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Growing Pomegranates Naturally

Steve Thorn

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I wanted to make this thread to help me keep track of and document growing my pomegranate trees, with hopefully minimal work and maximum harvests!

They won't be irrigated, fertilized, or sprayed with anything, not even organic fertilizers or sprays, just naturally healthy soil, rain and sunshine!

They will be minimally pruned, if pruned at all. With minimal care, they can be truly enjoyed to the fullest! Bring on the yummy harvests!

I hope to ultimately breed new varieties by planting the seeds from pomegranates that I harvest and select for cold hardiness, excellent flavor, high vigor, productiveness, and disease and pest resistance.

I feel that maybe by selecting cold hardy pomegranates in my zone 7b and creating a lot of new varieties, that I can be of help to those trying to breed and grow them in zone 7a, zone 6 and maybe even beyond!, that they can use these higher cold hardy pomegranate seedlings to breed even higher cold tolerant pomegranates in their zones.

My seedling and breeding pomegranates thread.

Growing Pomegranates from Seed Naturally

Hopefully it can be helpful to others also!

If you'd like to stay up to date with the latest videos of what I'm growing and see monthly food forest tours, you can subscribe to my Youtube channel HERE by clicking the red subscribe button! I'd love to have you join me for this journey!

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Steve Thorn

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This pomegranate tree was planted last Fall and has been doing well despite getting chewed down to the ground by rabbits during the winter.

It was in a really wet spot, and pomegranates along with most fruit trees, like well draining soil. I decided to keep them in their existing spot and mound up the soil around them to create a drier area for them to grow.

I dug around the pomegranate and broke up the soil with a shovel and then piled it up against the tree to make a mound around it with the tree at the center. Depending on the degree of moisture in your soil, you can make the trench deeper and mound higher to make it drain even better. This pomegranate was in a pretty moist spot so I made it pretty high. I probably could have made it even higher but didn't want to spend too long building it.

I usually like to cover the mound with a shredded or whole leaf mulch, which creates a layer of rich organic matter to help build soil fertility. With it being summer, I didn't have a lot of leaves available at the moment, so I cut down some wild bushes and chopped up the cuttings and used them as a mulch.

You can also use this to convert a grafted fruit tree into an own root fruit tree. Pomegranates usually are grown on their own roots, since they propagate easily from cuttings, so I didn't have to do it for this tree. I have an apple tree that I did this for, and I wounded it right above the graft so it should send out new roots from the fruiting variety and become an own root fruit tree.

I built this soil mound about a month ago, and I planted some squash a week later on the mound to both help hold the soil in place and to use the available growing area.

Here's a video of before and after with general information on the process.

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Steve Thorn

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This pomegranate has really been thriving and enjoying the raised mound it's now growing on!

It's only been one month since creating the mound, and it has almost doubled in size and put on a whole lot of new growth, and the leaves look really healthy!

The squash plants on the mound are only 3 weeks old, and they are taking off too and really enjoying the spot!

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Steve Thorn

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Here's an update for the pomegranate growing on a mound. It has really taken off with lots of side shoots growing and a new main shoot that is growing vigorously and has lots of side shoots coming off from it.

A lot of people say to prune off these new shoots, some call them watersprouts, but I like leaving them, as they are a source of new and very vigorous growth, that will form the new framework for the plant next year!

Close-up-of-new-vigorous-pomegranate-growth-(watersprout).jpg

Happy-pomegranate-growing-on-a-mound.jpg

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Steve Thorn

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This is a video update similar to the pictures above with a more in depth look at the existing growth and the new vigorous shoot.

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Tim Kivi

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Do pomegranates need to be kept to one main stem to grow tall? My Azerbaijan pomegranate has stayed like a small bush but I want it to grow into a proper sized tree.

Dan Boone

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Tim Kivi wrote:Do pomegranates need to be kept to one main stem to grow tall? My Azerbaijan pomegranate has stayed like a small bush but I want it to grow into a proper sized tree.

How tall we talking?

The one producing pomegranate in my town is a bush, with many equal stems. It is something like 12 to 14 feet tall.

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Tim Kivi

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My gardening store writes that it grows up to 6 metres (about 20 feet). But it's hard to imagine from looking at it grow!

Steve Thorn

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Tim Kivi wrote:Do pomegranates need to be kept to one main stem to grow tall? My Azerbaijan pomegranate has stayed like a small bush but I want it to grow into a proper sized tree.

Having more than one main stem shouldn't affect the height. With more stems, it just may take longer to reach that height though, but it should have a larger total canopy size and fruit production area with multiple stems.

From what I've seen, pomegranates seem to want to grow like a bush. I wanted one I had a few years ago to grow like a tree at first. I pruned off all the lower branches, and I think it may have had a negative impact on the cold hardiness and health of the pomegranate. It had a lot higher dieback during the winter after the pruning and didn't grow back very quickly. I'm near the northern end of the range of pomegranates though, so it might not have as many negative effects for someone in a warmer climate. From what I've seen recently though, plants seem to be more healthy and productive when grown closest to their natural growing form, so I try to mimic that as closely as possible.

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Steve Thorn

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This pomegranate died back to its roots this winter, but this year it has almost doubled in size already so far, with a lot more time left in the growing season.

The second photo is a closeup of the top of the pomegranate, which is putting out two new shoots at almost every node and looking super healthy!

Pomegranate-regrowing-after-dying-back-to-the-roots.jpg

Lots-of-healthy-new-shoots-.jpg

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Steve Thorn

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posted 4 years ago

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This is another one that wasn't getting as much sun as the one above. I chopped and dropped the plants shading it out, so hopefully it will really thrive now that it has full sun.

Another-pomegranate-regrowing-after-dying-back-to-the-roots.jpg

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Marco Banks

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Tim Kivi wrote:Do pomegranates need to be kept to one main stem to grow tall?

I've trained my pomegranate to have a single trunk. It took some dedication, but now it's a lot easier to work with -- pruning, thinning, harvesting, etc.

Because these trees sucker so heavily from the base, you need to cut off all that growth that comes up from the roots at the base of the tree and clean it up at least 3 times a year. If you don't cut those back, you will very quickly find that you've got a multi-stem bush that will not be very productive.

You may find (as I did) that the trunk cannot support the weight of the upper tree so it will tend to lean over to one side. My tree has been a constant challenge to keep vertical, but after 10 years or so, the trunk is now thick enough that it doesn't lean over any more. I used ropes and steel T-posts to yank it back to vertical every time it started to lean. I also remove about 60 or 70% of the branches from the tree scaffolding every winter and shorten the height of the tree so there isn't as much leverage on the lower trunk. Then in the spring I aggressively thin the fruit so that it doesn't weigh-down the branches too much. Yes, in the short term you'll sacrifice some fruit, but in the long term, you'll have a nice straight upright tree that will be able to give you a ton more fruit than a knot of spindly trunks from an unkempt multi-trunk tree.

I'm glad that I put in that much work because the tree is beautiful and super productive. With a single trunk, its easy to control for ants with a trunk wrap and a bit of sticky tangle-foot.

Best of luck.

"The rule of no realm is mine. But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, these are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail in my task if anything that passes through this night can still grow fairer or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I too am a steward. Did you not know?" Gandolf

Robert Yaklin

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posted 4 years ago

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Our pomegranate tree is surrounded by four pallets wired together at the corners. I thought the pallet enclosure was for protection against deer and goats but we have rabbits that get hungry enough to eat cactus and I have not noticed the rabbits bothering the pomegranate tree at all.

Steve Thorn

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A lot of the pomegranates are growing quickly, and are putting on lots of healthy new growth!

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Steve Thorn

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The pomegranages have been enjoying the hotter and drier weather this summer.

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pete eakle

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Location: Zone 8b, Central Calif, Sierra Foothills

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Our largest pomegranate tree (multi-trunk) grows vigorously and is over 10 ft. tall. It's one of several pomegranates in the same area. It's a beautiful, healthy tree. Each spring it puts on hundreds of red flowers. But unfortunately, only a few of those flowers are female, which then turn into fruit. Almost all its flowers are male (its easy to tell them apart). And since only female flowers turn into fruit, this large healthy pomegranate tree produces only a few pieces of fruit each year. I don't understand why it flowers in this way -- seems to be the same each year. Any ideas?

Linda Ford

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Location: Southwestern New Mexico

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My first try produced 2 pomegranate fruit once it got big enough. The next year something ate the flowers? At least they were there and then they weren't and I could see nothing on the ground. I assumed deer but no actual clue. I left the "dead" branches rather than pruning them in hopes that would discourage whatever ate the flowers. I've been told the fruit grows on new wood. The next year no flowers or fruit and it died back to "dead" that winter. The next spring a new crop of branches have grown up from the roots but no flowers. Your comments lead me to wonder about the viability of these "suckers" but as they are from the natural root why wouldn't they be just as good at the original plant? The bush looks healthy, just no fruit. I planted a second one a few feet away and it is now about 3 1/2 feet tall but again no flowers in it's 3rd year. Is it ok to let them become bushes rather than pruning and trying to keep them upright against our fierce winds? I would appreciate any suggestions or comments.

They are on the east side of the house but there are no obstructing plants or trees. Our prevailing wind is from the west on this high plains open landscape (zone 7 southern NM) with winter blows from the north not uncommon. I keep the area mulched with straw and the chop-n-drop weeds. It is next to where I park my pickup during the day if that would have any effect? I water during longer dry spells, again being told they are desert plants and don't like to be kept too wet.

Patience with my ignorance is required as this new to Growies old lady tries to build a food forest in the arid high desert. Thank you for all the advice.

Marco Banks

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pete eakle wrote:Our largest pomegranate tree (multi-trunk) grows vigorously and is over 10 ft. tall. It's one of several pomegranates in the same area. It's a beautiful, healthy tree. Each spring it puts on hundreds of red flowers. But unfortunately, only a few of those flowers are female, which then turn into fruit. Almost all its flowers are male (its easy to tell them apart). And since only female flowers turn into fruit, this large healthy pomegranate tree produces only a few pieces of fruit each year. I don't understand why it flowers in this way -- seems to be the same each year. Any ideas?

I've never seen this before. Everything that flowers on my tree turns into fruit (which means that I have to AGGRESSIVELY thin every spring). What variety is your tree? The most common pom tree in California is Wonderful -- that's what I've got.

I'd love to see a picture of the non-bearing flowers.

pete eakle

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Location: Zone 8b, Central Calif, Sierra Foothills

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Linda, your comment that "fruit grows on new wood" is interesting. If true, I believe it would also mean "female flowers grow on new wood" and maybe "male flowers grow on old wood". I'll look over my tree tomorrow with this in mind. The flowers are long gone, of course, but the female flowers are kinda still there, now in the form of fruit.

pete eakle

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Marco, I am also growing the Wonderful variety. The male and female flowers both have the same red petals and look the same, but they differ at the base of the flower where they attach to the stem. The female flower bulges in that area and that "bulge" will grow & become the fruit. The male flower has a more consistent funnel shape and no bulge; once its petals fall off, no fruit. I'll attach a picture (found on internet).

L Anderson

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When I lived in Bakersfield, CA, I had two work buddies who each had several pomegranates in their yards. I held an annual jelly party and they would bring boxes of their pomegranates, and any interested others would bring their labor.

One guy pruned his religiously and had 5 of 6 nice trees. The branches eww sturdy enough to prop a ladder against. His fruit was really big.
The other guy left his plants bushy. His fruit was a lot smaller.

Both ended up with lots and lots of fruit.
That’s the extent of what I know.

Oh yeah — a year or to before moving to a gentler place I planted a pomegranate (1 gal size from a nursery). The next summer I already had 3 poms.

I’m thinking they like their summers dry..

Steve Thorn

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Linda Ford wrote:Your comments lead me to wonder about the viability of these "suckers" but as they are from the natural root why wouldn't they be just as good at the original plant? The bush looks healthy, just no fruit. I planted a second one a few feet away and it is now about 3 1/2 feet tall but again no flowers in it's 3rd year. Is it ok to let them become bushes rather than pruning and trying to keep them upright against our fierce winds? I would appreciate any suggestions or comments.

The suckers seem to often be very vigorous and healthy growing areas, and since pomegranates seem to want to grow like a bush, I think it's a super healthy and natural way to grow them. Mine have also grown a lot better here as a bush.

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Jcarmona Esteban

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Location: Entrepinos, Cadalso de los Vidrios. Madrid, Spain. Altitude 825m. Prec. 473mm/year

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posted 3 years ago

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L Anderson wrote:When I lived in Bakersfield, CA, I had two work buddies who each had several pomegranates in their yards. I held an annual jelly party and they would bring boxes of their pomegranates, and any interested others would bring their labor.

One guy pruned his religiously and had 5 of 6 nice trees. The branches eww sturdy enough to prop a ladder against. His fruit was really big.
The other guy left his plants bushy. His fruit was a lot smaller.

Both ended up with lots and lots of fruit.
That’s the extent of what I know.

Oh yeah — a year or to before moving to a gentler place I planted a pomegranate (1 gal size from a nursery). The next summer I already had 3 poms.

I’m thinking they like their summers dry..

Hi!
Here in Spain pomegranates use to do well in zones were summer is hot, and adapt well on dry areas too, as you said. Although in order to develop big fruits they require some watering.

Regarding lateral stems, although it is his natural way to grow, in order to produce more fruit it is better to remove the suckers and give the tree a vase form with sturdy branches to support big fruits.

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." Chinese proverb

Jen Fulkerson

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We are very lucky. There is an old pomegranate tree that was a full grown tree/bush when we bought our place 25+ years ago. It is largely ignored. We never prune it, unless it's in the way, we don't water it. Every year we have tons of pomegranates. We give some away, eat some, share with the chickens, and lots of other little friends eat them as well.
They must love California. One day I was driving down our driveway several years ago, and I said to my daughter, is that a pomegranate tree? Sure enough a pomegranate managed to grow in our hedges unknown until it was big enough to produce. It was the flowers that brought it to my attention. It's pretty far from the other, so I figure one of my kids was eating one and tossed what they didn't want into the hedges, and nature did the rest. I was going to say I wish other trees would do that, but then I remembered the walnut trees I pull like weeds, everywhere (thanks to the squirrels) and noticed several apricot trees under our apricot tree, so I guess some do.

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” — Abraham Lincoln

Steve Thorn

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posted 3 years ago

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Very neat Jen!

How did the fruit from the seedling pomegranate turn out?

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Jen Fulkerson

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Hi Steve, the pomegranates taste the same as the other tree. It always amazes t they grow and produce so well when we never water them, anything else die.

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” — Abraham Lincoln

Joshua LeDuc

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Location: King William, VA

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Hi Steve,

I just planted a cold-hearty pomegranate (Salavatski) here in zone 7b Central VA. Is this the same kind that you are growing?

You have to be tough or dumb - and if you're dumb enough, you don't have to be so tough...

Steve Thorn

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Hi Joshua.

Yes, that is one I'm growing. I haven't gotten any fruit yet, so not positive on the ID, but that one seems to be the most cold hardy of the bunch.

Have you gotten any fruit yet?

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Joshua LeDuc

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Steve, I have not. I just put the bare root seedling in the ground a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully in a few years! How old is your pomegranate?

You have to be tough or dumb - and if you're dumb enough, you don't have to be so tough...

Steve Thorn

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This will be its third growing season. I think I will probably get my first fruit next year.

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Joshua LeDuc

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Awesome! Keep us posted!

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Steve Thorn

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I love how the pomegranate leaves look when they start to leaf out.

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Wendy Boardman

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Location: Southern WV

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I had some fresh pomegranate seeds & it's juice in frig & forgot about it for awhile. On a whim, just to see what would happen I planted 8 seeds. Well, 2 out of the 8 seeds sprouted last spring!! I m still excited about my 2 pomegranate plants. One is way over 4 ft. & the other about 2 ft. They do have a few side shoots as well. Since I am in zone 6, I plan growing them in large containers. I'm not sure when it would be ok to place them outside or let them grow inside . Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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Steve Thorn

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Congratulations on your pomegranate seedlings Wendy, that's exciting!

I would place them outside about two to three weeks after your last average frost date to ensure they don't get cold damaged and then take them inside two to three weeks before the last average frost date.

Would love to hear how they turn out for you!

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Kristen Lanh

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Hi, everyone! I am new to the forum and wondering if anyone has the Makedonia pomegranate. Edible Landscaping in VA sella it, but it's sold out. They say they got it from Bethlehem, PA.

Steve Thorn

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They are just peaking out in these pictures, and I was extremely excited today to see a lot of the pomegranate seeds sprouting that I had direct seeded outdoors about a month ago. I had kept the seeds in the fridge over the winter.

These seeds were from a delicious local pomegranate that was growing just a few miles from me. It was 10 times better than any one I've had from the store (no unpleasant bitterness or off flavor), so I saved every single seed from it, and had to have planted about 100 or more.

I'm super excited that it was so delicious, productive, and extremely cold hardy in my area, with what appeared to be zero cold damage from the winter, it produced at least 20 fruits (probably more) which I felt was a lot for being only about 8 feet tall and probably three years old.

They said they got it from a nursery but couldn't remember the name of the variety. I meant to take a picture of it and thought I had, but I couldn't find any. It was kind of bland greyish peach colored on the outside with black dots (maybe some slight exterior fungus, but it didn't affect the inside) if my memory serves me correctly. The arils (seeds) were a deep reddish pink and very attractive and delicious looking. The flavor was extremely delicious with sweet and flavorful being the main things that came to mind, but it also had a pleasant and well balanced slight tanginess to it.

I'm very excited to see how these seedling turn out!

Pomegranate-seedling-sprouting.jpg

More-pomegranate-babies.jpg

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Joshua States

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I bought a pomegranate tree last year and I still have it i a big pot. I hesitate to plant it in the ground. Almost nothing that isn't native survives in the ground around here. I did get some flowers last year, but no fruit, It's blossoming now. Pics below.
There was a question about the viability of suckers to produce fruit. It is my understanding that if the plant is a graft on root stock the suckers will not produce anything other than leaves. If you grew the tree from seed, the suckers may produce viable fruit.
My pomegranate blossoms:

Early-Pom-buds.JPG

Pomegranate-blossom.JPG

Steve Thorn

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Joshua States wrote:I bought a pomegranate tree last year and I still have it in a big pot. I hesitate to plant it in the ground. Almost nothing that isn't native survives in the ground around here.

I bet it would have a good chance if you plant it right before the rainy season and preferably right before a big rain. Pomegranates seem to love it hot and dry, and I bet it would have a good chance at doing well in the ground.

There was a question about the viability of suckers to produce fruit. It is my understanding that if the plant is a graft on root stock the suckers will not produce anything other than leaves.

Most (if not all) pomegranates are rooted from cuttings since they are so easy to root. So most suckers will produce fruit since they will be the same variety as the fruiting portion. Even if it was grafted, the suckers could still produce fruit and even good fruit if the rootstock was a good edible variety.

If you grew the tree from seed, the suckers may produce viable fruit.

Yes, if the pomegranate seedling was a fruiting variety (not an ornamental like some are), then the suckers would produce the same fruit as the rest of the plant

I like my pomegranates to produce lots of suckers and grow bushy, it seems like that's how they want to grow and they have been a lot more healthy that way.

Good luck with your plants, hope you get some fruit this year!

Steve

Striving to grow things as naturally, simply, and cheaply as possible!
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