I picked up a Wonderful Pomegranate that I want to try out growing in a pot. I plan to give it lots of time outside when temps are above 40, and bring it in for the winter.
What is the best way to care for the tree over winter? I read that I can bring it in and leave it by a window and reduce watering somewhat. I also read that I can bring it to a cooler place like a garage or basement and let it go dormant. Are both viable options or is one better? If I go with the first option of indoors by a window, will it shed all of its leaves and regrow in the spring?
Any other advice for growing a wonderful pomegranate in a pot would be appreciated! I’m just north of NYC.
Wonderful do drop their leaves briefly here in NorCal. And are one of the first to leaf out in January. I’m sure you know this, but I think your chances of ever getting viable fruit is exceptionally rare. Here in California our climate is almost identical to their native in the middle east. Very hot, dry, and no humidity. We very rarely see frosts’, and never hard freezes. I wish you luck. keep us posted!
No problem. I think you’ll find most growers here from the East Coast will tell you poms are exceptionally difficult to get viable fruit from. Mainly they like very hot, and a very dry climate. Our humidity is usually in the single digits most summer, dew points in the 30’s. Providing grow lights may help keep the leaves on, but I still think getting it to fruit will be a challenge.
Have a look at this climate comparison. Note the muggy/humidity and chance of rain differences. Here in NorCal it is a Mediterranean climate, and they grow like weeds.
I am in zone 6a and have kept a few pomegranates in pots for the past 4 years.
When weather gets cold in Nov, leaves turn yellow and drop. I have kept those potted pomegranates in an unfinished basement. Temp there is about high 30/low 40 F. I water them once a month so the soil is not completely dry.
I do not keep them in the house, too much work.
I grow them for fun. Like @Calron said, they probably won’t set fruit. If they do, those fruit would never ripen in time in your or my zone.
Thanks! This is very helpful :). I’d be growing them for fun too!
Mamuang, do they stay dormant/no leaves through the winter? When do you put yours back outside again and when do they leaf back out? Do they get any light in your basement, or is it basically a hibernation? thanks very much for your response. I’m finding it very helpful!
They stay dormant until late March. Since the unfinished basement is rather warm (never below 35F), by late March, I can see tiny buds starting to push.
I usually drag the pots out when temp is 40 or up. Once they leaf out, if temp drop to freezing, I drag them back in a garage, just to be on a safe side. They are easy to care for (so far).
Last year, a 3 years old tree had three flowers, Yeah!! That’s the best I could do, getting it to flower
Mamuang’s response is certainly more relevant being his climate is much more similar to yours. I just checked my post here from last year - first leaf out for me was early February. The flowers start in May. Ripe fruit - Oct/Nov/Dec.
My pomegranate’s first bloom was in late July. The 2nd and 3rd ones bloomed in Aug.
I honestly am not sure how long I will keep them. I need space for other fruit producting potted trees. My fun with pomegranate could be over this year.
The biggest issue if you are far enough south is fungus. There was somebody on the forum that could get fruit in Virginia Beach, VA but had fungus destroying most of the fruit.
I don’t really know? You may be able to get fruit that way. If you could keep them cool till February then force growth. They might flower early enough to get some fruit. I think probably not as these plant’s fruit tends to need a long time and most fruit late even in California. As mentioned.
I’m experimenting in pots too. I have my hopes on the Granada cultivar. It is one of the earliest fruiting poms. Usually in August. I keep mine in the garage, it can get down to 25F and they are fine. I don’t let it go below 25F I will heat at that point. Mine are all sleeping now…
I also grow figs, they are in the garage too.
I got all of them in trades, and I’m probably only going to keep Granada. Here is Salavatski today.
Again, not trying to be a downer (I zone push too). But your chances of a few flowers are not out of the question, however the chances of them hanging on till ripe are exceptionally rare. As I mentioned earlier. I’m in zone 9B, and I harvest our fruit in very late fall. Also, as I mentioned we get single/low double digit humidity almost all summer. And it literally doesn’t rain here from April - Oct/Nov. I wish you luck, but do to get your hopes up.
Matt
