\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. This will help to learnHow to Prune Pomegranate Treesthat much easier. How to Trim a Mature Pomegranate Tree or Bush In late dormancy of the year following planting, prune the branches by 1/3, remove crossing branches, and leave 3-5 shoots per branch. However, they will produce bigger harvests and better fruit if kept on a consistent (lighter) irrigation schedule during dryer months even when mature. You can also make juice from your pomegranates, carefully straining out the seeds. The best time for structural pomegranate tree pruning is late winter before the buds break but after risk of frost has passed. Pomegranates (Punica Granatum) have a single stem that serves as the flowers stem. Pomegranates are beautiful ornamental tree/shrubs that produce fabulous fruit. Support wikiHow by The first time you prune your pomegranate tree is critical to the long-term success of shaping it and growing more pomegranates. In late dormancy of the year following planting, prune the branches by 1/3, remove crossing branches, and leave 3-5 shoots per branch. How To Grow & Prune A Pomegranate Tree | Complete Step By Step Guide During the growing season, you can remove suckers and other awkward branches. Either way, the number of trunks should be limited from three to six, otherwise fruit production may suffer. Yes, you really should prune a mature pomegranate tree at least twice a year to keep it healthy and help it thrive. Pomegranate trees can grow to 18 to 20 feet (5-6 m.) high. It will also make your job as easy as possible. Pomegranate trees can be grown in a variety of soils and climates. Pomegranates do best with regular, deep irrigation until established; after that, they are drought tolerant. While pruning is not rocket science there are ESSENTIAL Tips that can make it as effective and efficient as possible. You'll want to prune pomegranate trees to get them to grow nice and bushy, or even to grow like a standard tree if you wish. That said, dead or damaged branches or stems can and should be removed as they occur. A light annual pruning will help to encourage the growth of the fruit on two to three-year-old stems. Pomegranate trees are self-pollinating, which means you only need to plant one tree in order to get fruit. Alternatively, Pomegranate can be fed by mulching with organic compost. If all else fails then I highly recommend watching this video on how to prune pomegranate trees: Pruning is critical for plant growth and growing fruit. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. A secondary branch is a branch growing off your main branches. Below, is a great video on How to Grow Pomegranates in Containers: While gloves arent essential for learning how to prune and trim pomegranate trees they do serve a valuable purpose. So there you have it. Make sure you have the proper supplies before you begin. Water, pollination, sunlight and maybe a little about fertilization are some of the reasons why pomegranates dont grow. Taking care of your tree through regular pruning is extraordinarily important, especially in the first two to three years. When it comes to pruning the pomegranate tree some owners like to do more than simply pruning. A temperature of 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit and a relative humidity of 85% is ideal. These will be your fruiting branches. Lastly, pomegranate trees should not be pruned too heavily. Pomegranate trees are long-lived fruits that can reach a height of 12-15 feet and a width of 10-12 feet. How to Plant Pomegranate Trees When planting, make sure the soil is loose and not too wet. Native to Persia and the Himalayas of Northern India, and cultivated since the Early Bronze Age, the much-revered pomegranate (Punica granatum, Zones 711) arrived in California in 1769 with Spanish colonizers. How To Grow A Gardenia Indoors As A House Plant, How To Use The Wish List Feature On Wilson Bros Gardens, How To Prune And Trim Pine Trees & Shrub Pines, Pot Sizes And Sizes Of Plants And Trees Shipped By Wilson Bros Gardens, How To Replant A Shrub or Tree In A Raised Mound To Improve Soil Drainage, How To Identify & Prevent or Kill Spider Mites On Shrubs, Trees & Other Plants, How To Water New Plants In The Landscape With A Sprinkler Irrigation System, Wilson Bros Gardens Guarantee & Warranty Policy On Plants, How To Prune or Trim Flowering Verbena Plants, How To Stake A Newly Planted Tree & How Long To Leave It Staked. Pomegranates need a lot of water to set fruit. If you don't prune a pomegranate tree, then you may encounter problems such as disease, dieback, stunted growth, and poor harvest. Good luck! You can determine whether the fruits are ripe and ready for picking by tapping them with your finger. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Prune is best done in the summer, but if your plant is growing a lot of suckers, it is best done more frequently. Pomegranates, unlike many fruits, have a high salt tolerance and are drought and heat tolerant. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Cut your plums into slices if, The stems of foxgloves need to be cut back after the first flowers have finished. After the first year, you will prune your pomegranate during dormancy after the risk of frost has passed but before full bloom in the spring. When you do this, you will want to prune it about 50% back. If a tree is mature but produces little fruit, you can prune it more assertively. After planting, cut the pomegranate to 60-75 cm (24 to 30 in). Dead or damaged branches or stems can be removed as they appear. How To Fertilize And Water A Pomegranate Bush Or Tree Although vigor declines after 15 years or so, suckers readily grow from the base, and plants have been known to survive for more than 200 years. The Different Levels Of Oxalates In Leafy Greens, How To Wash Leafy Greens To Remove Bacteria, Dont Be Scammed By The Leafy Doc CBD Oil Scam, Hulled Sunflower Seeds: A Nutritious Snack For All Ages, iDubbbzs Content Cop Series: A Critique Of Leafy. If the tree is developed and maintained properly, it should only require light annual pruning. Clearly Explained! We only advise single-trunk trees in freeze-free climates. This will give you bigger, tastier pomegranates! How to Take Care of Pomegranate Trees | Home Guides | SF Gate Sign up for a free trial and get access to ALL our regional content, plus the rest ThePine Tree Tools WorkingGlovesisperfectforpruningandmanyothertypesofgardening. Enjoy it immediately, or refrigerate it whole for up to three months. In its natural environment, the pomegranate is a multi trunked shrub, and perhaps it's best to allow it to grow as such. If a tree is too close to the ground and needs to be pruned, a gentle pull should be given; if the tree touches the ground, a shorter prune should be given. When it comes to fruiting trees, suckers do not have roots, and even if one is discovered, it is likely that no fruit will be produced. I would recommend 30 seconds to 1 minute each time. January is a good month to get started. You might also prune your pomegranate to maintain a certain shape for aesthetics or height for easy harvesting. Description. You can prune your pomegranate for shape and form and to encourage fruit production, or heavier production. Learn how to properly clean your pruners in the video below: If you want to effectively care for your pomegranate tree then mulch around its base. What is the difference between a single-trunk and multi-trunk system? When To Prune Pomegranate Trees In Southern California? Finish cutting on an outward-facing shoot. That becomes the mother stock, so to speak, and nurseries use them over and over for the purpose of starting new trees of similar varieties.