Distinctive features of pomegranate, growing in the open field, advice on breeding, difficulties in cultivation and ways to solve them, interesting facts, types. The common pomegranate (Punica granatum) belongs to the species of plants belonging to the genus Pomegranate (Punica) from the Derbennikov family (Lythraceae). This representative of the flora received its name in Latin in honor of the people who lived on the territory of modern Tunisia and bore the name "Punic", and the pomegranate is named after the word "punicus", which is also translated as Carthaginian. Since the hoary antiquity, this beautiful fruit tree was known to people, ancient authors such as Herodotus, Homer and Theophrastus wrote about it. Often among many peoples, the structure of the fruit is pomegranate (this is how this fruit should be called), it is called a "grainy apple".
This plant is considered a full-fledged inhabitant of the subtropical climate, with a long life cycle. Only by the age of 50-60 will it be necessary to rejuvenate the plantings, since the yield will begin to fall rapidly. If we lean towards historical information, then the pomegranate was also known on the territory of Russia, namely in the Azov region - in the north-west of the Krasnodar Territory. Pomegranate trees came to the Crimean lands thanks to the Greek colonists. However, the greatest interest in the pomegranate began to appear on the territory of the Crimea from the time the Nikitsky Botanical Garden was founded, this happened in 1822 (during the first Patriotic War).
So, we know a lot about pomegranate and its benefits, but let's figure out, in short, what it is and how it can be grown in open ground.
Pomegranate is a shrub or shrub, or a short tree with a well-branched crown. Its height can sometimes reach 6 meters. If the shoot of the plant is one-year-old, then it is crowned with a sharp thorn-like formation. Some branches are covered with thorns. The arrangement of the foliage is opposite or whorled (that is, when the leaf plates are collected in groups of several pieces). The foliage is oval, the color is light green, the length of the leaf plate can reach 3 cm. The edge is solid, the reverse side has a lighter tone.
The flowers that form on the pomegranate tree are bisexual - there are long-pistillate buds that open on last year's shoots and they subsequently always form fruits on the pomegranate. And also flowers with short pistils are formed, which grow on the branches of this year, but do not take part in fruiting. The color of Punici flowers is always a beautiful bright red hue. The buds are collected in inflorescences of a peculiar shape, which have the appearance of a brush or a bunch. A multi-nested ovary is located inside the flower calyx. The flowering process takes place in May-June. It is interesting that the first flower buds begin to form on the pomegranate in the autumn, but with the arrival of cold weather they stop developing and "fall asleep" before the arrival of warm spring days.
Also, when growing a pomegranate fruit tree, it is required not to forget that the flower buds of the first generation begin to bloom simultaneously with the growth of leaf plates, and the flower buds of the second will already form only after the buds are formed on the growth of this year (they are also called ringlets), which originate on biennial main branches.
The size of the ripening fruit also depends on the variety. It can be both medium and quite large. The color of the peel and its thickness are also varied, but the shade generally changes from orange-yellow to brown-red. Inside, separated by membranous septa, there are multiple grains. Sometimes their number can reach 1000 units in one garnet. The grains are enveloped by a juicy shell - the pulp, and inside there is a seed. The color of the flesh can be from pale pink to dark cherry. The juice is mostly sweetish-sour with some astringency (it is provided by the presence of tannins), but there are varieties with a completely sweet taste.
Agrotechnics for growing burr in room conditions
- Growing temperature. As you know, this fruit tree (bush) can tolerate frosts at 17 degrees, but you don't have to wait for the fruits, since at such temperatures the branches suffer, on which fruits will subsequently have to form. The average winter temperature should not be lower than 15 degrees. Only this will be the key to the ripening of large and good fruits.
- Shelter for the winter. If you nevertheless decide to grow pomegranates in the open ground of the middle lane (that is, in a temperate climate), then you will need to shelter for the winter. In this case, when planting, it makes sense to tilt the seedling at an angle of 45-60 degrees, to the south side. The branches are pulled together with burlap, and the plant is neatly bent to the soil and insulated, like a vine. 4 shovels of soil are poured onto the top, and then the whole tree is sprinkled with soil from the rows, its layer should be about 20 cm.
- Crown formation when growing pomegranate in open ground, it is necessary to avoid injury to the plant, especially if a winter shelter is planned. Better to give a bushy form of growth, leaving 5-6 stems. Pruning is carried out on the outward-looking bud, and 2–5 leaves should remain on the shoot.
- Fertilizers for a pomegranate tree, it should be applied before planting, but if the soils are very poor, then you can start feeding Punici, already from mid-June. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are used, or those in which there is a lot of nitrogen. In the summer, liquid formulations of dressings are often used, dissolving fertilizer in water for irrigation. In the autumn, when digging near-trunk circles, it is also recommended to carry out top dressing.
- Planting a pomegranate. The plant is not demanding to the composition of the soil. It can grow well on very wet substrates. However, you should still take care of the soil when planting a pomegranate bush. Better let drainage be provided so that moisture does not have the opportunity to stagnate (expanded clay, crushed stone). The soil should have an alkaline reaction and a loamy structure, but then it will be necessary to fertilize it by introducing organic and mineral fertilizing. When planting, a hole is dug with a size of 60x70 cm, a layer of fertile soil (about 15 cm) is laid on its bottom, then humus is poured, which is mixed with the ground (a little more than a bucket). A pomegranate seedling is installed in the hole, its roots are gently straightened and sprinkled with a substrate.
After planting, you need to water the plant well, and mulch the soil around, using dry weeds, straw or humus for this. In this case, moisture will remain in the ground longer.
Diy pomegranate breeding tips
To get a new plant of a pomegranate tree, use the method of cuttings and sowing seeds.
The seeds are used from well-ripened fresh fruit and do not need to be peeled. They are evenly distributed over the moistened substrate poured into the container, lightly dusting with the same composition (the layer on top should be about 1.5 cm). You can cover the container with a plastic bag, but then you will need to regularly ventilate the seedlings. The soil should not dry out. When the sprouts appear and they reach 3 cm, you need to pick or plant them in such a way that the distance between the sprouts is 4 cm. You need to continue caring for the seedlings until the scattering between them disappears, then another planting is carried out.
When choosing a method of cuttings, branches should be cut from lignified annual shoots of young specimens. The length of the cutting should not be more than 25 cm. Sometimes shoots are also used. When planting the cuttings, a place with well-drained and fertilized soil is selected. For rooting, it is recommended to warm the soil to 12 cm and the twig is buried 10 cm above the surface of the substrate only 1 internode should remain. Such branches usually take root in late May or early summer.
Difficulties in cultivating pomegranate
When a pomegranate tree is grown in a garden, it is attacked by the following harmful insects: pomegranate aphid, scabbard, pomegranate moth, and spider mite. If the pomegranate moth is identified, diseased plants will need to be harvested and burned. If the presence of aphids is visible, then you can use tobacco infusion - dry tobacco leaves (400 g) or cut the tobacco dust, pour into a bucket of water (about 10 liters) and leave for 2 days, then pour in another 20 liters of water and process the pomegranate bushes. Walnut leaves are also used. If they are dry, then 50 grams, or green 100 grams, they are crushed, and insisted in a liter of water during the day. It is necessary to filter the infusion and spray. If a scabbard and a spider mite are seen, then you will have to use insecticidal agents: Aktellik or Aktora.
Diseases are distinguished: spotting of leaf plates, gray rot, branch cancer or root cancer. To cure pomegranates, it is required to constantly inspect it, and if a problem is detected, treat it with appropriate drugs:
- from gray rot, use Bordeaux liquid;
- from cancer, all diseased areas are recommended to be treated with garden varnish.
Interesting facts about pomegranate
Pomegranate trees are grown not only for the sake of fruit, but also for aesthetic pleasure, because when flowering begins, it is simply an unforgettable sight! Against the background of brightly colored green foliage, buds of a beautiful red hue can be seen like drops of blood.
It is known that even in the Belgorod region, pomegranates bear fruit, grown in open ground, in Shchebekino. There, the harvest is already harvested on September 30, and the weight of some fruits can reach 550 grams.
Types of pomegranate
The Gratan tree has many varieties that are suitable for growing both in the garden and in the room. However, it should still be remembered that this is a southern plant and not in all territories you can wait for fruiting. In each of the countries where climatic conditions allow pomegranate cultivation, there are "favorites" that are loved by many.
All the fruits of the pomegranate tree are divided into those in which the seeds are quite tough and they grow in juicy grains and those in which the seed material is soft. If the seed is tough, then the pomegranate is considered a fruit of poor varietal quality. This is reminiscent of the difference between a wild apple tree and a grafted elite apple tree. However, varieties with soft seeds differ not only in the quality of the fruits, but also in their great capriciousness and in their care they can be compared with small babies - the same amount of worries and awe. However, having endured everything, the gardener can enjoy the quality of the fruit.
- The variety "Gyuleisha rose" and "Gyuleisha red". This variety is sometimes called "Gyulosha" - it is the best variety that is cultivated in the territory of Azerbaijan. Pomegranates have an elongated-rounded shape, their skin is thin. The variety "Gyuleisha rosea" can be referred to under the names of Azerbaijan Gulyusha or Azerbaijan Gulyusha. The bush can reach a height of up to 3 meters, the branches are straight and covered with thorns. The weight of one fruit can reach 240 grams, but sometimes fruits grow up to 600 grams. The calyx can grow medium narrow and have a neck with cylindrical contours. The color of the skin is light, creamy white, there is a pattern of stripes of a delicate raspberry pink or simply pinkish hue. Seeds are dark cherry in color, large. Juice has a sweet and sour taste, it contains up to 1, 3% of acids and up to 15, 5% of all sugars. And although up to 25 kg of fruits can be harvested from one plant, they do not last long, only 3-4 months. The type "Gyuleisha red" is a tree with large dimensions, the branches are covered with thorns. Fruits ripen both large and medium, rounded. The skin is carmine-red, the entire surface is covered with stains (stripes) at the base of the fruit. The neck is quite high, but not thick, the teeth in it are large and long, have a bend inward or are bent outward. The seeds inside are juicy, with a maroon color scheme. The juice is pleasant with a sweet and sour taste.
- Variety "Ak Dona Krymskaya". This species grows well in the vicinity of the Crimea. And it can also be cultivated in the Crimean steppe regions, but it will be necessary to carry out a shelter for the winter months. The fruits are large and oval in shape. The peel is creamy and thin, the entire surface is covered with a reddish spot and blush on one side of the pomegranate, as a rule, this pattern is from the south. The fetal neck is short and thick. The grains have a sweet taste, the sourness is only slightly felt. The color of the seeds is pinkish red. This variety can be successfully cultivated in the middle lane, care for it is quite simple, fruits with excellent taste characteristics.
- Variety "Kizil-anor" differs in the early appearance of fruits and it is customary to grow it on the lands of Uzbekistan. The biggest advantage of this variety is its early maturity. Already at the beginning of October days, pomegranates are harvested. Although the fruits are small, sometimes the weight of one guarantor can vary between 600-800 grams. The skin of the fruit is pink-scarlet, it can be both thin and medium, the grains have a red tint, they are medium in size with a sweet and sour taste. The juice has a red or dark cherry color. It contains 15.5% sugars and 1.9% acids. The shelf life of fruits of this variety can be up to 3 months. There are synonyms - Kizil-bunch, Surkh-bunch.
- Variety "Pink Polosha" is a semi-shrub plant with a semicircular crown. The fruits of this variety are oval, the skin is pink. Inside, large grains grow, colored in a rich cherry color. The juice of the grains is very aromatic and sour in taste.
- Variety "Nikitsky early" has a bushy form of growth and reaches a small height. The size of the fruit is very large. The inside of the grain is medium in size. The juice of the variety is sweet, but with the presence of sourness.
- Variety "Akdona". This variety was bred in the lands of Central Asia and Uzbekistan. The most popular form has gained popularity, with large grains, and bearing the name "Camel Tooth" (Tyuyatish). The bush is quite tall, but rather compact in outline. The emerging fruits have oval flattened outlines, but they are sometimes called spherical. The mass of one pomegranate can reach 250 grams, however, there have been cases when the fruits could reach a weight of 600 grams or even more. The surface of the peel is shiny and smooth, light in color, but there is a raspberry-colored blush. The calyx is small in size, with a conical shape, the teeth are curved. The seeds in the grains are elongated, the color of the grains themselves is pink. The juice is also pale pink and has a sweet taste. The juice of this variety contains up to 15% sugars and about 6% acids. Fruits begin to ripen at the beginning of October days, and their shelf life can reach 2 months.
- Variety "Juicy 110". The tree is vigorous, the fruits are large and round. The skin is dark carmine, thin. The juice is sweet and sour, the grains are large with a pleasant taste, oblong, dark cherry color.
See which pomegranate can be grown at home:
