Pomegranate room care at home photo. indoor pomegranate

and famous fruit plant pomegranate (Punica) can be grown indoors. The truth in this case comes to the fore decorative properties plants during their flowering period. For growing at home, plants of the dwarf variety Pomegranate dwarf (Punica nana), sometimes ranked as a form of ordinary pomegranate as Punica granatum var. nana.

Dwarf pomegranate - the most unpretentious exotic plant for home growing. This perennial deciduous shrub is grown in subtropical and tropical climates in open ground, we have it as a semi-deciduous houseplant in containers and pots on the windowsill, in winter gardens, greenhouses. For exceptional decorative characteristics dwarf pomegranate awarded a diploma of the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain.

Legends say that the pomegranate came to us from Carthage under the name "Punic apple", the wife of Zeus Hera (Juno) held it in her hands as an emblem of marriage, in Greece the pomegranate fruit symbolized fertility, and in ancient Persia it was the personification of passionate love. The beneficial properties of pomegranate are widely appreciated.

Useful plant with ancient history and with such highly valued decorative qualities, it is worthy to become an adornment of any interior and garden. Moreover, it is rather unpretentious - in vivo grows on stony and saline soils in sunny Central Asia where it receives the least moisture.

Description

The dwarf garnet was first described in 1803. Its height is not more than 60 - 120 cm, the shrub can grow up to 120 cm wide, in a pot culture it reaches no more than 90 cm. The dwarf pomegranate has small oval glossy light green leaves, no more than 3 cm long, which are located on short reddish petioles . In spring, young leaves of dwarf pomegranate are bronze in color, in summer they are green, in autumn before leaf fall they are yellow.

Cultivated varieties of dwarf pomegranate are very decorative. small plant in the flowering period from May to September strewn with large purple flowers. Numerous tubular red or orange flowers, mostly solitary, are formed in the first year of cultivation at the ends of strong shoots. The flowers are larger than the leaves, reaching 4 cm in diameter. Most of them are sterile short columns and do not form fruits. Only from flowers with long columns can pomegranates ripen. Although indoor pomegranate is famous for its long abundant flowering, each flower lives a little, only two or three days, new buds are formed on the plant every day. On average, there are about 3-4 ovaries per hundred flowers, the rest fall off after flowering. This is normal and you don't need to worry about it. Flowers continue to form even when young fruits are already beginning to sing. This gives the indoor pomegranate a unique charm.

The fruits of the dwarf pomegranate can be colored in various shades from orange-yellow to brown-red. They have all the useful properties of ordinary pomegranate, but not so tasty, they have a lot seeds and as small as the dwarf plant itself - no more than 7 cm in diameter. They ripen in a room from November to January.

More often, dwarf pomegranate is grown at home for the sake of numerous flowers, so the fruits are partially removed. After all, fruiting depletes the plant, and its flowering next year will not be so spectacular. On one plant, you can leave 1 - 2 fruits. From them you can get your own seeds for plant propagation. Truth varietal qualities are not always transmitted with this method of reproduction. Once every three to four years, you can let the indoor pomegranate "endure" all the fruits and enjoy the view of the fruiting dwarf pomegranate.

Varieties of indoor pomegranate

Often this potted plant and its seeds are sold under common name"Dwarf pomegranate" or Punica granatum "NANA". On sale there are seeds of dwarf pomegranate varieties "Baby" and "Carthage" for indoor cultivation. The height of plants in different varieties may vary and be either 30 or 100 cm.

Lighting

indoor pomegranate- a light-loving plant. For its placement, any windows are suitable, except for the northern ones. At noon, indoor pomegranate is shaded from direct sunlight, especially young seedlings. In the summer, it is better to take the dwarf pomegranate to the balcony, where there is a lot of light and air. Accustom the plant to the street should be gradually and protected from direct sunlight. With the onset of autumn, the dwarf pomegranate is transferred to the room.

Temperature

Indoor pomegranate requires warmth from spring to autumn, especially during the flowering period. The plant develops well at temperatures above +20 ° C. If the temperature in the room rises above 25 degrees, then you should take the pot with indoor pomegranate to the balcony or veranda. In a hot, stuffy room, a dwarf pomegranate may begin to lose leaves, and this will cause a slowdown in its development. Helps to reduce the temperature by spraying with cool water.

For fruit ripening autumn period the temperature is lowered to + 12-16 °C. From November to March, the plant is kept at a temperature of + 10-12 ° C, thereby providing the rest period necessary for flowering and fruiting. Minimum temperature, which can withstand a dwarf pomegranate - 6 ° C.

The soil

Although the dwarf pomegranate in nature grows on poor soils with little or no moisture, in culture, for better decorative effect, it needs to create more favorable conditions, in this case, rich and drained soil. For growing indoor pomegranate, the following soil mixtures with a neutral pH7 reaction can be recommended:
- sod land (50%), leaf humus (25%), peat (12%) and sand (13%);
- sand (50%), loam (25%) and peat (25%);
- clay-soddy soil (2 parts), leafy soil (1 part), humus (1 part), sand (1 part);
- for young plants: in equal parts sod, humus, leafy soil and sand.

Watering and humidity

Competent watering of the plant is important. The rules for watering a dwarf pomegranate are as follows:
- In winter, during the dormant period, the plant is watered extremely rarely, once every 1.5-2 months.
- After a dormant period in February, watering is increased. The plant is watered frequently, saturating all the soil in the pot with moisture. Watering is carried out when the top layer dries.
- During flowering, it is necessary to slightly reduce the watering of the pomegranate, because in natural conditions the pomegranate flowering period falls on the hottest, driest period. However, with a lack of moisture, as well as with excess, a dwarf pomegranate can drop all the buds and leave empty branches instead of prolonged flowering.
- In hot weather and in stuffy rooms, indoor pomegranate is sprayed with cool water. In a cool room, spraying is not required.
- After flowering, the dwarf pomegranate is watered abundantly so that many flowers form on it next year.
- If your task is to grow pomegranate fruits, then watering in the fall is carried out carefully. At excessive watering the fruits on the pomegranate are cracking.

top dressing

Twice a month, not more often, you need to feed indoor pomegranate. In spring, it can be any nitrogen fertilizer. During the flowering period - phosphorus, and closer to autumn - potassium. Once a month, you can apply complex fertilizer. It is better to fertilize the plant in cloudy weather. Fertilizer is applied to moist soil, that is, you must first water the plant. Be sure to drain the liquid from the pan. In autumn, top dressing is gradually reduced, watering is reduced and the temperature is reduced, thereby preparing the plant for a winter 2-3 month dormant period. It usually occurs in December after the fruits of the indoor pomegranate ripen.

rest period

After the fruits are ripe, around the end of November, the indoor pomegranate sheds its leaves. The plant begins a dormant period when it is kept at a temperature of + 10-12 ° C. This is a prerequisite for growing indoor pomegranate. Young plants under the age of 3 years do not need a dormant period, the optimum temperature for them will be + 12-16 ° C.

It is not always possible to create a rest period in a city apartment. You can lower the temperature around the plant if you move it closer to the glass on the windowsill and isolate it from the rest of the room with polyethylene. It is enough to withstand the plant in such conditions for 3-4 weeks. At the same time, you can take the room grenade into the basement.

pruning

In February, when buds begin to form on the plant, a pot of pomegranate is taken out of a cool room into a warm place and the dry twigs and extra shoots that are not yet covered with leaves are pruned. Pomegranate tolerates such pruning very well. Cut out most of the small branches. To stimulate branching, pruning is carried out over the outward looking bud of a young shoot, leaving no more than 5 internodes on it. When forming a pomegranate, 4-6 skeletal branches are left. You can not cut the plant too much, it can weaken it. If you cut the root growth of a pomegranate, you can form a pomegranate in the form of a tree, including in the form of a bonsai. When forming a plant, one must be careful not to break off the very fragile branches of the pomegranate. Sometimes extra shoots are cut out in the summer during the growing season of the plant. When pruning, it must be remembered that buds form only on well-developed annual shoots.

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Transplant and pot for indoor pomegranate

Young plants require an annual transplant. After the indoor pomegranate reaches the age of three years, it is transplanted no more than once every two to three years, it is better suited for this spring period. Transplantation is carried out by transshipment. The soil for planting is taken turf with the addition of sand, drainage in a pot is required.

Despite the fact that the dwarf pomegranate has a shallow root system, it does not need a very wide pot. When transplanting, you can increase the diameter of the pot by two to three centimeters, no more. Flowering indoor pomegranate will be more abundant if the roots are cramped in a pot.

Reproduction of indoor pomegranate

Reproduction by seeds

Reproduction of indoor pomegranate is possible by cuttings and seeds. For seed propagation, it is better to use seeds from specialized stores. When growing pomegranate from varietal seeds bought in a store, flowering occurs in the same year, fruiting occurs in the second or third year.

For propagation, you can also use seeds from a fresh indoor pomegranate fruit. They remain viable for up to six months. Seeds are selected from the largest and ripe fruits, washed from the pulp, dried. Sow in April under glass to a depth of 0.5 cm. The substrate of equal parts of peat and sand is moistened. Seeds germinate at a temperature of +25-27 °C, seedlings develop rapidly. In the phase of 2-3 true leaves, the strongest strong seedlings of indoor pomegranate are planted in separate pots with a diameter of 6 cm. Seedlings need warmth during cultivation, good watering, for better tillering they are pinched several times.

Important! A pomegranate sown from the seeds of ordinary fruits bought at the market or supermarket will bloom only after 7 or more years, so this is hardly justified in a room culture. And the size of such a plant will not fit into the dimensions of the apartment.

Reproduction by cuttings

Cuttings are taken from adult fruit-bearing indoor pomegranate plants. In summer, semi-lignified shoots are used, in winter in February - lignified. Cuttings are cut with 4-6 buds, the lower part of the cutting is planted at an angle in moistened soil from river sand and peat, taken in equal parts, to a depth of about 3 cm. plastic bottle, jar or glass, kept in a humid environment, ventilated daily, sprayed if necessary, watered. Before planting, the cuttings are treated with a rooter. After 2-3 months, the cuttings are seated. Flowering occurs in the second or third year. In young plants in the first year, it is better to cut off the buds.

Diseases, pests, problems

At home, dwarf pomegranate grows less hardened, so it may be susceptible to certain diseases, for example, powdery mildew.

Among the pests of indoor pomegranate are whiteflies and scale insects. With a small number of pests, they are robbed by hand, with a significant number, permitted pests are used. chemicals, for example, Fitoverm. In a dry room, indoor pomegranate suffers from spider mite. To prevent the appearance of a pest, it is necessary to spray the plant. In the event of a problem, the plant is treated with Actellik-type preparations, covering the ground with polyethylene so that the pest does not hide there.

Sometimes, with excessive watering, indoor pomegranate leaves turn yellow. In this case, the plant needs to be transplanted into drier soil. At the same time, the rotten roots are cut off, sprinkled with crushed coal. Accordingly, the volume of the crown is reduced by trimming.

When growing indoor pomegranate, not everything depends on compliance with agrotechnical conditions. The process of caring for him should bring joy. Like any plant, dwarf pomegranate is responsive to care, so good-natured, caring people are better at growing it. The dwarf pomegranate can and should feel welcome too.

Under natural conditions, pomegranates are sprawling trees from 2 to 5 m in height. Less often you can find wild pomegranate bushes. For their breeding in the conditions of an apartment or a small botanical garden, Baby indoor pomegranate is best suited.

Feature and description

Baby dwarf pomegranate is a small tree 0.3–0.5 m in height. The leafy part of it is collected in small groups. The leaves are elongated. The stem part is not too large, branched, painted in light brown. Frequent branches have a fine structure, strewn with small spines.

The flowering period begins in March and ends in November. The timing may vary depending on the conditions in which the pomegranate grows and its immunity. The flowers are large, six-petalled, painted in a bright purple hue. Flowers are arranged singly. Their size can reach up to 7 cm in diameter.

In the first year, all flowers are empty flowers.

During the first 2-3 flowerings, the plant should not be allowed to bear fruit. Buds must be completely removed. ovaries young plant will be able to form only for 3-4 years after picking into a permanent pot. The variety does not bear fruit abundantly, although flowering continues even during the formation of the ovaries. It is recommended to leave no more than 5 fruits on a bush. When forming more fruits, the plant may not have enough strength to provide them nutrients for full growth and development.

Fruit characteristics:

fruit size does not exceed 4 cm in diameter;

by color and palatability they are no different from large fruit varieties;
pomegranate ripening takes 3-4 months.

Fruiting requires high energy costs from the plant, so the number of fruits obtained each year will be very different.

Growing process

The easiest way to grow Baby from seeds. There is another breeding option - by rooting cuttings, but it requires the presence of a mother tree. The germination rate of this variety is consistently high. More than half of the pomegranate seeds are accepted. Seed material can be bought at a special store or taken from self-grown pomegranates.

Preparing and planting seeds

After acquisition, the seed material should be left for a day in a growth-stimulating solution based on humus. After that, the seed should be dried.

For planting, it is best to take a not too large flowerpot. The soil is desirable to take peat. The seeds are buried in the soil by 2 cm. The pot should be covered from above. cling film to create a greenhouse effect. A pot with planted seeds should be placed in a bright place. Seedlings do not have to wait long. Do not forget about moderate soil moisture warm water. The room should be aired for 20 minutes daily. When shoots appear with 4 full leaves, you can completely free the plant from the film.

Planting cuttings

The parent plant is used as a donor. Cuttings are taken from a fruiting branch. Each cutting should have at least 5 buds, given that the 2 lower ones will have to be removed, approximately 7 buds will remain. After that, the shoots should be placed in a solution of the biostimulator of root formation with the lower end for 4 hours.

They should be planted in damp peat soil, deepening by 4 cm. The sprout should be covered with a film or container that is suitable in diameter to the flowerpot. Several times a day, shoots should be slightly opened for airing and moistening.

The fact that the cuttings have taken root can be recognized by the appearance of new buds and the blooming of existing ones. As soon as the first leaves appear, you can remove the film. The first pick should be carried out after six months, adding sand to the peat mixture.

picking

Young plants should be transplanted every year in the spring, a new flowerpot should be 3 cm larger than the previous one. Upon reaching the age of 3, picking is carried out every 2–3 years. Transplantation is carried out by the method of transshipment. Completely earthen lump is changed in the presence of a disease or pests. It is advisable to change every six months upper layer soil.

Upon reaching the age of 5, the plant is transplanted into a permanent flowerpot. Then the transplant is carried out every 5 years.

Features of care

Caring for a decorative pomegranate tree at home is completely simple. First of all, you should think about the place of residence for the plant. The pomegranate came to us from hot countries, so it needs an increase in daylight hours, especially in winter. The ideal place for a pomegranate is the south window. The tree does not require shading even on the hottest days. In the middle of spring, when the last frosts have passed, if possible, a flowerpot with a flower should be exposed to fresh air (balcony, veranda). Do not forget that the pomegranate does not like smoky rooms, so it is better not to put it on the balcony if someone smokes there.

Move grenades to the street should be gradual. Although it is a light-loving plant, direct sunlight after a long winter period can be harmful. Pomegranates are harvested for wintering in mid-autumn, with the onset of frost.

Temperature regime

Pomegranate can easily tolerate cold and drought, but the immunity of the plant and its fruitfulness may suffer from this, so you should ensure a comfortable temperature regime for cultivation. In summer, the temperature should fluctuate between 22-26 ℃, in winter - 10-12 ℃. When the temperature drops to 6 ℃, the plant may die.

Soil composition

As mentioned above, peat soil is used for planting. In the future, neutral soil is used. The ideal option is to purchase land in a specialized store with a pH7 mark - this is an earth mixture for roses.

Don't buy right away. a large number of soil. In the first years of life, the plant will have enough half a pot of earth, then its amount is gradually increased. When the plant is fully formed, it should be transplanted into a flowerpot with a volume of 4-5 liters.

Watering

by the most important element care is to provide the plant with optimal moisture. Moisture stagnation in the roots should not be allowed, otherwise the pomegranate will die. To regulate the moisture at the root system in a pot when planting, you need to organize good drainage.

As a drain, you can use:

Styrofoam;
expanded clay;
ceramic fragments;
pebbles.

Watering should be plentiful. Its regularity will depend on the rate of drying of the top layer of soil. To check soil moisture, you can use a toothpick. If the stick remains dry when lowered into the ground, you can water the plant.

Adjustment of the intensity and frequency of watering is carried out during the growing season and seasonally. To help the tree during the spring sap flow activity, water more often. When the first ovaries appear, watering should be slightly reduced, otherwise the fruits will crack from excess moisture.

In summer, the plant needs to increase the intensity of watering, especially if the tree is standing under the scorching sun on the street. Baby pomegranate responds well to regular spraying. They should be carried out early in the morning or in the evening, when the sun has almost set. Warm and soft water is used for moistening and watering.

In the cold season, watering is carried out every 7–10 days, otherwise even drainage will not save the root system from waterlogging, and it will rot.

top dressing

To provide the plant with the necessary nutrients, fertilizers should be used regularly. Top dressing is applied 2 times a month. They begin to fertilize the tree in the middle of spring, when active sap flow occurs. The advantage of the variety is unpretentiousness in the choice of fertilizers. You can use any top dressing for indoor flowers that does not contain chlorine. This substance can significantly reduce the immunity of the rhizome.

Prior to flowering, fertilize with nitrogen should be applied twice. You can use purchased means or regular wood ash. Nitrogen is necessary for the formation of a strong trunk and activation of green growth. The plant responds well to the introduction of organic matter:

a solution of dry bird droppings or fresh mullein;
concentrated decoction of nettle leaves or dandelion flowers;
wood ash solution.

"Fitoverm" - a remedy for various pests

Before fertilizing, the soil should be shed with clean, warm water. It is necessary to make top dressing in cloudy, warm weather. The liquid accumulated in the pan must be drained. In the autumn, the intensity of top dressing is reduced. Fertilizers are applied once a month to prepare the tree for a dormant period.

Hibernation

Hibernation occurs after fruiting, from mid-November. The plant begins to shed the deciduous part and enters a dormant state for 2-3 months. The air in the room during the wintering period should be dry. The ideal temperature is +12 ℃. If there is nowhere to rearrange the grenade, then it should be moved away from the battery or separated from it with a screen.

Before wintering, the soil in the pot should be completely dry. For the entire dormant period, watering is carried out only 4 times. Only very young plants are watered once a month.

pruning

Removal of weak, dry branches is carried out upon exiting the state of hibernation before the flowering period. And you should also remove the branches that grow inward. Worth sticking with certain rules during crown formation.

At least 5 buds should remain on each branch.
The number of skeletal branches is from 4 to 6.
Excess root shoots should be removed.

Diseases and pests

Domestic pomegranates differ from their wild relatives in weak immunity.

Conclusion

Baby's dwarf home pomegranate has long won the hearts of flower growers. The variety is notable for its unpretentiousness in care and delicious juicy fruits, which in taste do not differ at all from large varieties.

What kind of exotic fruits you will not see on the shelves of supermarkets! Thanks to the active work of breeders, farmers and logistics companies, we have the opportunity to enjoy fragrant and healthy fruits all year round. But there are people whom purchased exotics are not able to fully satisfy. Excitement pushes them to a more difficult, but very entertaining path: to grow a curiosity on their site, or at least on the windowsill. One such crop is pomegranate.

Basic principles of growing pomegranate in the garden and at home

A pomegranate grown in a personal plot and at home can bestow juicy fruits; in both cases, a fruiting plant can be obtained by growing from a cutting or seed. The pomegranate is rarely found in gardens. middle lane Russia and even in the south located regions. The reason for this is the thermophilicity of the plant: it will take from 180 to 220 days for the fruit to ripen, with a total active positive temperature during this period of at least 3100 ° C. The winter period poses a threat with frosts from -15 ° C and below. But following a certain agrotechnical scheme will help overcome obstacles on the way to a basket of your pomegranates.

Pomegranates require many warm and sunny days to ripen.

Pomegranate in the open field

The complexity of caring for a pomegranate depends on winter temperatures: the higher they are, the less effort you have to spend on covering work, but otherwise the pomegranate is unpretentious. There are no special requirements for soil composition, irrigation or fertilizers. What should be called archival conditions is light, heat and protection from drafts.

Planting and feeding

The place for landing a pomegranate should be:

sunny;
protected from the wind;
well-drained;
with suitable type soil.

To the latter, pomegranate is not too demanding, however, crushed stone, calcareous, permeable loamy soils are preferred. It will also require abundant preplant application of organic matter (compost, well-rotted manure), subsequently - appropriate watering, and even later - fertilization in the recommended quantities.

Important! fasten planting material in the pit it is necessary not strictly vertically, as is usually done with most seedlings, but with a slope of 45–60% to the south. This will allow the plant to receive more light and heat, making it easier to shelter it for the winter.

A pit is dug out of a standard size for fruit trees 60 * 70 cm. The planting pattern depends on the variety: the larger the adult plants, the greater the distance between them. At first, regular watering and loosening are extremely important: the earth in the root circle cannot be allowed to dry and harden, you can resort to mulching. If the soil is poor, fertilization will be required in June: 15 g of phosphorus, 10 g of nitrogen, 8 g of potassium. In autumn, when loosening the soil, potassium and phosphorus are added (15:25), the root circle is mulched with rotted manure, let's say watering with infusions of karovyak and chicken manure. In the future, such a feeding scheme becomes annual.

If the soil is poor, fertilization will be required as early as June

Pruning and crown shaping

A growing seedling can also be formed with a tree - it will be very beautiful, but the need for shelter for the winter speaks in favor of the bush form.

Pruning a pomegranate tree is carried out according to the general rules

When forming a fruit pomegranate bush, the law of the transition of quantity into quality is relevant: a large number of branches will lead to crushing of fruits, their poor ripening. Therefore, the crown is formed from 3-6 branches, if necessary, growing new shoots to replace the aging ones. This can be done gradually, replacing frozen or diseased branches, but also at intervals of once every 20 years for garden and once every 5–7 years for indoor pomegranate, complete cutting of above-ground shoots is also necessary. Also guided general rules pruning of garden trees and shrubs: elimination of weak crowns growing inside, creating thickening of branches and shortening of young shoots.

It is optimal to form a pomegranate bush from 3-6 branches

Three prunings are carried out on a regular basis:

The first pruning is carried out in the spring, before the buds open. It is necessary to remove weak, frozen branches, as well as shorten last year's shoots by a third or half.
In autumn, after harvesting, pruning is carried out according to the same principle as in spring, with the exception of shortening the young shoots that are planned to be left: they are sent under cover intact.
The third step in the formation of a healthy pomegranate crown is the removal of root shoots and thickening shoots throughout the growing season.

Pomegranate as a pot crop

At home, the most successful will be the cultivation of dwarf pomegranate. Known varieties- Baby and Carthage, also on a bag of seeds or a seedling you can see the Latin nana, which means "dwarf".

A plant grown from purchased pomegranate seeds or cuttings garden plant, will be too large for a living room, unless you own the art of bonsai and can form any tree into a dwarf.

The conditions for keeping a pomegranate indoors are a temperature of 20–25 ° C in summer and 10–12 ° C in winter, subject to the transition to a dormant period. In summer, it is advisable to take out the pomegranate for open air, because in the absence of good circulation, the plant will begin to wither, lose leaves and flowers. The light for a pomegranate is bright, but diffused. Watering - regular, not allowing the earthen clod to dry out, spraying is desirable.

At home, dwarf forms of pomegranate are often grown.

How to feed a pomegranate at home

A pomegranate growing in a pot needs to be fed once every 2 weeks. The choice of fertilizer depends on the time and phase of development:

nitrogen - in the spring;
phosphorus - during the flowering period;
potassium - in the fall.

Once a month is allowed complex fertilizer for indoor plants, but it should be borne in mind that such mixtures have a high content of nitrates. If the pomegranate bears fruit and you are going to eat the fruits, and not just admire them, then you should carefully monitor the amount of fertilizer applied.

General rules for feeding indoor pomegranate:

apply fertilizer only in moist soil and in cloudy weather;
drain excess water from the pan;
reduce the frequency of top dressing when the dormant period approaches and completely eliminate it with its onset.

Pomegranate is very responsive to top dressing: it begins to grow and bloom actively, the foliage acquires a glossy sheen.

How to pinch

Room pomegranate is valued primarily for its decorative effect, which means that efforts will need to be made to give it the most attractive appearance. This will help regular pinching and securing young branches in desired position with the help of a wire. The first pinching of a seedling that has begun to grow occurs after the appearance of the fourth pair of leaves: its removal will cause the shoot with the remaining three pairs of leaves to grow with two crowns. By pinching each new shoot above two to five pairs of leaves, you will form a healthy lush bush or even a bonsai-style tree. The rules used for garden forms are not canceled either. At the same time, it is important to find golden mean: do not be afraid to cut off the excess, but do not overdo it, so as not to weaken the plant.

Video: indoor pomegranate formation

Growing problems and ways to solve them

Strong, well-groomed pomegranate plants, diseases and pests attack extremely rarely, and if this happens, then you need to not only deal with the problem, but also eliminate its cause.

Growing homemade pomegranate is the dream of many gardeners and flower growers. not only brings delicious and useful fruits, it also performs a decorative function. Growing exotic crops at home is becoming more and more fashionable. If you follow the basic rules for care, you can get a fruit-bearing tree that will live and bear fruit for more than a dozen years.

considered a subtropical plant. Under natural conditions, it can be found in warm countries. It grows well in India, the Caucasus, China. Pomegranate loves light and warmth.

Cultivated to produce fruits pomegranate. It is of medium height, single-stemmed with heavy large fruits. At home, the tree is not grown, so the pomegranate is turned into a bush by pinching and pruning. Pomegranate bushes are more decorative and easy to care for, do not take up much space. Growing pomegranates from seed at home does not require much work or skill, but pomegranates must be kept in certain conditions in order for them to bear fruit.

Features of the structure of indoor pomegranate:

Home decorative pomegranate, grown as a bush, reaches a height of no more than 1 meter.
Its fruits will not be too large, no more than 5 cm in diameter, but they are still edible and healthy.
The flowers of the pomegranate bush are also decorative, large, red.

If you grow pomegranate at home, big harvest better not to wait. At home, pomegranates do not often bear fruit. On the open ground, you can grow a single-barreled pomegranate, so it will be easier to care for it. In a healthy plant, the leaves are dark green, smooth, even.

The pomegranate is accustomed to dry conditions, so its root system is very well developed.

It allows him to extract moisture from the very depths. home pomegranate also has a fairly powerful developed, for this reason it has to be replanted often, all the while increasing the volume of the pot. All varieties of pomegranate have thorns that are easy to break off. Young shoots have a reddish color of the trunk, which then turns gray and green as it grows.

The pomegranate fruit is familiar to everyone. This is a red berry with a dense skin, inside which are juicy seeds separated by a thin white film. The weight of one such fruit can reach 500 g, but in ornamental varieties they are small. Pomegranate does not like cold, so the main task when growing it is to protect it from frost. When growing indoor pomegranate, this is not difficult.

Planting rules: seed preparation, soil capacity

Growing a pomegranate at home is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. The most popular way to propagate a pomegranate is with the help of seeds. To grow a healthy plant, you need to carefully prepare the soil for planting and not neglect the basic rules for planting pomegranate seeds:

For seeds, only ripe red, burgundy fruits are chosen. You need to carefully inspect them for damage, mold, rot spots.
The most even and largest seeds must be freed from the pulp and rinsed thoroughly. If the pulp remains on the seeds, they may become moldy and become unsuitable for planting.
In order for the seeds to hatch well, they need to be soaked in a solution of epin. A solution is poured into a saucer so that the seeds are half in water, and left for 12 hours. It is very important that the seeds are not completely covered with water, oxygen is very important when hatching.
Pomegranate seeds are not stored for a long time, they need to be processed and planted almost immediately.
For planting a pomegranate, the same soil is suitable as for citrus fruits. It can be purchased at a gardening store.
Moisten the soil before planting. Seeds do not need to be deeply deepened into the soil, no more than 1 cm.
You can prepare the substrate for planting yourself. To do this, mix peat, sand and earth. Such a mixture must be disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate or warmed up well in the oven.
It is advisable to choose a clay pot for planting grenades, not plastic. You need to take care of good drainage.

In order for the seeds to hatch faster, after planting, place the pot in a warm and bright place. Best for windowsill south side. You can cover the pot with polyethylene, but do not forget to open it periodically and ventilate it.

Germination of pomegranate seeds is very high at proper preparation. However, seeds do not always germinate immediately. Some will hatch a week after planting, while others may suddenly appear six months later, when they have already been forgotten.

Pomegranate is not the most whimsical plant to care for. It does not require constant complex care, however, it is still necessary to observe the basic conditions for its cultivation. Only in this case, the pomegranate will be beautiful, healthy and fruitful.

Pomegranate care at home:

After the appearance of the first shoots, the seedlings begin to grow rapidly. As soon as the first 2 leaves appear on the sprouts, they are dived into a deeper container so that the seedlings are less stretched up and give more foliage.
As soon as the third pair of leaves appears on the seedlings, pinch the fourth. After that, the plant has 2 crowns, and instead of a tree, ornamental bush. For growing at home, this is the best option.
In order for the pomegranate to bloom in the year of planting (the first flowering begins after 10 months), it needs enough light. Pomegranates will not bloom in the shade. However, direct sunlight is also undesirable, in the midday sun it is better to cover the plant.
Pomegranate does not need frequent. At arid conditions and low humidity, it is enough to water it once a week. As soon as the top layer of soil in the pot becomes dry, you can water it.
Pomegranate makes it clear that he does not have enough light. The plant begins to stretch in height, the leaves become rare. With enough light, the foliage is quite dense and the leaves are large.
If it is not possible to increase the illumination of the house, you can arrange a small "hibernation" for the plant. Place it in the cold (up to 10 degrees).
Pomegranate does not need frequent feeding. With an annual transplant, you can add horn shavings.
Pomegranate is a deciduous plant, which means that it needs to arrange dormant periods. In autumn, the pot with the plant should be moved to a cooler place (below 20 degrees).
In order for the pomegranate to bloom and grow well, it needs to be cut and pinched regularly. In this case, it will bear fruit every third, fifth year of life.

Transplant: terms and rules

It may be necessary if the pomegranate has grown strongly and needs a larger pot, or when transplanting into open ground. It is necessary to follow the rules of transplantation so as not to injure the plant. It is undesirable to touch the pomegranate for the first 3 years. During this time, it has not yet grown so much that there is a need for a transplant. A young plant is more difficult to transplant. If the bush has new shoots, shoots that need to be replanted, this can be done annually, in the spring.

When transplanting a pomegranate, you need to change the soil in the pot. In a year they become impoverished, their nutritional properties, so it is advisable to replace it with a fresh one. If the pot is large enough and the plant is not cramped, you can transplant it once every 3 years or even less often. If the pots are small, the transplant will have to be carried out annually.

Transplant better in spring after the winter rest of the plant.

It is best to transplant the pomegranate before it begins to bloom and bear fruit. When transplanting a plant, you can use the usual garden soil or purchased soil. In the first case, the earth must be disinfected so that no fungal spores and larvae of harmful insects are left in it. If the pomegranate is not dwarf, then it will need to be transplanted into open ground or a greenhouse. In this case, the landing hole is made large enough, as for fruit bushes. Pour earth mixed with manure into the pit.

When transplanting a pomegranate into the ground, you need to carefully choose a place. Pomegranate well withstands any soil, except for waterlogged ones, as it is used to an arid climate. After transplantation, the young plant should be watered every 7-10 days and periodically spray the foliage. Spraying is necessary not only to remove dust and dirt from the plant, but also to moisten its ground part. Instead of an annual transplant, you can simply change the topsoil and regularly fertilize the plant with organic fertilizers.

Pomegranate does not get sick often. This is a fairly resistant plant. More often you can find a sick pomegranate in the open field, since insects have more access to the plant. However, indoor pomegranate can also hurt.

Branch Cancer. This disease often affects pomegranates after severe frosts or with existing damage to the branches. The branches of the plant begin to dry out, the bark on them cracks, the leaves fall off. The only way to save the plant is the timely removal of the affected branches and good care.

Often pomegranate diseases occur due to improper care. It is necessary to regularly inspect the plants, wipe the leaves, monitor the humidity of the room, avoid waterlogging the soil so that the roots do not rot.

More information can be found in the video: