Posted by Brent Wilson on 7/4/2016 to Fertilizing & Watering Tips

Pomegranate trees are very easy to grow when cared for properly. They grow well in any average, well-drained, moist soil and are low maintenance and drought tolerant when established.

Here'due south a breakdown of what you need to know regarding feeding and watering Pomegranate plants...

Pollination

First, a little almost pollination. Pomegranates are self-fruitful merely the blossoms must exist pollinated for it to bear fruit. There is very footling air current dispersal of pollen. If your fruit bearing pomegranate blooms but bears no fruit, this could be an indicator that there were no bees or other pollinating insects around when information technology bloomed. In order to get fruits the flowers must to be pollinated. Whether or not you see bees information technology's a adept idea to utilise a sable paint brush to pollinate the flowers yourself. But play similar a bee and become from flower to blossom spreading the pollen from one to another.

Feeding Pomegranate Plants

First, water is the nearly disquisitional nutrient for establishment of immature Pomegranate trees, particularly during the first year subsequently planting. For established trees, acceptable irrigation, especially during dry periods, is very important to improve growth, fruit set, yield, and fruit size. Fruit volition drop prematurely and volition split up if trees are non getting enough water during dry spells.

Unless y'all have a very sandy soil that doesn't concord nutrients well, Pomegranate plants need very fiddling fertilizer. The only chemical element they really need is nitrogen, and how much is applied will depend on the age of the found.

Don't fertilize your Pomegranate at all during their first year of life. Starting in the second year, Pomegranate trees tin can exist fed with an organic plant food, or an inorganic fertilizers such as slow-release shrub & tree type fertilizer. Alternatively, Pomegranate tin can be fed by mulching with organic compost. The blazon of fertilizer y'all choose is upward to you.

Proceed in mind that besides much fertilizer is bad, and so information technology'south meliorate to use less than more. Besides much fertilizer will crusade heavier foliage growth, which tin can result fruit production and even crusade the fruit to drib prematurely. Applying too much fertilizer or applying information technology later in the year than recommended can cause fruit to mature late, and have poor color and poor gustation quality.

Soil pH - The soil pH tolerance for pomegranate is wide. They will grow in moderately acid to moderately alkaline soils that range from four.5 to 8.two on the pH scale. That being said, they thrive and produce best betwixt 5.5 to 7.two. Nigh average garden soils fall between a pH range of half-dozen.0 to seven.0, meaning there's usually non a concern with soil pH.

Testing Soil pH  Soil pH is a measurement of the alkalinity or acidity of soil and is measured on a calibration of i-14, with 7 equally the neutral mark. Any measurement beneath seven indicates acrid soil atmospheric condition, and anything to a higher place 7 indicates alkali metal. If y'all're unsure virtually the pH of your soil, or whether or non it is suitable for growing Pomegranate, information technology'southward a skillful thought to test the pH in the planting area. You tin apace test soil pH with an inexpensive soil pH tester probe. To heighten the pH (make more alkaline) yous can add together pelletized limestone to the soil. To lower the pH (brand more acid) you can use Soil Sulfur, Aluminum Sulfate, or Chelated Iron. Calculation organic compost to the soil or using compost as mulch can also help to increase acidity and maintain acrid soil weather condition.

Watering Pomegranate Plants

Watering a Pomegranate tree is important if you lot want optimum fruit product. How much or niggling you water will depend on several factors including how much rainfall occurs and soil type and drainage. Pomegranates can stand very dry air weather but, to produce skillful fruit, they need some moisture in the soil. In general, when growing on loose, sandy soil Pomegranates will require more water and more than fertilizer. When growing in heavier clay-based soils, which mostly retain more moisture plants won't require equally much water.

After Planting

Immediately subsequently planting deep soak the soil in the planting area, including the rootball, to a depth equal to the top of the root ball. An awarding of Root Stimulator will provide an extra boost to stimulate early root germination and stronger root development. Root Stimulator reduces transplant shock and promotes greener, more vigorous plants.

During the First Active Growth Season

In average garden soil you should not have to water your new Pomegranate tree every day. More often than not, this causes soggy or moisture soil conditions that can lead to root rot and other institute diseases. In the absence of sufficient rainfall, water only equally needed to proceed the rootball and surrounding soil moist. Apply an organic mulch to help retain wet and reduce handwatering. Keep in heed that deep soaking less ofttimes is much better than splashing but a lilliputian water on the plants every day. Plants planted during the winter fallow season, when plants are not actively growing and evaporation is much slower, will require much less h2o. And then, exist careful non to overwater during wintertime!

Thereafter

When established, Pomegrante copse are very drought tolerant and will require less water, nonetheless volition prefer a consistently moist soil when there'southward fruit on the found. During prolonged periods of dry weather the fruits volition suffer and will either fall from the tree or exist very minor if there is little or no supplemental irrigation provided. If for some reason yous cannot water during dry periods don't worry too much, the plants should survive. Just don't expect every bit much fruit.

Other Helpful Pomegranate Watering Tips

Likewise much water during the fall season, when fruit is ripening, can cause fruit splitting too. The idea is to maintain even soil moisture throughout the fall flavor as in the summer - not too wet or likewise dry out. Merely, with cooler fall temperatures there usually isn't the need for as much h2o.

When watering with an overhead automated irrigation system it's best to fix your timer to h2o during the early forenoon hours and not in the late evening or at night, which can atomic number 82 to the onset of fungus and other leafage diseases. During the get-go few weeks after planting, check soil moisture often and arrange irrigation time if necessary to go along the soil moist, not wet.

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Plant Long & Prosper!