2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Pomegranate (Latin Punica) - a genus of shrubs and low trees of the Lythraceae family. Other names are pomegranate or pomegranate.
Spreading
In nature, the common pomegranate species is found in Western Asia and Southern Europe, the Socotran pomegranate (or Protopunic pomegranate) grows on the island of Socotra, located in the Arabian Sea. Currently, only one species is cultivated - common pomegranate.
The culture is cultivated in huge quantities in Afghanistan, Iran, Italy, Spain, Greece, the countries of the Middle East, Portugal, France, Tajikistan, and the Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia). In Russia, pomegranates are grown in the Krasnodar Territory and in the southern regions of Dagestan.
Characteristics of culture
Pomegranate is a deciduous shrub or tree up to 5-6 m high with thin thorny branches. Leaves are glossy, green. The flowers are orange-red, funnel-shaped, up to 4 cm in diameter. There are two types of flowers: the first are bell-shaped, the second are bisexual, pitcher-shaped, forming fruits. Flowers of intermediate forms are less common. Calyx 5-7-lobed, leathery, colored.
Fruits are spherical, are large berries with a dense pericarp. The peel of the fruit can have a wide variety of colors - from orange-yellow to brownish-red. The size of the fruit depends on the variety; there are varieties with fruits up to 18 cm in diameter. Pomegranate seeds are numerous, up to 2000 pieces in one fruit, they are located in 6-12 nests or chambers.
Growing conditions
Pomegranate is photophilous, needs bright lighting without shading. With a lack of sunlight, the plants do not bloom and, accordingly, do not bear fruit. In general, warmth and light are the main conditions for the ripening of the fruits of the culture, therefore, in Russia, plants are grown only on the territory of the Krasnodar Territory. Vegetation of the culture begins at an average daily temperature of 11-12C, budding occurs at 16-18C. Winter temperatures should be at least -12C.
Fruits are formed in 120-160 days, which depends entirely on weather conditions and varieties. In some regions, for the successful cultivation of pomegranates, plantings are covered with foil in the last few weeks of the growing season. Pomegranate does not have special requirements for the soil, but it grows best on stony, sandy loam, crushed stone and alkaline soils. The culture does not accept saline and waterlogged soils. Pomegranate has a negative attitude towards waterlogging of the soil; in such conditions, the fruits are formed of very low quality.
Reproduction
Propagated by pomegranate seeds, cuttings and root shoots. Seeds remain viable for only 6 months. Seeds do not need stratification, although some agronomists consider this procedure mandatory. The seed method is used very rarely, since the quality of the fruits of the mother specimen from which the seeds were taken is not preserved during such reproduction. Reproduction of culture by root shoots is carried out in the spring. The rooted shoots are separated from the mother plant and planted in a permanent place or for growing in a nursery.
Propagation by cuttings is the most common and effective method. Cuttings are harvested in the fall, they are cut from lignified fruitful shoots. Only the middle part is cut off, but in no case the upper one. The length of the cutting should be about 20-25 cm, the lower cut is made near the bud. Cuttings 35-40 cm long can be used, but they are not convenient for planting. Cuttings are planted in the ground in spring, and in winter they are stored in moist sand at a temperature of 3-5C.
After planting, the cuttings are watered abundantly. Watering greatly improves the survival rate of cuttings. Loosening and feeding with nitrogen fertilizers are also important. By autumn, low-growing bushes are formed from the cuttings, which are transplanted to a permanent place next spring. For the winter, the still unripe bushes are bent to the ground and covered.
Care
One of the most important procedures for caring for a pomegranate is pruning. Pruning can be done in early spring or fall before sheltering plants for the winter. Sanitary pruning involves removing frozen, diseased and broken branches. Three stems are left on one bush, with a larger number of them, the yield of the crop decreases sharply. At a distance of 30-40 cm from the base of each stem, branches of the first order are laid in the amount of three or four pieces. The main part of the fruits is concentrated on the branches of the 3-5th order, therefore they are systematically thinned out.
Some of the branches older than three years are cut out, this procedure will avoid exposing the branches and increase the formation of new fruiting shoots. Also, for the normal development of the pomegranate, watering, feeding, loosening the near-trunk zone and, of course, good shelter for the winter are important, especially for regions with cool winters. In principle, recently it has been relevant to grow a crop as a houseplant. It is not difficult to take care of them, the main thing is to comply with all conditions, otherwise the plants will not bloom and, accordingly, form high-quality and tasty fruits.
