How to Plant Pomegranates, the “Forbidden Fruit”

Low hanging pomegranates (Photo – Michael Coghlan, flickr).

This unusual fruit is believed by many to be the forbidden apple of the Garden of Eden, and late winter is the time to plant it.

By George Patton

The pomegranate is native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India, where the climate is very dry during the summer months, and therefore it grows very well in California, where there are many acres planted with the ‘sacred apples.’ The largest acreage planted in pomegranates is in the Mediterranean, where there are many products/forms of the fruit sold, such as Pomegranate syrup, leather, juice and wine.

Time of picking

The ‘fruit’ of the pomegranate is actually a large capsule, containing hundreds of tiny fruits, with each ruby fruit having a seed inside. The ripeness of the tiny fruits is indicated by the tough skin of the capsule cracking in one or more places.

Watering

The watering of the ancient shrub/tree must be deep and infrequent. If over-watered, the production of the desert shrub will be reduced in size and in number. The shrub only requires a slow flow from a hose, once a week.

A ripe pomegranate (Photo – coniferconifer, flickr).

The culture of pomegranates is very easy!

To propagate, all the is needed is a large pot, full of washed sand, not beach sand. Then make cuttings: pieces of the branches, about the diameter of a pencil and 8-10 inches in length. Cut off all leaves, and push the pieces halfway down into the sand, making certain that the ends pointed upward are at the top.

Sometimes the seed within each tiny jewel-like fruit are frozen for a week, then planted an inch in depth. This strategy, if successful, will produce a new genetic variety of pomegranate.

The watering of the ‘sacred apples,’ should be infrequent, as the pomegranate is a desert plant. A deep watering (allowing a slow flow of water to run all night) once every two weeks is ideal. If watered too often, the pomegranate shrub will produce fewer fruits.

The tree needs two to three years to start bearing fruits. It takes 5 to 7 months for fruit to become mature.

George Patton is a Bio-Dynamic farmer and compost expert. He studied Permaculture with Bill Mollison and hosted his own “Gardening Naturally” show on KCRW. You can see George’s garden creations all over Pasadena, Altadena and the Los Angeles area.