It’s 15 feet at the peak. The other thing I am doing which I forgot to mention is applying hydroponic solution after fruit set. The Indian study I read where they used NAD hormone also “fertigated” which means water soluble fertilizer. The two together made for much larger fruit and there is some literature to suggest that healthy plants are less likely to be attacked by fungus. It could be the fact that I grow in pots rather than in the ground.
Hi PomGranny, here is the abstract from the Indian study of fruit drop:
Abstract
Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is one of the famous table fruits mainly cultivated in tropical and
sub-tropical eco-system. It is a newly introduced as alternate commercial fruit crop against Nagpur
mandarin in Chhindwara district of Satpura plateau region of M.P. during 2012. One of the major
problems under this condition is that cv. Bhagwa exhibits heavy flowering and fruit drop by increasing
the fruit set and fruit retention. Plant growth regulators are reported to play a significant role in
pomegranate (Chaudhari and Desai, 1993). A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of
NAA and Nutrient levels on fruit retention and yield attributes of Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.).
The experiment was conducted on pomegranate on 7-year old Bhagwa cultivar at a spacing of 12 x 8 ft.
at JNKVV, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Chhindwara (M.P.) India during ambia bahar of pomegranate. The
investigation was carried out during year (2019-20 and 2020-21). The experiment consisted of eighteen
treatments combination include three level of recommended dose of fertilizers as soil application (100%,
75% and 125% RDF) with three level of NAA (0ppm, 10ppm and 20ppm) and drip fertigation (15 days
and 30 days interval) with three replications under factorial randomized block design. The present
investigation revealed that maximum fruit weight, fruit length, fruit breadth, no. of flower/shoot, and
minimum days to 50% flowering was recorded in treatment T13 (100% RDF + NAA 20 ppm + fertigation
15 days interval) followed by in T7 (100% RDF + NAA 10 ppm + fertigation 15 days interval),
maximum days to 50% flowering was recorded under treatment T6 (125% RDF + 0ppm NAA +
fertigation 30 days) and maximum acidity (%) was recorded under T18 (125% RDF + 20ppm NAA +
fertigation 30 days). Whereas the lowest fruit weight, fruit length, fruit breadth, no. of flower/shoot and
acidity (%) were recorded under treatment T4 (75% RDF + 0ppm NAA + fertigation 30 days intaval)
during both the years and in pooled analysis. Chemical fertilizer (N, P, K) and plant growth hormone
(NAA) significantly effected on fruit retention and quality of pomegranate fruits.
Wow that is very impressive!
A few of the viable pomegranates I was able to salvage. Rot starting - so I pulled them before it spread to entire fruit. KajAcik and Granada. Just not really ripe enough to be very good. This summer was a disaster.
For those of you who want the summary: Maximum fruit yield came from RDF (Indian organic fertilizer). + 20 ppm NAD hormone + fertigation (soluble fertilizer) on 15 day intervals
PomGranny,
These would be great as a juice backsweetened and perhaps with a splash of vodka
Harvested the entire tree on the 20th of November. Arils from the November picked fruit are darker. Tart-sweet. Much less tart than in October. The biggest fruit cracked after some rain October 30th. None of the fruit had rot.
This is the fruit on the 30th of October. Cracked from the rain.
Seeds are hard! But I pop the arils with my teeth and either swallow the seed or spit it out. I will expierment with grafting a seedling of a soft seeded “Sweetheart” onto one of my Afganski branches in the spring.
I like to add a small amount of squirt pop to a bullet blender and fill the rest with pomegranate seeds. That blend knocks the fruit off the seed and mixes the juice with the squirt. It is a really good tasting drink!
@vnomonee @PomGranny @Littlefish5
Great looking fruits!
I’m not too far away from you. I live on the eastern shore of Virginia and zone 8a. I have one pomegranate but it’s like 1’ tall and I have no idea what it is. I’m going to keep an eye on your post to see your progress.
Thought I’d update on my 3 varieties of Pomagranates I acquired 17 months ago.
Brought a couple indoors just before the Dec. ‘flash freeze’ last year. Left “Chernaya Rosa” variety outside in a one gallon pot (didn’t mean to, but it escaped my attention).
It died to the ground but sprouted from roots about May.
Also have Surh Anor and Sumbar (it is the most vigorous…almost 6 feet tall).
Everything outside for the upper teens recently…probably I’ll bring in if single digits is in the forecast, but not until then.
(Also had “Alpine George” fig survive the -5 last December in a pot outdoors…even elevated sitting on a pallet.) Others I brough inside just before the big Christmas freeze.
I haven’t gone through every post to see if this was mentioned regarding the rot issue but may be worth trying all season pesticidel oil. It can kill fungi and prevent fungi growth. Stuff works on so many things, worth a shot.
Sorry . . . I’ve been ‘away’ from the Forum for awhile. My pomegranate crop STUNK this year. Probably had 8 decent ones . . . all with some rot. I’ve about given up. Too much time and trouble and all I seem to get is ROT ! I’ll do some copper this winter. Dormant oil. But . . . I don’t have much hope. And it’s funny . . . I know people in VaBeach who have big trees on their property and have tons of great pomegranates. No rot. ![]()
All 3 varieties I acquired made it for 17 months …including one I left out in -5F in December a year ago. And they’re all outside as it’s not dropped under mid teens so far…and no prospect of it doing so through mid January.
So, I’m a little more optomistic especially if I can “stay” in zone 7 per the charts.
I live on the Eastern shore, just south of Cape Charles Virginia and I am looking for pomegranate trees or bushes. I’m not exactly sure what they are considered. I have one that someone gave me but he didn’t know what variety it was. What varieties are you growing? I don’t know anything about them. Could it be that they’re not the right variety? How are you growing them, in ground or in a pot? I would love to have some cuttings if you have any available. If you decide to dig them out, I’d like to try to grow them. LMK either way, thanks. Luke
Luke. I have grown (I think) 20+ varieties. Some just never ‘made it out of the gate’. Granada is my most successful. Wonderful doesn’t seem to have enough time to ripen, here in VA. Hotuni Zigar doesn’t set much fruit - but is ‘mildly’ successful. KajAcikAnor is a good one. I’ve had some great fruit from it . . . but my trees are still very young. Salavatski and Afghanski should be doing a lot better than they are! They are a disappointment! Most of my plants were planted in 2018. The first trees I put in the ground were Wonderful and Granada - in my landscape - and they have some age on them. For a couple of years I did get some very nice Wonderful’s . . . so I bought a Granada. It fruited much faster than the Wonderful . . . and the fruit tasted much better, too. But I waited many years before getting my first pomegranate fruit! A couple of good years . . . and then the rot creeped in. I’ve tried just about everything. Nothing really works . . . except, as many people have advised . . . “Moving to California.” ![]()
The majority of the trees are in an orchard setting. It’s such a hassle keeping weeds ‘down’ and getting them the right amount of water, etc.
About those cuttings. I really don’t think you - or anyone else - would want cuttings from my plants. Too much fungal activity - and you’d just be introducing it into your yard. I’ve refrained from sharing, because of this. Sorry . . . but it really is in your best interest.
This was a tough year, for me . . . and I’ve ignored my trees quite a lot because of that. I’ve moved ‘what obsession I have left’ at this time, to interest in apples, pears and stone fruit. My plums do a whole lot of nothing. My nectarines and peaches do great, some years . . . but last summer bombed. With just about everything. ! The Pomegranates are kind of in the ‘Sink or Swim’ category, around here, at the moment! But, I’m sure the Orchard Bug will hit again . . . one of these days . . . and I’ll clean up the poms and try again. And who knows . . . maybe they will actually love being ignored and crank out some great fruit!
Karen AKA PomGranny
I’m counting on it😁
I forget- are you doing figs? You’ve got a good spot for it; quick payback, lots of fruit, yum! My apples are on thin ice; figs and pears so much easier.
We have 2 fig trees. Olympia and Chicago Hardy. The birds get most of them by the time they ripen. And I’m not really a big fan. My husband likes them.
We had a Violetta d’Bordeaux . . . but it bit the dust.
I’ve had VdB survive about 5 degrees outdoors. Couple years ago or more.
(All my figs and pomagranates are still outside…but since it may dip into single digits…I’m debating on bringing them all indoors by Friday.)
Left one fig and one pom outdoors last year and they sprouted from roots and recovered.
(In black pots)







