Decorative pomegranate from seed. How to grow pomegranate from seeds at home - care and planting. Crown formation rules

The pomegranate tree symbolizes wealth, prosperity and is one of the favorite plants of gardeners. Growing it from seed at home is a fun and interesting activity. In a few years you can get a beautiful bush. Varieties such as Dwarf, Baby, Carthage are ideal for sowing.

Indoor pomegranate is an unpretentious and grateful plant. If you create him comfortable environment, then he will delight you not only with flowers, but also with fruits. They are not always edible, but how beautiful the green fluffy bush, hung with red balls, looks!

Seed selection and preparation

To grow indoor pomegranate from seeds at home, you need to purchase seeds. The Baby or Carthage varieties are available in many specialized stores. You can combine useful and pleasant things: collect pomegranate seeds. When buying fruit at the market, you don’t need to pay attention to size and taste: they go on sale hybrid varieties, which, when grown from seeds, do not obtain the qualities of the mother plant.

For seeds, choose ripe fruit without rot or mold. Such a fruit will have a thin skin through which it is easy to feel the grains. Ripe seeds are hard when bitten. A seed that is empty inside is not suitable for sowing.

If the seeds are taken from the fruit, then the grains are pierced in several places with a needle, placed in a jar, covered with a lid and left for several days.
After the seeds are freed from the pulp, they are washed with water, wiped and dried. It is necessary to ensure that they do not dry out and lose their viability.
To discard pomegranate seeds, they are soaked in a saline solution. Only those that fell to the bottom first are left for sowing.
Before planting the seeds, they are wiped with a nail file so that the sprout breaks through the thick skin faster.
When purchasing seeds of Baby or Carthage varieties in a store, it is worth treating the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate to protect the plants from diseases

Preparing seeds for planting at home does not take much time, but all procedures must be done very carefully, because the quality of the indoor plant depends on this.

Rules for caring for seedlings

The seeds in the soil are waiting for the hour when young sprouts make their way to the light, but the gardener should not relax: growing pomegranate is a labor-intensive task. During this period it is important to create optimal conditions for the rapid emergence of young shoots.

Features of planting pomegranate seeds

Select a wide container with a height of 10 cm.
Expanded clay or gravel is used for drainage.
The soil is bought at the store. High peat or sand with peat 50/50 is best.
The seeds are planted in moist soil to a depth of no more than 1 cm.
After planting, the soil is compacted.
The pot is covered with glass or film - for rapid emergence.
The container is placed on the windowsill, if there is a working battery under it, or in another warm place.
Airing is carried out once a day for a few minutes.

During this period, heat and humidity play an important role. It is strictly forbidden to water the soil. When drying is allowed, the soil is sprayed with a spray bottle. If the seeds are viable, they will sprout within two months. Sometimes sprouts appear after six months, so you need to be patient.

To ensure rapid germination at home, pre-germination of seeds is practiced. The seeds are soaked in a growth stimulator and wrapped in a damp towel or soaked in a saucer with warm water for 12-20 hours. Seeds must breathe. It is important that they do not dry out and are not completely immersed in liquid. Without moisture, seeds crack and die.
After the sprouts appear, the film is removed and the seedlings are thinned out, removing weak plants. Only healthy, strong specimens are left. From these, several seedlings are later selected.

Plant care and bush formation

After two or three leaves appear, the plants are transplanted into cups. The day before the procedure, water the soil. Remove the seedlings from the container with a lump of earth so as not to damage the root system. For transplantation, take a fertile mixture for deciduous plants and do not forget about drainage in pots. The plant is buried in wet soil so that the root collar sinks 1 cm. After planting, do not water and place it in a greenhouse on a windowsill or under lamps. In the first days, the greenhouse is shaded from light.

During this period, it is important to monitor humidity: it is necessary to ventilate the seedlings several times a day. After the appearance of new leaves, the plants are gradually accustomed to independent life.

Fertilizing is applied when there is complete confidence that the seedlings have taken root. On initial stage Nitrogen and potassium fertilizers are used, and later – complex fertilizers for fruit indoor plants. They are introduced no more than once a month during active growth.

When the roots envelop the earthen lump in the pot, pinch the seedling and after a week transfer it to a large container for permanent place. Once every two months, the plant is pinched under the third pair of leaves and a bush of the desired shape is formed.

Indoor pomegranate is thermophilic and tolerates hot weather well at home if a certain level of humidity is maintained. But the cold indoors can destroy it. At a temperature of +16, the plant sheds its leaves and enters the passive phase. This means that growing bushes on an unheated balcony is unacceptable during the cold season.

To form a bonsai from a pomegranate at home, you need to grow it with one branch. The top of the seedling is not pinched, but a single branch is tied to a wire so that it is straight and vertical. When the plant gets stronger, adjust the height.
Bonsai maybe different shapes; spiral, erect, curved with an inclination to the side. The pomegranate crown is made triangular, broom-shaped, round or spreading.
The indoor variety Baby can be shaped even in adulthood.
Growing bonsai in the traditional form is very popular among gardeners. A small tree with a thick trunk and spreading branches catches the eye of every person. To get such a miracle at home, you need to make a lot of effort and spend several years, but believe me, it’s worth it.
Every gardener can grow an indoor pomegranate from a seed at home. To make the plant happy lush flowering, you need to pay a little attention to it and learn as much as possible about how to properly care for young seedlings, learn the features of bush formation and the rules for applying fertilizers at different times of the year. Learn to talk to your green pet, and he himself will tell you what and when to do so that a lush pomegranate bush flaunts on the windowsill and pleases not only bright colors, but also a rich harvest.

The pomegranate tree is a symbol of fertility and male power, but they love it not only for its symbolism. The fruits of the tree contain vitamins and essential amino acids; it is used to produce medicines and make tinctures. In addition, the ripe fruit is very tasty, aromatic and sweet.

At home, you can grow both an ordinary pomegranate tree, which can be transplanted into the garden, and a dwarf one with decorative fruits. In any case, the plant will bring gastronomic or aesthetic benefits, because in addition to the unforgettable taste of the berries, the tree has a spectacular appearance.

Features of growing pomegranate

Pomegranate - heat-loving plant, it prefers moisture, peaty soil and good drainage. Growing a tree is not difficult if you follow the recommendations of experienced gardeners. But you will have to be patient, because all shrubs and trees take a long time to grow and require careful care during their tender years. Special attention will be required for a tree planted in open ground. Before planting, you need to consider the insulation system in winter period. To do this, gardeners create trenches in which they plant trees. In their opinion, this is the easiest way to cover the plant and not damage its branches. The disadvantage of this method is that during heavy rainfall, the water in the recess will stagnate, and in the spring it may rise. groundwater, which will not add health to the tree.

A young pomegranate needs light. It is better to avoid the scorching sun, but you can indulge in rich sunbathing on the north window every day.
The growing temperature must be at least seventeen degrees. It is believed that pomegranate tolerates frost well, but may not produce fruit as a result of exposure to extreme temperatures.
In its homeland, the tree tolerates drought well, but when grown artificially, its immunity is weaker, which means it is better to avoid water starvation.
Drainage when growing in a pot must be good, otherwise there is a risk of root rot.
When planting in open ground, gardeners advise mulching the soil and applying mineral fertilizers.

Pomegranate can withstand frosts down to eighteen degrees. If the temperature drops below that, the tree will die. To prevent this outcome, you can grow the plant in a large tub and move it to a relatively warm place for the winter. But this method is more suitable for small shrub varieties. Achieve fruiting from pomegranate planted in open land, sometimes it is possible only by the fourth year. Gardeners note that even without fruits, growing a plant is worth it, because its flowers evoke the admiration of everyone around.

How to plant a pomegranate from a seed

Planting a tree from a seed is a very bold decision, because you have to take care of the fragile sprout for several years before it can begin to live in open ground. But for garden lovers this will not be a problem. Watching the growth of a mighty tree from seed to first fruit is very interesting: it can be turned into family entertainment. But before you plant a seed in the ground, you will have to take several important steps.

Select seeds for planting. There are two options: buy a ripe pomegranate and plant its seeds, or buy special seeds. To realize the first, you need to find a truly ripe fruit. It should have a rich color and its seeds should not be green. Before planting, remove the pulp from the seeds. You can find seeds ready for planting at the market. It will be easier to grow them, since they are definitely taken out of a ripe pomegranate. It is important to remember that store-bought fruits are obtained from hybrids, which means that the plant that grows from them will not be able to produce the same fruits as the mother tree. Therefore, it is better to grow a certain type of pomegranate from a seed or buy cuttings.
Find suitable land. Pomegranate is considered unpretentious to the soil, but the strength of its immunity depends precisely on the nutritional value of the substrate, so it is worth taking care of the soil at least at the germination stage. To plant seeds, you can purchase peat soil and fine drainage in the store. Some plant lovers claim that lemon soil, which can be bought in flower departments, is suitable for pomegranate.
Select a container for planting. The first pot should have a small diameter and sufficient depth. The material of manufacture is not important, the main thing is that there are holes at the bottom for moisture to escape. Subsequent pots should be selected based on the size of the seedling.
Planting a seed. The seeds of this plant have a high germination rate, but to be on the safe side, it is recommended to prepare 5-6 seeds for planting. Before placing them in the ground, place them in a shallow container and soak them in water room temperature. Instead of water, you can use epin or zircon. Leave planting material in this form for 12 hours. After this, they can be sown in the ground. The recommended sowing depth is from 0.5 millimeters to 1 centimeter. Cover the pot with film until the sprouts sprout. The first shoots will appear in a couple of weeks. If the sprouts are in no hurry to appear, do not be upset; some seeds germinate only after a month.

Caring for pomegranate seeds

While the pomegranate is small, the gardener’s task is to provide it with care and form the tree into the correct shape. To do this, you need to adhere to proven rules.

As soon as real leaves appear, the seedling needs to be picked. This will help form a strong tree and prevent it from stretching out too much. Picking is the plucking of the final part of the tap root.
After the seedling is decorated with three pairs of leaves, you can pinch it. This stimulates it to grow another crown and grow not as a twig, but as a bush.
To stimulate the first flowering in early age, you will have to provide the tree with good lighting. You can determine whether a seedling has enough light by looking at it. The sun-happy plant has red bark, a dense crown and dark color leaves. Thin green branches and light leaves will indicate solar starvation.
Watering should be done regularly, without waiting for the soil to dry out. To avoid flooding the seedling, check the moisture by lifting the pot. If it is heavy, then the earthen lump is still wet. If the pot becomes light, it’s time to water the plant. Regular spraying won't hurt, but don't do it in bright, direct sunlight.
Every autumn the pomegranate sheds its leaves. To give the plant a rest, place it in a room where the temperature is about ten degrees. Wintering will end with the onset of the first warmth, and the plant will grow leaves and branches again.

Does pomegranate bear fruit from the seed?

A pomegranate grown from a seed bears fruit. It doesn't matter what type of tree you have if you create something for it good conditions, it will bloom and bear fruit. The quality of the fruit will depend on what the tree is grown from. If store-bought seeds are used, the gardener will most likely receive small sour fruits. Propagation by cuttings can produce sweet variety pomegranates. It is worth mentioning separately about the dwarf tree: it also bears fruit with miniature berries and they can be eaten. For one flowering dwarf garnet will produce up to ten miniature berries.

The problem with pomegranate is the ripening of the fruit. At home they are harvested in October, sometimes later. In Russia, snow often falls by this time and the crop may freeze. Therefore, conditions will have to be created for a tree planted outside. If this is not possible, you can only rely on the mercy of the weather. Dwarf pomegranate will be able to ripen with sufficient lighting.

Growing plants is not easy: each seedling requires attention and care. To make your task easier, you can study the recommendations of experienced gardeners who have proven their effectiveness in their own experience. certain methods care

Before planting, the seeds must be soaked in water; seeds that are not moistened will crack and will not sprout.
The seeds removed from the fruit must be ripe. They must be cleared of pulp before soaking.
Place the pot with the seedling on the north window, but do not block it from the light. Pomegranate does not like burning direct sun, but needs good lighting.
Feed the plant with mineral fertilizers, this will help it grow stronger.
You can take grown seedlings outside directly in tubs, but the temperature outside must be at least seventeen degrees.
If there is not enough light in your house, supplement the plant with phytolamps. Lack of light can cause leaves to drop and discoloration.
Do not forget about evenly moistening the soil, but the water should not be allowed to stagnate.
All plants are prone to disease, so you need to be careful when choosing tools for caring for plants and not place newly purchased plants next to old-timers until the end of the quarantine of thirty days.

To avoid mistakes in care, gardeners recommend reading specialized forums where you can find an answer to any question and get help in case of tree disease.

To date homemade pomegranate- not the most popular type of plant, but still some would like to have their own pomegranate tree at home. In this case, it can be grown from a seed. Many experts say that this method is perfect for home use.

A pomegranate tree can be grown at home from an ordinary seed.

You can choose any pomegranate from seeds (the type that you want to grow). How to grow indoor pomegranate by seed?

Features of the plant

Today many experienced gardeners are fond of various exotic plants that can be grown at home without unnecessary hassle. But they often don’t know how to grow them correctly. The list of such plants includes:

tangerines;
lemons;
bananas;
grenades.

Seedlings or ready-made lemon or tangerine trees can be found in almost any large store, so purchasing them is not so difficult. But grenades are much less common, and buying them is quite problematic.

If you have the desire, you can achieve the goal. You can get pomegranate seeds and grow pomegranate from the seed. This method will allow you to get a small beautiful tree, the first flowers, and then the fruits.

The whole tree will not be covered with fruits, but such a small minus can quickly be eclipsed beautiful flowers, which will saturate the room with a subtle aroma every day. Caring for an already mature pomegranate is not difficult. But everything will depend on cultivation and planting.

Pomegranate has beautiful flowers with a delicate aroma

Landing rules

Beginning gardeners do not know how to germinate pomegranates at home. First you need to understand what type of pomegranate sprout you want.

Those fruits that you buy in a store or market will not be able to take on all the qualities of their parents, but growing a pomegranate from a seed is a a good option. The scheme of such reproduction is described below.

Choose the most beautiful and largest pomegranate. There should be no traces of rot, disease, mold, dents or black spots on it. This is important because old and bad fruit will not produce seedlings, or they will be too weak to grow.
Break the pomegranate in half and select the seeds to plant. The germination rate is high, so 5-6 grains will be enough for you.
Before planting a pomegranate in the ground, the seeds must be cleared of pulp. Then rinse them thoroughly under running water. The grains should acquire color Ivory.
Do not use seeds that are soft, weak in feel, or green in color. Experts advise leaving the seeds that you have chosen for planting in solutions of Zircon and Epin for twelve hours; they stimulate the germination of seedlings well. For one teaspoon of water there are approximately two drops of this mixture.
While the grains are preparing, prepare the soil for planting. You can use regular universal flower primer. If it is possible to make the soil ourselves, then it should consist of fertile soil, peat and sand.

Preparing seedlings

For planting grains, it is best to choose only warm time so that the pot can be immediately placed on the windowsill under the sun's rays.

Plant the sprouts in a container that is already filled with soil. Maximum depth landing is 1-2 cm.

After you place the seedlings in the ground, cover them with soil and spray with warm water to make the soil moist, and then cover with film to ensure that the fruits are constantly in a moist environment - this is very important in the first few weeks.

This way you will set up a greenhouse for future plants, and the seedlings will quickly germinate. The ideal temperature for this stage is no less than 24-31°C.

Those seedlings that you plant in November and at the very beginning of spring will germinate in about a couple of weeks. In another season you will have to wait several months.

Features of cultivation

In summer it is necessary to provide suitable temperature conditions– not lower than 18 °C and not higher than 25 °C. But in winter, it is best to keep the flower in a colder space and maintain the temperature no higher than 15 °C.

In the spring, after frost, the seedling will need to be placed on a balcony or windowsill so that it can come to its senses. Do not forget that upper layer the soil should not dry out. During hot periods, the tree must be constantly watered, but do not overwater the tree! This will lead to root rot and plant death.

The pomegranate tree should only be watered from above, as root system its superficial. It is important to fertilize it on time. It is better to do this from spring until autumn. For this purpose, you can use the most common fertilizers that you use to feed indoor plants. The frequency of the process is every 2 weeks.

Important: if you are going to eat the future harvest, then you need to reduce, or better yet completely eliminate, nitrate fertilizers.

Do not use nitrate fertilizers if you plan to eat the future harvest.

When the tree begins to shed its leaves, it will mean that it is entering a dormant period. Don't worry, this is a normal process that is difficult to prevent. Some measures can be taken: during the cold season, keep the tree in a room with a warm climate. But do not forget that any interference in the natural life cycle of a living organism will not lead to good results. Such wintering can cause a slowdown in tree growth.

In February, the buds begin to bloom. Don't miss this period. The tree needs to be moistened more often and try to place it in the most illuminated place. Pay attention to the shoots: if they are dry, they need to be trimmed. Just a little more time will pass, and the tree will grow thick green foliage.

You need to replant the plant into a pot that will be about 2 cm larger in diameter. Do this every year. If the tree is already more than 3 years old, then it needs to be replanted less often: only when the roots fill the entire pot. When choosing a container, remember that pomegranate loves tight spaces.

Caring for the first shoots

The first thing you need to know is what living conditions pomegranate trees like at home. As soon as the first signs of seedling growth appear, move the pot to a sunny place, then the shoots will begin to germinate much faster and better.

It is important to ensure that the soil in the pot remains moist. As soon as you see that the top layer of soil is drying out a little, you can safely water it immediately. Do this with a spray bottle and thoroughly spray the soil with water. Don't forget to clean up excess water from the pallet.

Pomegranate can be replanted while growing. Those seedlings that have already produced several leaves must be transplanted into a separate pot. From them it will be possible to grow pomegranate trees. Such seedlings must be placed in prepared soil, which will consist of leaf humus and turf. There you need to put more sand and peat.

Provide plants that were planted in the fall with additional light. This is necessary for normal plant growth.

To ensure that your plant is not only lush, beautiful and healthy, but also begins to bear fruit, you need to put in a lot of effort. Take care of your tree by following simple rules, and your efforts will pay off.

Lovers exotic plants They will definitely want to grow a beautiful small pomegranate tree at home. While a dwarf pomegranate will no longer surprise anyone, an ordinary pomegranate grown from a seed is still quite rarely seen at home. Moreover, a plant grown at home is a miniature, abundantly flowering tree. Pomegranate blooms with quite large, very beautiful pink flowers. At good care Small fruits appear on the branches.

Many home plant lovers would like to have such beauty at home. But they don’t dare to raise it at home, because they fear that it will be very difficult. And completely in vain. There are no particular difficulties, since the plant is unpretentious and grows well at home. So how to grow pomegranate at home from a seed? What is needed for this? Now I will tell you about it:

Pomegranate from seeds

We will begin to implement our idea from the market. Buy there the very ripe, most beautiful, large fruit with a clean, healthy skin (no mold, rot, or dents). Break it up at home and eat it for your health. Leave only 3-4 whole grains. This is enough, since the germination rate of pomegranate grains reaches 95%.

Rinse the grains with running water, rinse off any remaining pulp. You should be left with fairly hard seeds that are not very light ivory in color. If they are soft to the touch and greenish in color, do not plant them. They are simply unripe and will not sprout.

If everything is fine with the grains, place them in a small amount of epin or zircon solution. To do this, you only need a couple of drops of solution per 1 tsp. water. The seeds should not be completely covered with it. Leave for 12 hours. Make sure the water doesn't dry out. The seeds must be kept in a moist environment, otherwise they will die.

Prepare for growing seeds suitable soil. A loose soil mixture of fertile soil, with the addition of sand or peat, is best suited. If it is difficult to prepare the mixture yourself, buy a universal primer in the store. flower plants. The unpretentious pomegranate grows well in such soil.

Next, plant the seeds in a container with soil, shallowly, about 1-1.5 cm. Sprinkle with soil, cover with polyethylene. This kind of greenhouse will create favorable conditions for germination. The first shoots appear in different ways. For example, if they are planted in late winter or early spring, they usually germinate within a couple of weeks. Seeds planted at other times of the year can “sit” for up to six months.

When the first leaves appear, plant the young shoots in pots that you fill nutritious soil. Water generously as the soil dries out. Never pour water on tender sprouts. Try to water from a thin watering can under the roots. The soil in pots should always be slightly moist. If you planted grains in winter, most likely the sprouts will need additional lighting with special lamps (you will find information about the different types of such lamps on our website).

The first flowering will begin approximately a year after germination. The abundance of branch coverage, the number, and size of flowers will depend on the regular, careful care of the tree, namely, on the amount of lighting received, the abundance of watering and some other things. Let's remember the basic rules of care

Caring for homemade pomegranate

Watering:

Water the tree with settled, not cold (room temperature) water. In summer, when it is hot, watering should be plentiful as the soil dries out. In winter, when the plant is resting, watering is significantly reduced.

The soil:

As we have already said, the soil should be light, loose, and with good air access. Therefore, more sand is added to the soil mixture. But for good growth, comfortable life trees at home, ready-made universal soil is quite suitable. You can buy it at any specialized store. By the way, don’t forget about drainage. Pomegranate also needs it, like all house plants without exception.

Trimming:

So that your tree has an attractive appearance, its crown needs to be looked after. Once a year, preferably in February, give it a haircut, shaping the shape of the crown. This is both beautiful and useful, since after pruning the active growth of young shoots begins.

Feeding:

The tree loves feeding. Therefore, from spring to late summer, fertilize it every two weeks. For feeding, use ready-made liquid fertilizers, which are universal and suitable for any indoor flowers. But if you plan to eat the fruits, it is better to replace store-bought fertilizers with organic ones. Purchased universal nutritional mixtures contain a lot of nitrates, which will then certainly be present in the fruits.

Transfer:

Replant young trees annually as soon as you notice that the roots have filled the entire pot. Replant the pomegranate by choosing a larger (but not large) pot. When the plant is 3-4 years old, you can leave it in your favorite pot and not disturb it anymore.

With the onset of winter, the tree will shed its leaves, but this should not bother you. With the onset of spring, it will again be covered with young green leaves. With the onset of warm summer days, it is useful to take your pet out onto the balcony.

As you can see, it is not at all difficult to grow pomegranate from a seed. Good luck to you, dear flower growers!

Tree pomegranate (lat. Punica), or grenade launcher- a genus of small trees and shrubs of the Derbennikov family, which not so long ago was called the Pomegranate family. The Latin name of the plant comes from the word Punic (or Carthaginian), since pomegranate is widespread in the territory of modern Tunisia (in the distant past of Carthage). The Russian name of the tree comes from the Latin word granatus, translated meaning “grainy”. IN Ancient world the plant was called the grain apple, and in the Middle Ages it received the name seed apple. By the way, Italians still believe that the pomegranate was the apple that tempted Eve. Today, pomegranate is found wild in Southern Europe and Western Asia. Only one species of the genus is grown in cultivation - the common pomegranate.

Pomegranate fruits are not only tasty, but also healthy, and it is not surprising that many plant lovers, unable to grow a pomegranate tree in the garden, grow it on their windowsill literally from pomegranate seeds - that’s what botanists call the fruits of this southern plant. In this article we will tell you how to grow a pomegranate from a seed, how to care for a pomegranate at home, how to water a pomegranate, how to replant a pomegranate, how to plant a homemade pomegranate, why pomegranate leaves turn yellow, why pomegranates fall off, what are the harms and benefits of pomegranates , and we will also answer other questions you ask in your letters.

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Planting and caring for pomegranate (in brief)

Bloom: three years after planting.
Lighting: bright diffused light.
Temperature: during the period of active growth - 18-25 ˚C, during the dormant period - 12-15 ˚C.
Watering: during the growing season - often and abundantly, but during flowering, watering is reduced. In winter, watering is infrequent.
Air humidity: In hot weather, evening spraying of leaves with warm water is recommended.
Feeding: from spring to autumn twice a month mineral complexes for indoor plants with low nitrogen content. In winter, the plant is not fed.
Rest period: from late autumn to February. A plant in need of rest begins to shed its leaves.
Transfer: young plants are replanted annually, and those that have reached three years of age, only when the roots fill the earthen ball.
Trimming: in February, to stimulate branching and give the crown shape.
Reproduction: cuttings, grafting and seeds.
Pests: It is affected by mealybugs, spider mites, scale insects, aphids, codling moths and whiteflies.
Diseases: branch cancer, root rot.

Read more about growing pomegranate below.

Homemade pomegranate - description

The pomegranate plant is a long-lived deciduous plant from the subtropics, up to 5-6 m high in nature and rarely higher than two meters in indoor conditions. Pomegranate branches are prickly and thin. The oval and glossy light green leaves of pomegranate reach a length of 3 cm. Pomegranate flowering begins at the very end of spring and lasts all summer. The red-orange pomegranate flowers come in two types: the bisexual and pitcher-shaped pomegranate flower sets fruit, while the numerous bell-shaped flowers are sterile. The spherical pomegranate fruit is a large berry with a leathery pericarp and can reach a diameter of 18 cm. The pomegranate peel can be yellow-orange, red-brown or any shade in between. The berry, divided into 6-12 chambers or nests located in two tiers, contains pomegranate seeds in quantities of up to 1200 or more pieces. Each seed is surrounded by a succulent cover. Pomegranate usually begins to bear fruit in three years old. Full fruiting lasts from 7 to 40 years.

Indoor pomegranate today is as popular as indoor lemon. a coffee tree, orange, mango, date palm and other exotics that cannot be grown in gardens due to the discrepancy between our climate and those familiar to tropical and subtropical fruit trees conditions. But growing homemade pomegranate is a hobby for passionate people, and you should understand that your efforts may not bring the expected results. Pomegranate from seeds at home is a very realistic goal, but it can only be realized if optimal conditions for the plant are observed and timely and proper care is observed.

Indoor pomegranate from seed

How to grow pomegranate at home

How to grow pomegranate from seed? As seed material You can use fresh seeds of ripe, healthy and beautiful pomegranate. You should know that pomegranates sold in stores and markets are hybrids, so the fruits of homemade pomegranate grown from their seeds will not preserve taste qualities parent variety, although the decorativeness of the plant may be beyond praise. It is best if you get hold of a ripe and tasty indoor pomegranate fruit. The seeds are removed from the fruit and the pulp is removed. The seeds should be cream in color and feel firm to the touch - soft and greenish seeds are not suitable for growing. Soak the seeds for 12 hours in water with two or three drops of Zircon or Epin added to stimulate the germination process. The solution should not cover the seeds completely - in addition to moisture, they need oxygen.

How to plant a pomegranate

Pomegranate is grown in a loose substrate consisting of fertile soil, peat and sand. For this purpose, you can purchase universal soil for flower plants in the store - pomegranate is unpretentious to the composition of the soil. Prepared and dried pomegranate seeds are buried 1-1.5 cm into the substrate, lightly watered, cover the container with polyethylene or glass and place in a place well lit by the sun. If pomegranate is planted at the end of winter or early spring, then in a couple of weeks you can expect seedlings to appear, and seeds planted at other times of the year can sit in the ground for several months.

How to care for a pomegranate seedling

Growing pomegranate at home requires creating optimal comfort for it. The conditions for growing pomegranate include maintaining the room temperature within 25 ºC, regular ventilation and spraying the substrate with warm water.

When the first true leaves form on the seedlings, plant the seedlings, shortening the root by a third, in small separate pots with nutritious soil and a drainage layer underneath. Place the pomegranate on the lightest windowsill - it needs to be in direct sunlight for at least 2 hours a day. For those who have ascended to winter time sprouts you will have to arrange additional lighting.

Once the seedlings have formed three pairs of leaves, pinch them back to encourage the pomegranate to grow with two crowns. When three pairs of leaves are formed on each shoot, pinch them too so that the pomegranate grows into a lush tree.

Maintain the temperature in the room in which the young pomegranate is growing within 20 ºC, providing it with regular ventilation. In summer, it is better to take homemade pomegranate to the balcony or terrace, since the plant loves Fresh air And sunlight. Ten months after germination, you can see pomegranate blooming.

In the fall, the tree will shed its leaves and enter a dormant state. You can, of course, make it grow in winter, but this quickly gets tired and depleted of the tree - everyone needs rest, and pomegranate is no exception. Move the indoor pomegranate to a room with a temperature of 10-12 ºC, stop feeding, reduce watering to the required minimum and let the plant rest for a month or two. After a period of dormancy, leaves will appear on the pomegranate again, and it will become more beautiful than before.

Caring for pomegranate in a pot

Watering pomegranate

Water the pomegranate seedlings at the root so that water does not get on the leaves - for this it is better to use a watering can with a narrow spout. The substrate in the pot should be barely damp at all times. During pomegranate flowering, watering is reduced, but the soil in the pot should not be allowed to dry out. Water for irrigation should not be cold - 1-2 degrees warmer than the air in the room, and should stand for at least 24 hours.

The reduction in watering can be compensated by spraying the leaves of the plant with non-cold boiled water.

During the dormant period, watering the plants is reduced significantly.

Pomegranate fertilizer

During the seedling period, to stimulate the development of seedlings, you can dilute half a teaspoon of wood ash in half a liter of water and water the plant with this nutrient solution. From spring to autumn, the pomegranate tree is fertilized every two weeks with universal liquid fertilizers for indoor plants. If you grow pomegranate for its fruits, which you intend to eat, then it is better to fertilize not with mineral fertilizers, which contain too many nitrates, but with organic fertilizers - slurry or a solution of chicken manure. But keep in mind: if a pomegranate is overfed with nitrogen, it will not bloom, which means it will not bear fruit.

Pomegranate transplant

In indoor conditions, pomegranate should grow in a cramped pot - the larger the container in which it grows, the more it forms sterile bell-shaped flowers. The first time a pomegranate is replanted is a year later. In the future, replanting is carried out no earlier than the pomegranate root fills the entire pot. Each subsequent container should be 2-3 cm larger in diameter than the previous one. When the pomegranate is 4 years old, it is no longer replanted, but the top layer of substrate in the pot is replaced annually.

Pomegranate trimming

A pomegranate is formed in the form of a bush with 3-4 skeletal branches or a tree with a low trunk and 4-5 skeletal branches. Subsequently, 4-5 second-order branches are laid on each skeletal branch, on which third-order branches can subsequently be formed. Excess and fatty shoots are cut out, as well as root shoots. With age, old branches that will no longer produce crops are cut out. Pomegranate bears fruit on shoots current year.

Pests and diseases of pomegranate

Homemade pomegranate, like any indoor plant, can be affected by pests - mealybugs, spider mites, scale insects, aphids, moths and whiteflies. Diseases of homemade pomegranates are root cancer, Phomopsis or branch cancer, gray rot and leaf spot. Aphids are destroyed with a two-day infusion of 40 g of tobacco in 1 liter hot water, which after infusion is diluted with water 1:2 and 4 g of grated laundry soap are added to it. Whiteflies, spider mites and scale insects die after treating the pomegranate with an infusion of garlic or onion: 20 g of husk is poured into a liter of water, left for 5 days and filtered. You can get rid of the codling moth only by collecting fallen fruits affected by the pest and removing diseased pomegranates from the tree that have not yet fallen. To control pests, you can also use chemicals: mealybugs are eliminated by triple treating the pomegranate with an interval of 5-6 days with Confidor, Mospilan or Aktara, and spider mites are eliminated with acaricides Aktellik or Fitoverm.

Root cancer, like branch cancer, is manifested by cracking of the bark and the formation of wounds with spongy swellings, drying out of shoots, branches, and in case of severe damage, the entire tree. At the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to clean the wounds to healthy tissue, treat them with a solution of copper sulfate and cover them with garden varnish. If there are many such areas, cut the tree down to a stump - perhaps this way you will be able to save it. Most often the disease occurs due to mechanical damage pomegranate bark and wood.

Pomegranate turns yellow

Readers often ask why pomegranates turn yellow. If you don't find it on pomegranate tree pests, in particular spider mites, then it may be suffering from too high air temperatures. Pomegranate also turns yellow if there is a lack of water in the soil, but yellowing in this case is accompanied by the appearance of dark spots on the leaves.

The pomegranate falls

If pomegranate leaves fall off, this may be a consequence of their yellowing, and the reasons for this phenomenon are the same as for sudden yellowing of leaves - spider mites or other pests, diseases, too heat air or insufficient watering. Leaf fall also begins for a natural reason - pomegranate is a deciduous tree, therefore, both in indoor cultivation and in nature, pomegranates fall at the end of the growing season, when they are preparing for wintering.

Pomegranate is drying

Pomegranate leaves dry out due to insufficient air humidity or because of problems with the roots that arose because you repeatedly violated the watering regime. Smell the soil in which the pomegranate is growing, and if it smells strongly of mold, immediately transplant the plant into a new substrate, inspecting its roots and removing rotten areas if necessary. Wounds on the roots are treated with crushed coal.

Indoor pomegranate - reproduction

How to propagate pomegranate

Indoor pomegranate is propagated by seed, as well as vegetatively - by grafting and cuttings. We have already written that a pomegranate grown from a seed does not always retain the varietal characteristics of the parent tree, but a varietal cutting can be grafted onto these seedlings. Pomegranates grown from cuttings and layering retain the characteristics of the mother plant completely.

Pomegranate from cuttings

For cuttings, trimmings from the current year's growths about 10 cm long are prepared. Cuttings can also be cut from root shoots. First, the cuttings are placed for 6 hours with the lower cut in a solution of a root formation stimulator, then washed under running water and planted in a substrate consisting of equal proportions from peat and sand, deepening the lower cut by 2-3 cm, and covering the cuttings to create greenhouse effect transparent dome or plastic bottles with the neck cut off. Keep the cuttings on a light windowsill. When they give roots, and this can happen in 6-10 weeks, they can be planted in separate pots with soil for citrus plants or with a mixture of sand, humus, turf and leaf soil in a ratio of 1:1:2:2. If you provide the pomegranate from the cuttings with good care, it can bloom in the second or third year after planting. It is also possible to propagate pomegranates by lignified cuttings, but they take even longer to take root, and many of them die.

How to graft pomegranate

Pomegranate can be propagated by grafting at home. To obtain a varietal plant, a varietal cutting is grafted onto a pomegranate rootstock grown from a seed. Only a fruiting pomegranate can produce the cuttings required for grafting. Vaccination is carried out different ways– it all depends on the thickness of the rootstock and scion cuttings. Currently, more than 150 types of vaccinations have been developed, and you will have to decide for yourself which one to choose. The simplest to perform, and therefore the most common, vaccinations are considered to be simple copulation, copulation with a tongue (English), behind the bark, in the cleft, in the butt and in the side cut. If the grafting is successful, the pomegranate will bloom in 3-4 years.

Types and varieties of homemade pomegranate

There are only two known types of pomegranate - Common pomegranate (Punica granatum) And Socotra pomegranate (Punica protopunica), which is endemic to the Yemeni island of Socotra. The Socotran pomegranate has flowers that are not crimson, but pink, and the fruits are not as large and sweet as those of the common pomegranate. You could read the description of the common pomegranate at the beginning of the article.

Due to its popularity, the dwarf pomegranate, which has a hybrid origin, is separated into a separate species, Punica nana, because it is the one most often grown indoors, including in the form of a bonsai. The species is distinguished by its short growth - no more than 1 m - and early fruiting. Plants begin to bloom within 3-4 months, and two-year-old trees form about a dozen small fruits up to 5 cm in diameter. What makes nana pomegranate an ideal plant for growing indoors is its resistance to dry air. This species, unlike varieties of common pomegranate, almost does not shed leaves for the winter.

Breeders have developed more than 500 varieties of pomegranate, many of which can be grown indoors. For example:

Uzbekistan– in room conditions, this variety of pomegranate grows up to 2 m. Its fruits are spherical, bright red, weighing up to 120 g, thin peel, sweet and sour grains of wine burgundy color;
Baby- a plant up to half a meter high with single or collected in bunches of 5-7 flowers and yellow-brown with a red blush fruits with a diameter of 5-7 cm, ripening by mid-winter. Plants of this variety require artificial pollination;
Carthage– pomegranate, blooming from May to August with red flowers up to 4 cm in diameter and juicy, tasty, slightly sour fruits;
Shah-nar– a variety of Azerbaijani selection with round or pear-shaped red fruits in a peel of medium thickness and with small grains of a pleasant sweet and sour taste;
Ruby– trees of this variety grow up to 70 cm in height. They differ from plants of other varieties by having brighter ruby-colored flowers. With good care, the fruits reach a weight of 100 g and 6-8 cm in diameter.

IN garden culture Also common varieties are Kzyl-anar, Vanderful, Ulfi, Lod-Zhuar, Ak-Dona, Gyuleysha red and pink, Purpurovy, Salavatsky and others. If you want to have a pomegranate at home, you can grow any variety of common pomegranate, even a vigorous one - at home it is still unlikely to grow above 2 m.

Properties of pomegranate - harm and benefit

Pomegranate is one of the healthiest fruits. Its fruits contain vitamins P, C, B12, B6, fiber, sodium, iodine, phosphorus, iron, potassium, manganese, calcium and magnesium. Pomegranate juice contains sugars - fructose and glucose, malic, tartaric, citric, oxalic, succinic, boric and other organic acids, sulfate and chloride salts, phytoncides, tannin, tannins and nitrogenous substances.

The presence in the fruits of all these necessary for human body substances and causes beneficial features grenade. It quenches thirst, improves hematopoiesis, promoting the production of hemoglobin and the formation of red blood cells in the blood, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, the nervous system and immunity. An infusion of pomegranate fruits and flowers is one of the oldest hemostatic agents. For older people, pomegranate is recommended to restore strength after surgery.

Pomegranate is rich in vitamin K, essential for metabolism connective tissues and bones, and in particular for the absorption of calcium. Pomegranate slows down the development of osteoarthritis, relieving inflammation and swelling of cartilage tissue.

Pomegranate juice, which, among other things, helps normalize blood pressure, is indicated as a hematopoietic agent for diseases of the heart, circulatory system, kidneys, lungs and liver, and the estrogens contained in pomegranate ease the symptoms of menopause and help fight depression.

Pomegranate - essential product for vegetarians, since its juice contains 15 amino acids, almost half of which are found mainly in meat products. Thus, someone who has consciously given up animal food by eating pomegranate may not experience a lack of animal proteins. Pomegranate juice has a diuretic and choleretic effect, as well as analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects.

The benefit of pomegranate is also that it is an excellent remedy for scurvy, uric acid diathesis, atherosclerosis, headaches and gastrointestinal disorders. People who have been exposed to radiation, live in areas of increased radiation and work with radioactive isotopes are strongly recommended to use pomegranate juice. It is also indicated for anemia, hypertension, malaria, bronchial asthma and diabetes.

Containing alkaloids, pomegranate peel has a strong anthelmintic property. A decoction of it is also used for inflammation of the liver and kidneys, joints and eyes. It helps both as a gargle for a sore throat and for intestinal disorders. And lightly toasted with olive or butter Pomegranate peel powder is used as a mask for oily facial skin, as well as for the treatment of burns, cracks and abrasions.

Pomegranate seeds are an effective remedy for increasing intestinal motility and a source of valuable pomegranate oil, which, due to high content fat-soluble vitamins E and F promotes rapid healing of wounds, regeneration of epidermal cells, rejuvenates and protects the human body from cancer. And pomegranate extract restores skin after too much sun exposure.

The white films separating the chambers with seeds inside the pomegranate fruit are dried and added to tea, since they have the property of balancing the condition nervous system, relieve excitement, anxiety and relieve insomnia.

In traditional medicine, decoctions and tinctures are made from the fruits, flowers, peel, bark and seeds of pomegranate to treat anemia, stomatitis, diarrhea, burns, conjunctivitis and other diseases.

Pomegranate - contraindications

Pomegranate juice, saturated with acids, is contraindicated for gastritis with high acidity, peptic ulcer stomach and duodenum. If necessary, it is heavily diluted with water. For the same reason, the harm of pomegranate can manifest itself by corroding tooth enamel, so after eating pomegranate or its juice, you need to brush your teeth and rinse your mouth thoroughly with water. The constipating property of pomegranate may cause constipation in people with problems digestive system, and the toxic substances contained in the peel in case of an overdose of the decoction can cause a strong increase blood pressure, weakness, dizziness, convulsions, sharp deterioration of vision and irritation of the mucous membrane, so before using decoctions, be sure to consult a doctor.

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