Growing pomegranate in pots, Pomegranate Planting Complete Guide

I love the fruits which have to work for a little to grow. Pomegranate is an example of the most excellent fruit tree and mayhap the most friendly to grow in containers. Its Shallow roots system allows Growing pomegranate in pots or containers.

The flowering pomegranate tree is an excellent addition for any garden, and various Gardner grows pomegranate not just for their fruits but also for their flowers. So pomegranate beautiful ornamental trees, with sharp differences among the dark, green leaves and orange-red flowers. Later pink, and red fruits continue to make the garden views charm. If you provide the optimal situations to the pomegranate tree, It can live for more than two hundred years.

Growing pomegranate in pots

Pomegranate History:

Pomegranates have been grown for thousands of years throughout the Mediterranean zones of Africa, Asia, and Europe. It is native from South Asia and the Middle East. The fruit ultimately moved to China, India, Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Bangladesh, Iraq. A Spanish missionary that first time introduced it to America in the 16th century.
Pomegranate is a small or shrub tree that might grow up to 20 feet, but indoor may usually be limit to 6 feet.

U.S. Hardiness Zone:

USDA Hardiness Zone for Plant separates Canada and the U.S. into 11 separate zones. All these zones are below the average temperature. Pomegranate trees can be grown below area nine (9) in pots or containers.

Why Pomegranate?

Pomegranates are widely identified as fantastic superfoods because they provide essential nutrients. Below is evidence from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) on how pomegranates may promote your health.

The extract of pomegranates decreases inflammation, which may help with joint pain, arthritis, and effects in various diseases.
It improves heart health by decreasing LDL oxidation and reducing blood pressure, and it also protects the brain and memory functions.

Pomegranate Other Names:

There are many pomegranate fruit varieties like Granatapfel, Punic apple, Grenade, Granada, Melagrana, Melograno, Anar, Dadima, Pomme Grenade, Fruit du, Punica granatum, Shi Liu Gen Pi, and Anardana.

Soil pH :

The soil pH sensitivity for the pomegranate tree is broad. They will grow in 4.5 to 8.2 soil pH. The pomegranate tree thrives excellently within 5.5 to 7.2 soil pH.

Root System of Pomegranate:

The pomegranate root system is shallow because it is less than 2 feet below or mature trees unusually below 3 feet. For Growing pomegranate in pots or big container, this is useful in several ways: you tree pots don't have to be wider than higher, It helps more comfortable carrying, that gives container and tree extra wind resistant.

Note: When you are trying to grow pomegranate on a permanent location, understanding the pomegranate root system's characteristics is very significant because the shallow root system demands quickly to fertilization and watering and is resistant to dryness.

Appearance :

The Pomegranate tree in a container can decorate with four to seven (cm) centimeters long lance-shaped leaves. These leaves are bronze in color and shiny, later that are turn into green.
Flowers of Pomegranate appear bell-shaped, delicate, and natural bright red. Its size may be three cm wide. Others Ornamental types can have cream, pink, or white flowers.
In addition to the ornamental flowers and foliage, these fruits make the pomegranate tree extremely acceptable. The pomegranate fruits are the size of apples with a yellow-brown to a solid red shell. This fruit contains numerous small sacs that are clear in color and are juicy and have pretty red or pink pulp. Each sac has one solid seed. Taste of pomegranate fruit is light tart, juicy and sweet. There is no doubt; this is the most fabulous fruit full of nutrients.

Dwarf Pomegranate Varieties

Fruiting Varieties:

Nana Pomegranate tree:

Among the pomegranates trees, a variety of "Nana" can grow in USDA Zones seven to eleven. "Nana" grows floriferous, compact, and is considered healthy and cold hardy. It is evergreen in hot and cold areas and growing during the summer. Its leaves change to bright yellow in the autumn. This plant in container grows only up to 3 to 4 feet tall, which provides small fruits with viable seeds.

'State Fair' Pomegranate tree:

For northern climes pomegranates want to be preferred inside in wintertime, 'State Fair' is the most suitable choice for profuse flowering and cold hardiness. Clemson State University describes the 'State Fair' will increase five feet tall and give an abundance of fruits. However, 'State Fair' pomegranates fruit full-sized only about 2 inches in diameter. It is a yielding variety for containers or pots. It can be grown in USDA Zones 7 to 11.

'Provence' Pomegranate tree:

If you are trying to search the coldest hardy pomegranate varieties, Provence variety is the right choice. It is a multi-stemmed tree, and long-lived deciduous shrub/tree. Pomegranate' Provence' performs a wonderful for large containers. This Pomegranate plant will bear temperatures down to -17°C and takes three years to produce tasty fruits in a hot climate, or sheltered spot. Provence plant in summer, produce Orange-red flowers over a long period. The leathery-skinned fruits are available for harvesting from October to November.

Ornamental Varieties:

Flore Pleno: is a fruitless Flowering pomegranate variety, has beautiful, fiery, showy, red-orange flowers. These are pretty awesome while it bloom. This Flowering plant is naturally grown very fast and Excellent as an ornamental plant for your house plant or garden.

Ornamental Pomegranate' Madame Legrelle':

'Madame Legrelle' is known as ornamental Pomegranate variety. That is another beautiful pomegranate cultivar double flowers with a brighter shiny orange to the leaves' salmon color edge.

Propagation and Growing Pomegranates in Containers

You can propagate Pomegranate plants in spring to summer by seeds or cuttings. Because in summer, the temperature remains most desirable for propagation in a range of 20 C to 22 C.
But the best option is to purchase a 2-3 years mature plant from nursery or online. That means you don't have to wait long for fruits.

How to Propagate Pomegranate Tree from Seed :

Pomegranate seeds usually sprout much quicker. They can be planted inside over the wintertime and outdoor in the spring.
Keep in mind, in the market, many pomegranates fruits are hybrids, and their seeds may not provide the same fruits as a parent.
If you want to assure the identical variety of fruit, the best option is to propagate the plants from cuttings.

Propagation by Seeds :

Clean the seeds from the pulp by roll the seeds in a paper towel, and before sowing dry them for some days.

For most reliable results, start the pomegranate seeds in the house in mid-winter, because they have a couple of months to grow before spring planting season.
Plant the seeds no more profound than ½ to 1 inch deep in light seed-potting soil.
Place the pot in a sunny window, or put inside a plastic bag or greenhouse that allows temperature around 65 to 80 F, and Always keep the soil moist as your seeds sprout and grow. Seeds will germinate within 7 to 25 days, and it depends on the climate and variety.

Propagation by Cuttings:

Cutting be harvest in winter when the plant is quiescent.
Commercially base cuttings are taken at any time of the year, and they will root. But the most important thing is the diameter of the cutting.

Take some 10 to 12 inch-long cuttings from 1 year’s growth using pruning shears. First, remove every leaf and apply the rooting hormone at the bottom of the cutting before putting it into a pot filled soil mixture.

Plant these cutting in sandy loam or well-drained loam. And make sure the top sticks node are above the soil. Its roots come efficiently and fast at the high humidity and temperature of 65 to 75 F.

Requirements of Growing Pomegranates in Pots | pomegranate growing tips:

Choosing a Container Type and Size

The container size depends on the type and size of the pomegranate shrub. If your shrub or tree 2 feet wide and 7 feet tall, your container size should be more than 2 feet tall is enough.
You can use a smaller container for only pomegranate ornamental varieties. Wider containers are also more stable to blows of winds and pets. Large pots are harder to return to a standing situation; it is challenging some decent energy. Furthermore, larger containers are more difficult to reposition than shorter containers. In the winter season, it is essential to transfer or protect your pomegranate tree from cold. You can use terracotta, ceramic, concrete materials container.

Container Drainage:

Though, one more very essential point for an excellent growing of pomegranate tree in a container is - drainage. Make sure that there are sufficient holes in the base of the pot or container. If possible, use the base plate.

Bonsai and Dwarf varieties of pomegranate trees can be grown in standard plastic pots and maintain like larger varieties, except that they require extra regular water in the summer.

Chose the location:

You'll find the best location in your house and make sure your pomegranate tree will gain the most amount of sunshine possible throughout the day. It demands approximately five to six hours a day. The more extra daylight is better for the pomegranate tree. Because they are not live happy and healthy with partially shaded spaces and gives the lesser bloom and fruit.
If your house doesn't have an area where you receive enough sunlight for your tree, you should provide some light with artificial light, or you can use your aquaponics or hydroponic setup. The more extra light it will receive, the more it will produce fruit.

Proper Soil, Watering, and Fertilizer:

Soil and Fertilizer:

The pomegranate tree easily bears lower soil conditions. The best growing requirements are nearby a pH of 6.5 - 7. However, it will freely grow everywhere between pH 5.5 and 8, also outside these limits.

Starting plants in pots or containers allow gardeners to balance 'correctly' soil properties for pomegranate tree. So, fill your container with enough potting soil, Combine dried manure, and add some balanced fertilizer (NPK) 8-8-8. Add a shovel of hydroton pebbles, Add a scoop of sand, combine everything, and plant the pomegranate tree in this container. The perfect time for planting the pomegranate tree is late wintertime while plants are yet dormant; however, you will make sure to monitor the soil's pH from time to time. Often Various fertilizers increase acidity lightly over time. Usually, in container pomegranate tree becomes zinc deficient. Yellowing leaves are the symptoms of it. To reduce this, you can sprinkle a diluted zinc solution on foliage.

Watering:

In the growing phase, the pomegranate tree water demand is medium to high. Therefore, you should be water it frequently and intensely. You must keep the soil moist but not muddy or waterlogged.

Pomegranate Tree Care

Common Pests, Diseases and other difficulties growing pomegranate trees:

In pomegranate trees, the most concerning disease are fungal that can be most difficult to control.
Symptoms are fungal on the pomegranate trees are Light brown spots on the fruit and leaves. These spread and merge to form black patches on the fruit. These black elliptical patches appear on twigs, and infected twigs become dry out; this infection may cause the plant death.
To overcome this issue, immediately removed diseased fruits and destroyed and pruned the infected branches and twigs. Apply a suitable fungicide can improve to control the disease.
Fruit crack is another common problem in all types of pomegranates.
It is due to changes in the substrate during the flowering season or lack of moisture.

Harvest:

If you grow a pomegranate tree from seed, it will start to fruit in the third year. Usually, the fruits grow approximately three to five months after the flowering, when the pomegranate fruit's shell is full red. It is ready to harvest, cut the fruit from the tree using a sharp pruning knife or shear,
Note: don't pull it off from the tree. Cut the fruit as close to the branch as possible، and take the stem with fruit. You can store your pomegranates fruits in the fridge for up to 5 months.