Pomegranates are one of many oldest cultivated fruits, with references courting again to Outdated Testomony occasions. However they don’t seem to be simply wealthy in historical past. Pomegranate bushes are stunning, heat-loving, and productive, particularly in heat, arid climates like Arizona.

Pomegranates are one of many best fruit bushes to develop within the low desert. They thrive within the warmth, don’t thoughts our alkaline soils, and appear made for robust desert situations. In spring, they’re lined in shiny crimson blooms, adopted by golden yellow leaves within the fall. Iif you may preserve the leaf-footed bugs away, you’ll get a scrumptious harvest too. Listed below are my greatest suggestions for rising pomegranates within the low desert.

What This Publish Covers

Is a Pomegranate a Tree or a Bush?

Pomegranates (Punica granatum) are deciduous and sometimes grown as small bushes that attain 12 to twenty ft in peak and width. They can be grown as giant bushes by permitting the suckers on the base to develop.

To develop as a tree, take away suckers and prepare the plant to kind a multi-trunked form. Dwarf varieties are perfect for containers.

Two leafy pomegranate trees with orange-red fruit growing on their branches outdoors, offering inspiration on how to grow pomegranates in your own garden.

Which Pomegranate Selection Ought to I Plant?

Select a range suited to your local weather. Some sorts carry out higher in cooler zones, whereas others thrive in warmth. These are good choices:

Balegal – Massive, pale pink fruit with candy flesh. Hardy to zone 7

Crab – Medium to giant bronze fruit with tart, wealthy taste

Early Fantastic – Massive crimson fruit with a tart taste. Very productive

Granada – Crimson fruit with semi-sweet taste. Matures early

Candy – Medium pink fruit with very candy flesh. Productive

Utah Candy – Tender seeds, pink pores and skin and flowers, candy taste

Fantastic – Massive crimson fruit with tangy-sweet taste and tender seeds. Thrives in Arizona

For extra concepts about what to plant for a steady harvest, see this information to year-round fruit tree harvests

Bright red pomegranates hanging from green leafy branches on a sunny day showcase the beauty you can achieve when you learn how to grow pomegranates in your own garden.

When and The right way to Plant a Pomegranate Tree

In sizzling climates like Arizona, plant pomegranates in spring or fall.

Planting suggestions:

Select a location with no less than 6 hours of direct daylight

Pomegranates favor well-drained soil however tolerate poor or alkaline soil

Dig a gap twice as huge and as deep because the nursery container

In colder zones, plant close to a south-facing wall or develop in a container that may be moved indoors throughout winter

The right way to Take care of and Prune a Pomegranate Tree

As soon as established, pomegranates are low-maintenance. Listed below are care suggestions:

Watering: Water deeply throughout summer season and extra typically when newly planted

Fertilizing: Apply compost or an natural fertilizer in February, and a pair of to three occasions a yr as wanted

Pruning: Not required, however you may prune to regulate dimension, take away suckers, or form the tree. Prune in late winter after leaf drop

Thinning: Go away one fruit each 6 inches. This helps develop bigger fruit and prevents department harm

Green pomegranate tree branches with fruit viewed from below against a bright sky, offering inspiration for how to grow pomegranates in your own garden.

For extra steerage on managing fruit bushes, see this put up about pruning fruit bushes

Why Doesn’t My Pomegranate Tree Have Leaves in Spring?

Pomegranates are gradual to leaf out in spring. Be affected person. In case your space skilled temperatures under 10°F, some harm could have occurred. Wait till late spring to find out if any trunks are lifeless, then prune as wanted.

Left: Tree branches with buds. Right: Red hibiscus flower and green leaves, both against a blue sky—ideal scenery for anyone interested in gardening or learning how to grow pomegranates.

Why Are There Flowers However No Fruit?

Bushes youthful than three years typically bloom with out fruiting. For older bushes, fruit drop or failure to kind may end up from:

Overwatering or poor drainage

Lack of daylight

Extra nitrogen fertilizer

Planting multiple tree, even of the identical selection, can enhance fruit set. Though pomegranates are self-fruitful, cross-pollination may help.

The right way to Inform When a Pomegranate Is Able to Harvest

Ripe pomegranates hanging from green leafy branches on a tree showcase the rewards of learning how to grow pomegranates at home.

Pomegranates ripen from August to November, relying on the variability. Search for these indicators:

Pores and skin modifications from shiny to matte and deepens in coloration

Fruit modifications from spherical to barely angular as seeds swell

Stem and blossom ends flatten

Fruit sounds metallic when tapped

Ripe fruit twists simply off the department (although slicing is best)

If the fruit splits or falls, it is able to decide

In late fall, chances are you’ll discover a second, smaller harvest of pomegranates. These fruits are sometimes very candy however could break up open. Hold an eye fixed out and decide them earlier than the birds do, or go away them for the birds to take pleasure in.