How to Train Pomegranate Trees
Pomegranates originated in southern Asia. They were introduced into the Americas by Spanish missionaries in the 1500's. These trees are characterized by vibrant orange-red flowers. The delicious and healthful fruit that is renowned for its anti-oxidant qualities is called the pomegranate itself. The pomegranate is a popular ornamental plant, enjoyed for it handsome appearance as well as its fruits. Naturally a bushy shrub, they can be easily be trained to grow into trees. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Plant the Pomegranate in a sunny location where it will have room to grow and branch. When bearing fruit, the branches tend to sag. Allow for this in choosing your location.
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Prune away suckers as the tree grows. Pomegranates want to be bushes, not trees. As the Pomegranate grows, it tends to produce most suckers from the crown. You will have to thin them constantly in order to train the plant into a tree. Selectively trim away the majority of suckers, leaving those you want to turn into branches. Cut them using pruning shears at a slight angle away from the tree.
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Support the tree-in-process. Because it will take time for the plant to develop a sturdy enough trunk, you will need to stake and support it for few years. Place a stake on both sides approximately 6 inches from the trunk. Tie the trunk using flexible gardener's tape. Double staking gives the tree has a better chance of growing straight, particularly if you have strong prevailing winds. Adjust or replace the ties on the stake periodically to ensure proper tension.
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Trim away dead, diseased or damaged portions of the branches as needed. The Pomegranate tends to be hardy and disease resistant, but it’s good gardening practice to check for unwanted problems. Do you heaviest pruning when the plant is dormant, before it begins to leaf out. When pruning away branches, cut so that the angle is away from the tree trunk.
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Shape by trimming as needed. There will always be some new growth. Plan to prune accordingly, removing small branches and twigs with pruning shears. Note that the bearing branch ends tend to lose their fruiting vigor after several years (usually 2 to 3), and they should ultimately be removed.
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Tips & Warnings
To avoid getting splattered by the red juice when opening a Pomegranate, open and peel them in a bowl of cold water. Have the fruit completely submerged.
Never use insecticides or herbicides on or around the roots of the tree without first consulting a nursery expert. These may contain toxic chemicals which can be absorbed by the plant and its fruit.
