When we buy these fruits in stores, we rarely think about how pomegranate grows and where. We associate it with the hot sun of the south, and the bright scarlet color of the fruit, even in winter, recalls the warmth and colors of a hot summer. In our article, we will tell the reader about where pomegranates grow and how.
A small digression into history
Even in ancient times, people were attracted by sparkling pomegranate seeds. In ancient Rome, thanks to them, this fruit was called malum granatum, which means a granular apple. In even more distant times - the era of the pharaohs - in Egypt, pomegranates were grown in Carthage. One can imagine what enormous efforts were made to grow these fruits in North Africa under the scorching sun.
Useful qualities and properties
Pomegranate fruits contain a lot of edible seeds (in some varieties about a thousand), divided into segments by membranes. Each of them is surrounded by pulp. Varieties of fruits are divided into sweet and sour.
It has long been known that pomegranate juice helps increase the level of hemoglobin so much needed by everyone in the blood, and also has a normalizing effect on blood pressure. Acidic varieties of this fruit are useful for diabetics, people suffering from gastritis, tonsillitis and asthma. Sweet ones are very useful for those who suffer from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Where does pomegranate grow?
The homeland of the fruit is the subtropics and tropics (North America, Central Asia), in connection with this, the fruits are conveniently cultivated in areas with a semi-dry hot climate. Where do pomegranates grow? Today, this fruit is widely cultivated in the Crimea, the Mediterranean, Iran, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Central Asia. In Russia, pomegranates can be found in the south of the Krasnodar Territory (Anapa, Yeysk, Sochi), as well as in the hot regions of the North Caucasus.
Curiously, pomegranate is also found in the wild. For example, in the Caucasus. There it grows on rocky slopes, small undergrowths of pine and oak, and even on salt marshes.
The nuances of cultivation
In which countries pomegranate grows, we already told, now we will tell about the nuances of its cultivation. This plant is very fond of light and requires bright lighting that does not have a shadow. If pomegranate lacks this, it will not bloom. For the fruits to ripen, the summer must be hot and very long. At the same time, the tree withstands frosts up to 10-12 degrees in winter.
Garnet. How to grow
It can also be grown from seeds, but this process is very laborious and long. It is much more prudent to acquire a seedling and cultivate it. They plant trees in places where access to direct sunlight is maximally ensured. In the first month after planting, the plant is watered two or three times a week, then the process is reduced to once in the above period.
The pomegranate plant begins to bear fruit in about the second or third year after planting. It lives a maximum of 50-60 years. Peak of fruitfulness is achieved approximately at the 8-10th year of life. The unpretentiousness of the tree allows it to grow perfectly both on calcareous, clay, pebble soils, and on its acid species. Pomegranate itself is a shrub type plant and reaches six meters in height.
How to grow pomegranate at home
In general terms, how pomegranate grows and where, we have already told. Now we turn to the question of how to cultivate this plant at home. Of course, one of the types of pomegranate, which is popular among home crop lovers, is dwarf pomegranate. He begins to bloom in the second year of his life. Such a curious feature. A simple pomegranate begins to bloom only in the fourth or fifth year.
How does pomegranate grow at home? A large small bowl is suitable for planting a dwarf plant, because the bush has a superficial root system. The composition of the soil does not particularly matter, but it is important that it is slightly acidic.
Pomegranate is easily grown even on the windowsill. The main thing is that the plant should not lack sunlight. The more it will be, the more abundant the shrub blooms.
The flowers of the plant are located throughout its crown. Unfortunately, at home their number is small. Accordingly, there will not be many fruits. But then think about the fact that not everyone can boast such a plant on their balcony. The fruits of dwarf pomegranate in diameter reach 5-6 centimeters.
About twice a year, it is necessary to form the crown of the bush. In the spring, the plant is trimmed a little, and in the fall - more thoroughly. The soil at the shrub should always be moist. In summer, it is wiser to keep pomegranates on the loggia (balcony), and from the beginning of the cold weather, when the leaves begin to fall, the plant should be moved to a room where it is cooler (the desired temperature is up to 15 degrees). In winter, the bush is not fed with fertilizers, and in spring, when the plant has young shoots, its fertilizing resumes.
Is it possible to grow pomegranates from seed at home and how to do it?
Of course, to the question of how pomegranate grows from seed and whether it is possible to grow it yourself, the answer of gardeners will be unequivocal: it is possible, but the process will be long and difficult. It is much more convenient to grow a plant from cuttings.
A fresh fruit should be cut, remove seeds from it and dry them within 24 hours. After that, the seeds are soaked in milk overnight. The next day they are sown in loose and well-moistened soil, sprinkled with earth a little. After this, the dishes with seeds should be covered with an ordinary plastic bag or film and placed in a warm and dim place. This is necessary to create a greenhouse effect.
After about two or three weeks, the first shoots appear. They are white sprouts. Polyethylene is removed, and plants are placed in a place that has access to direct sunlight.
That, in fact, is all. We wish you success in gardening and plant growing both at home and in the country! Of course, an amateur gardener who has grown pomegranates in his garden is worthy of applause. And if the plant is cultivated at home, then this can be called exotic.