Carthage apple or pomegranate ordinary: description, photo, care and much more

Pomegranate is a genus of trees and shrubs of the Derbennikovye family. The fruit of the plant is a large berry and has the common name "pomegranate" (the name "pomegranate" is common in botany).

From the very beginning of cultivation, the plant is considered a symbol of fertility, since the peel of the fruit hides many small juicy berries (grains) underneath. In this article, we will consider all the features of care and reproduction of pomegranate at home.

About the plant

Pomegranate is a fruit tree or a dicotyledonous shrub class, the height reaches 5-8 m. Life expectancy is up to 50 years. It has spiky and thin branches on which glossy leaves of orange-red color grow (diameter - from 2.5 cm). Pomegranate flowers can be pitcher-shaped (a fruit is tied in them) or bell-shaped (empty flower). Seeds are located in 6-10 chambers of a spherical leathery fruit, their total number ranges from 1000 to 1200 (in one fruit). The surrounding seed cover is edible.

Latin name

Punica granatum - this name translates as "Punic (Carthaginian) apple." Pomegranate is often called a seed, grainy or Carthaginian apple. Persia (modern Iran) is considered to be the birthplace of pomegranate. Scientists agree that culture appeared and began its development back in prehistoric times (around the end of the Cretaceous period), since references to it are found in the most ancient documents and objects of art.

Already for several millennia, the plant has been cultivated in the countries of Asia Minor, the southern regions of Russia, Afghanistan, in some areas of Central and Asia Minor, the Mediterranean countries. It is less common in Korea, Japan, the Bahamas and Bermuda.

Photo

Next, you can see the photo of the pomegranate:

Care

Temperature

The optimum temperature for growing ordinary pomegranate is 20-25 degrees Celsius (in the summer) and 5-12 (during wintering). The minimum temperature that the plant can withstand is 15 degrees below zero (at -20 the aboveground part freezes).

Watering

General humidity does not play a big role, but watering should be regular and plentiful. In spring and summer, as well as in early autumn, the plant is watered every 10-12 days, in the cold period of autumn and in winter, the amount of water is reduced to once every 1.5-2 months.

Shine

For pomegranate growing, a well-lit area is best suited.

Priming

Pomegranate is undemanding to the soil, but its increased acidity will not benefit the plant. Recommended soil composition for growing crops: turf-land -50%, humus (preferably leaf) -25%, peat and sand (in equal shares) - 25%. The following scheme is also often used: sod-clay soil, sheet soil, humus, sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 1.

Pruning

Trimming is done so that the crown does not grow too high (this will make harvesting difficult). Extra branches are removed so that the plant does not break under the weight of numerous fruits.

One pomegranate branch cannot bear fruit for more than 3-4 years. At the end of the fruiting period, the excess branch is cut.

rules:

1. Pruning is done in spring or after harvesting.
2. Extra branches are cut off at the base of their growth.
3. The place of cut is treated with special means for "healing" and protection from pests.
4. In early summer, half of the young shoots (of the current year) are removed, the rest are shortened.
5. Final pruning is done in the fall, only strong shoots and fruit-bearing branches are left at the root.

Top dressing

Fertilizer is applied twice a month in moistened soil. In the spring months, nitrogen fertilizers are used, at the flowering stage - phosphorus fertilizers, in the fall potassium. Complex fertilizer is applied every month. In winter, the plant is not fed.

Pot

For growing pomegranate at home, wooden tubs or clay pots are well suited. The capacity should not be too wide, medium depth.

Materials such as metal or plastic are not recommended. - the pomegranate will not feel comfortable in them, and difficulties may arise during cultivation.

Transfer

Young pomegranate needs to be replanted once a year, and a plant that has reached three years of age - no more than once every three years. The transplant is produced in the spring.

Instruction manual:

1. Prepare a new landing tank - it should be slightly larger than the previous one.
2. Pour drainage to the bottom of the pot, fill it with prepared soil mixture (fertilized and moistened).
3. Carefully remove the plant from the ground (with root and near-root soil).
4. To clear of clods of the earth, if necessary to remove the decaying parts of a root.
5. In the soil for transplanting, make a recess corresponding to the size of the root system of the transplanted pomegranate.
6. Carefully place the plant in a pot (to a depth of about 10 cm), sprinkle with earth, a little tamp.
7. It is recommended to mulch the soil with sawdust or dried grass.
8. In the first week after transplantation, top dressing is not applied.

Wintering

Winter is the resting period for pomegranate. To protect against low temperatures, the plant is covered before the start of frost. To do this, the trunk is carefully bent to the surface of the soil, pressed down with a weighting agent, covered with a dense film or special covering material, mulched and re-covered with a film.

Features of care when growing at home

Pomegranate at home is most often grown either in a pot (like a bonsai) or in tubs (on the balcony). A feature of home growing is that a non-indoor plant requires special conditions for wintering (it is enough to slightly reduce the temperature in the room). Pomegranate grown in a tub is brought into the room from the balcony for the winter.

An important role is played by timely pruning to form the correct crown and increase yield. Watering is done as the soil dries up, top dressing is applied according to the general scheme. In the hot season, the aerial part of the plant is recommended to spray with water. The pomegranate is photophilous, therefore they keep the pot with it by the window, on the sunny side.

Propagation Features

Common pomegranate is propagated by cuttings or using seeds, less often by layering or grafting (on seedlings).

For cuttings choose annual shoots (they are planted in late spring) or woody branches (planted in early spring, harvested for the winter).

Seeds do not require pre-treatment (except for drying). Sowing is done in spring or autumn. Sprouts appear after 2-3 weeks. Features of the variety during propagation by seeds will not be lost.

Fruit

The plant forms spherical fruits, consisting of large berries and a leathery pericarp. The peel is colored in shades from orange-yellow to brown-red. The fruit in diameter can reach 15-17 cm. In most cases, fruiting begins from the third year of the plant's life. The berry ripens once a year, more often from mid to late September.

Diseases and Pests

Pomegranate is susceptible to diseases such as gray rot, leaf spotting, branch or root cancer. In cases of cancer, completely affected parts of the plant are removed, the wounds are cleaned, treated with a solution of copper sulfate and lubricated with garden var. The plant may be affected by pests. Among them are aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, pomegranate moths. Get rid of parasites by treatment with insecticides - as needed and as a preventative measure.

Pomegranate fruits differ not only in their rich taste and aroma, but also in their usefulness. Their use will help get rid of problems with the gastrointestinal tract, from manifestations of respiratory tract diseases (for example, cough), and will also contribute to the expulsion of parasites from the body. These qualities and comparative unpretentiousness in care made common pomegranate popular for growing at home and in the garden.

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