to half the volume and strain. You need to take it in small sips for 60-70 minutes, then take a laxative and forget about the worms. Prose of life but someone will find it useful.

The second folk recipe from pomegranates will be useful for those who have inflammation digestive tract, diarrhea, dysentery, dysbiosis after taking antibiotics, and gum inflammation.

Prepare half a liter of boiling water and pour it over 1 tbsp. spoon of pomegranate tree bark, boil for 10-12 minutes, then let it brew for at least 2 hours and strain well.

Take for the above problems three times a day, one hundred milliliters before meals. Helps very well.

The use of pomegranates - the medicinal and beneficial properties of the fruit

Pomegranate fruits, characterized by a magnificent variety of taste and many useful and even medicinal properties, consumed both fresh and processed. The main nutritional component is the juice contained in the fruits (up to 75 percent). It is rightfully considered one of the best fruit juices.

Pomegranate juice (especially prepared at home, with your own hands - a factory is a factory) contains up to 20 percent sugars, 3% fat, up to 1.5% protein, up to 4% acids, of which the main one is citric, and many vitamins.

Juice comes in a wide variety of colors, and if pomegranate juice is bottled, the color primarily depends on the integrity of the manufacturer, while pomegranate juice prepared at home from fruits grown on your own plot is most often dark ruby, the only exceptions being pomegranate varieties with light pink grains.

According to the taste of the juice, the varieties are grouped into 3 main groups: sour, sweet and sour and sweet.

How useful is it? Fresh Juice grenade in the heat, when tired! It is perfect for use in making soft drinks and cooking.

The fruits are used for scurvy, chronic diseases stomach. Pomegranate juice lowers temperature, improves digestion, quenches thirst, and is prophylactic against neoplasms, improves high-quality composition blood.

Pomegranate seeds, with 20% starch and at least 20% fat, are used to obtain oil and...

The peel of pomegranate fruits contains tannins and tannins, so it is used in both dyeing and tanning industries.

In Eastern countries, high-quality, natural, permanent paints are made from pomegranate bark, as well as from the roots of the plant: black, yellow, brown, pink, purple - for dyeing fabrics. These dyes are significantly superior to synthetic ones.

Citric acid is obtained from small pomegranate fruits.

The flowering of pomegranate is very lush and very, very beautiful, since it lasts quite a long time; many people plant pomegranate not only for harvest, but also for simple aesthetic pleasure from its flowering tree.

Pomegranates are grown everywhere: from the south to the Far North. If in the greenhouses of little Northern Iceland so many bananas ripen that there are enough for all the inhabitants of the country, then a much more seasoned pomegranate can grow in every exotic lover who loves nature, with which we are all inextricably linked.

Growing pomegranate in open ground in practice - tips and tricks

When I started growing pomegranates, at first I tried many ways to cover the bushes, but in the end I chose the best of all - I created my own method, which I consider simpler and more accessible.

I start with landing. I set aside a sunny place for planting and dig a trench. I throw the earth out of the trench onto the edges, then in the trench itself I dig a hole for planting measuring 40x40x40 cm.

To provide a seedling for the first time good nutrition, I mix the soil from the hole with humus or compost and sand in a ratio of 2:2:1.

I plant seedlings in a row at a distance of 170-200 cm with a slope of approximately 40-50%. The slope is directed towards the sun. Near each bush I bury a post that serves as a garter. I usually grow the pomegranate bush itself into 3-4 branches. After planting, during the growth process, shoots form at the base of the seedling, which I use to create the number of shoots I need. Usually in the fall I leave 2-3 of the best shoots to create new branches. If I don't need shoots, I remove them as they grow.

According to my observations, pomegranate blooms in the 2-3rd year. But the first full fruits are obtained in the 4th year. I think this is primarily due to the fact that by this time the pomegranate already has a large supply of wood and begins to bloom in late May - early June, and the fruits have time to ripen. When the bush is young, it blooms late - in July-August. The fruits do not have time to ripen at this time.

Pomegranate blossoms are very abundant. It blooms from May to August, but only a fifth of the flowers are female, and only they bear fruit.

Pomegranate flowers are very large, bright red, and beautiful. When it blooms, it surprises and fascinates with its flowers; many who see the bloom say: if we can’t grow fruits, we’ll grow them for the flowers.

Maintaining a pomegranate bush is also beneficial because when the branch becomes large, it is difficult to cover it, I remove this branch. But by this time I am preparing a new one from the shoots.

If you leave six or more branches, the fruits become smaller, and the bush itself develops worse.

The most optimal: 3-5 fruiting branches (these are those that are 4 years old or more) and 3-4 branches that are not yet bearing fruit, but are needed for replacement. For example, a five-year-old bush should have 3-4 fruit-bearing branches and 2-3 needed for replacement.

I do the pruning in two stages: in the fall, before covering, I remove those branches that are poorly located in the crown of the bush and that will interfere with the covering, and those that I cannot bend down for shelter. I do the second pruning in the spring - after opening, this is approximately April. At this time, I cut off broken, rotten branches and make sure that there is no thickening in the bush. After opening, I tie it to a pole, lift it off the ground and distribute the branches evenly.

The most labor-intensive thing about growing pomegranates, in my opinion, is shelter for the winter. My pomegranate variety can withstand frosts down to -18 C, then it begins to freeze. Therefore, to make the shelter easier, I plant the seedling in a trench, since the seedling is located in a recess, it is enough to untie it from the post, and it falls into the prepared hole; all that remains is to cover it with earth.

From my own experience, I realized that 10-15 cm of soil on top of the bush is enough for the plant to overwinter. With our warm winters and excess moisture, in order to prevent the branches from dampening, I put old slate or a sheet of iron on top of the bush.

In the fifteen years during which my pomegranate has been growing, I have not observed any pests or diseases. Although amateur gardeners still recommend spraying with 3% Bordeaux mixture after overwintering before the buds open.

Watering the pomegranate is necessary. I water mainly when necessary, but I noticed that if you don’t water, flowers fall off during drought.

My variety of pomegranate is not as red as on the market, but it is in no way inferior in sweetness.

In the summer, when you look at the bush, at its narrow, elongated leaves, flowers unlike any other in shape and color, you think that you need to include pomegranate among your favorite fruit crops grown in open ground. The harvest may not be so big, but the pomegranates will always seem tastier and more aromatic than those imported from the southern regions. And with what pride you take in your hands a pomegranate fruit grown with your own hands!

Growing from seed

Pomegranate. Growing from seed

A very ripe fruit is suitable for planting, but without rot or mold. Ripe, viable seeds have a dark color Ivory, they are very hard to the touch. Soft greenish seeds will not sprout because they are unripe.

Before planting, it is useful to soak the seeds in a solution of epin or zircon - this will disinfect them and activate them to germinate. To do this, pour water into the bottom of a shallow bowl or saucer, so much so that the seeds are about half filled, and drop two or three drops of epin or zircon into the water. The seeds should not be completely covered with water - without oxygen, the germination process will be ruined. They need to be left to soak in this liquid for about 10-12 hours, and during this time there should be enough water. The swollen seeds left without moisture will begin to dry out, crack and die.

They are sown no deeper than a centimeter. The first shoots appear in about a week. The germination rate of pomegranate is close to 100%, but it is extended over time - after six months, a seed that everyone has forgotten about may germinate for no apparent reason.

The emerging seedlings require virtually no care; pomegranate is not the most capricious plant. But in order to grow a fluffy tree, you need to carry out some manipulations.

When the first pair of true leaves appears, the seedling needs to be transplanted into a deeper container; at the same time, when transplanting, it will be useful to dive it, so it will stretch less. Then, after waiting for the third pair of true leaves, the fourth is pinched, thus stimulating the pomegranate to grow with two crowns.

Subsequently, these two branches are also pinched at the phase of the third pair of leaves. Without this, the pomegranate from the seed will grow upward in one twig and there will be little beauty in it for a long time.

The first flowering can occur at the age of 10 months if the pomegranate has enough light. This is easy to determine - a plant that has enough light does not stretch, and its new branches almost immediately begin to grow bark, they are reddish in color, the leaves grow wide and dark green, with brown veins on the underside.

When there is not enough light, the distances between pairs of leaves are large, the branches themselves are light green and very thin, the leaves are also light green, transparent, narrow, without veins. If the sprout begins to stretch, and it is not possible to increase the lighting, it is better to pinch all new shoots at the root and reduce watering; it is also good to place the pomegranate in temperatures lower than usual, up to 10 degrees.

Pomegranate is one of those plants that sheds its leaves every autumn and rests for the winter for a month or two. But for this he needs low temperature. As soon as the temperature rises to 15-20 degrees, the pomegranate will begin to grow leaves and branches again.

The soil indoor grenade grown from seeds, the same as for citrus fruits is suitable; for example, you can take ready-made soil for lemon in the store.

Lovers exotic plants They will definitely want to grow a beautiful small pomegranate tree at home. While a dwarf pomegranate will no longer surprise anyone, an ordinary pomegranate grown from a seed is still quite rarely seen at home. Moreover, a plant grown at home is a miniature, abundantly flowering tree. Pomegranate blooms are quite large and very beautiful. pink flowers. At good care Small fruits appear on the branches.

Many home plant lovers would like to have such beauty at home. But they don’t dare to raise it at home, because they fear that it will be very difficult. And completely in vain. There are no particular difficulties, since the plant is unpretentious and grows well at home. So how to grow pomegranate at home from a seed? What is needed for this? Now I will tell you about it:

Pomegranate from seeds

We will begin to implement our idea from the market. Buy there the very ripe, most beautiful, large fruit with a clean, healthy skin (no mold, rot, or dents). Break it up at home and eat it for your health. Leave only 3-4 whole grains. This is enough, since the germination rate of pomegranate grains reaches 95%.

Rinse the grains running water, wash off the remaining pulp. You should be left with fairly hard seeds that are not very light ivory in color. If they are soft to the touch and greenish in color, do not plant them. They are simply unripe and will not sprout.

If everything is fine with the grains, place them in a small amount of epin or zircon solution. To do this, you only need a couple of drops of solution per 1 tsp. water. The seeds should not be completely covered with it. Leave for 12 hours. Make sure the water doesn't dry out. Seeds must be in humid environment, otherwise they will die.

Prepare suitable soil for growing seeds. A loose soil mixture of fertile soil, with the addition of sand or peat, is best suited. If it is difficult to prepare the mixture yourself, buy universal soil for flower plants in the store. The unpretentious pomegranate grows well in such soil.

Next, plant the seeds in a container with soil, shallowly, about 1-1.5 cm. Sprinkle with soil, cover with polyethylene. Such a kind of greenhouse will create favorable conditions for germination. The first shoots appear in different ways. For example, if they are planted in late winter or early spring, they usually germinate within a couple of weeks. Seeds planted at other times of the year can “sit” for up to six months.

When the first leaves appear, plant the young shoots in pots that are filled with nutritious soil. Water generously as the soil dries out. Never pour water on tender sprouts. Try to water from a thin watering can under the roots. The soil in pots should always be slightly moist. If you planted grains in winter, most likely the sprouts will need additional lighting with special lamps (about various types such lamps, you will find information on our website).

The first flowering will begin approximately a year after germination. The abundance of branch coverage, the number, and size of flowers will depend on the regular, careful care of the tree, namely, on the amount of lighting received, the abundance of watering and some other things. Let's remember the basic rules of care

Caring for homemade pomegranate

Watering:

Water the tree with settled, not cold (room temperature) water. In summer, when it is hot, watering should be plentiful as the soil dries out. In winter, when the plant is resting, watering is significantly reduced.

The soil:

As we have already said, the soil should be light, loose, with good access air. Therefore to soil mixture add more sand. But for good growth, comfortable life trees at home, ready-made universal soil is quite suitable. You can buy it at any specialized store. By the way, don’t forget about drainage. Pomegranate also needs it, like all house plants without exception.

Trimming:

So that your tree has an attractive appearance, its crown needs to be looked after. Once a year, preferably in February, give it a haircut, shaping the shape of the crown. This is both beautiful and useful, since after pruning the active growth of young shoots begins.

Feeding:

The tree loves feeding. Therefore, from spring to late summer, fertilize it every two weeks. For feeding, use ready-made liquid fertilizers, which are universal and suitable for any indoor flowers. But if you plan to eat the fruits, it is better to replace store-bought fertilizers with organic ones. Purchased universal nutritional mixtures contain a lot of nitrates, which will then certainly be present in the fruits.

Transfer:

Replant young trees annually as soon as you notice that the roots have filled the entire pot. Replant the pomegranate by choosing a larger (but not large) pot. When the plant is 3-4 years old, you can leave it in your favorite pot and not disturb it anymore.

With the onset of winter, the tree will shed its leaves, but this should not bother you. With the onset of spring, it will again be covered with young green leaves. With the onset of warm summer days, it is useful to take your pet out onto the balcony.

As you can see, it is not at all difficult to grow pomegranate from a seed. Good luck to you, dear flower growers!