Pomegranates in Georgia

General Fruit Growing
#1

Hello, my mother has stated she would like to grow some pomegranate trees/bushes.

I was wondering if anyone could help me with the following questions:

  1. What varieties are best grown in Georgia/the South?
  2. Where would you recommend ordering pomegranates from?

Thanks if anyone could help, and if anyone has anything more to add, I’d love to get more information. Thank you!

#2

I live near you and have had very poor luck. The plants can usually take the winter cold but suffer easily from a spring freeze once the plants leaf out, which is fairly early. If a cold winter or a late freeze don’t kill the plants to the ground and does produce fruit, they will most likely rot in our humidity.
But they are low maintenance, grow fast and produce pretty flowers.
I grow Red Silk, Mae, Desertnyi, and Parfianka

3 Likes
#3

My area should be similar. I have mostly experienced the same issues as @c5tiger. This will be my third season and each year a late cold snap burns the emerging foliage. I still get a few late blooms but no fruit. If she really wants them I would plant and explain that the fruit part might not happen on a regular basis. Plums in my area also get zapped but occasionally good crops get through the weather.

#4

There are several Pomegranate trees growing in my area, but most are planted close to houses for protection from cold. I have had the same problems described above. I plan to move and protect my trees better this year. Most of my temperate fruit trees get zapped by late freezes. I managed to get a few peaches and some Asian pears this year, and that was all. It’s pretty sad when I get to eat more citrus from my in ground trees, than I do from my temperate fruit trees. But, of course I spend more effort protecting them also.

TFN

1 Like
#5

I have tried several. Finally succeeded with Surh Anor. I have gotten fruit for 2 years, but rot usually takes them before they ripen all the way. I will try Surround next season, because it’s the stink bugs that bring the rot by piercing the fruit. UGA did a series of studies of production and results. The best producing and most hardy were Salavtaski, Suhr Anor, Nikitski Rannni, Afganski, and Kaj acik anor.

#6

Oh yeah. Green Sea Nursery and Burnt Ridge usually have a decent selection. If you are in Georgia like me, you can try Ison’s. They usually have 2 or 3 of the Russians there…

#7

I have the same freeze problems that you guys have mentioned and
I’m wondering just exactly what to try next. Can you cover a bush for
the entire winter, and then uncover after the last spring freeze, or will
that kill the tree? I started with 12 trees and am now down to just 2.
I’m getting tired of covering and uncovering every time the weather fluctuates.

#8

Have you tried planting near a house? That should keep late spring frosts at bay.

#9

I grew up around Auburn AL…knew of several big, old, fruitful poms at older homesteads around the county…variety…?unknown?..maybe Wonderful?
Had some at my grandparents’ farm, just outside Auburn, that I started from cuttings taken from one at a fellow church members’ home out in the Gold Hill community Those planted in sheltered location fruited well, but one located out in the open, near the vegetable garden, rarely fruited.
IIRC. UGA &/or USDA had a pom planting at Byron GA…

#10

I’ve tried that and still lost trees,

#11

Are you losing them in the winter or in the spring?

#12

Both

#13

I have only lost Parfianka once in the winter and it grew back from the ground, I have never had any plants totally die. My damage always comes from spring freezes. My Desertnyi was small enough for me to put a 35 gal trashcan over it this past late spring freeze but it did not help. It was killed to the ground like the others. I should have put a bucket of water in there with it but forgot.

I am kind of over the whole pomegranate thing. If they produce great but I am not wasting my time protecting them from cold, especially when they just rot anyway. They are on their own from here on out.

#14

The only damage on mine seemed to come from late spring freezes. They never seem to start growing vigorously afterward. After I move them this winter, I will make sure to protect them next spring. I believe once the get larger, they may be okay.

TFN

#15

It is my understanding that once they get large they don’t need
protection. My problem is that I can never get them to that size.
I’ve placed 50 gallons of leaves on the two I have left and covered
with a tarp. If I lose these two, I’m done with them.

#16

What would the water have done?

#17

Water releases a lot of heat when it undergoes a phase change to ice. The bucket of water can’t go below 32 degrees until every molecule of water has change to ice. Ideally the water does not 100% freeze overnight and stays at 32 degrees giving you a little bit of warmth next to your plant.

#18

I would recommend Salavatski to those who are having cold hardiness problems from Poms. Mine survived a -2F winter and a late spring frost this year - in an unprotected location at that.

2 Likes
#19

That’s a hard seeded variety. I’m trying to grow only soft
seeded ones.

#20

I will probably do them like I do my citrus trees in the ground. Place a 55 gallon barrel of water as close as possible on the north side and cover with frost cloth when needed.

TFN