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Pomegranate trees represent the oldest plant culture. They grow in the subtropics, but can be cultivated artificially if the basic requirements are met. Caring for indoor pomegranate at home requires special knowledge, patience and time.
Features of caring for pomegranate at home
Pomegranate trees have been growing on the planet for a long time. The history of their existence begins before our era. They are called “grainy apples” – because of the unique structure inside the fruit. There are soft-seeded and hard-seeded varieties. For fruit ripening – pomegranate – the culture needs from 160 to 220 days. Features of the growing season are taken into account for home and plantation types of cultivation.
Indoor pomegranate can be grown on the windowsill if you provide it with proper care. We are talking about dwarf varieties or decorative flower. There are only three varieties of pomegranate trees:
- Wild. These are trees that grow on the island of Socotra in the Gulf of Aden. The natural habitat for wild trees is atypical, the taste of the fruit is different from the classic taste.
- Ordinary. The most common pomegranates that are cultivated in a subtropical climate. In addition, varieties adapted to lower temperatures have been bred by selection. Tree trunks grow up to 5-6 m. There are several different varieties in taste and color.
- Dwarfish. Selected types grown as shrubs at home. The main trunk of a home indoor pomegranate grows up to 2 m.
Dwarf pomegranates can be ornamental flowers with inedible fruits or form small fruits with a classic taste. The main feature of homemade pomegranate care is temperature control. At each stage of development, a home indoor pomegranate needs a change in air temperature. This requirement is difficult to comply with at home without additional effort or adaptations.
Conditions for growing pomegranate in a pot
Growing a pomegranate in a pot at home cannot be called simple and quick, it takes a lot of time to care for it. In order to remove the first crop, it will take from 3 to 7 years. During this period, indoor pomegranate will bloom, but further granular fruits will require compliance with the rules for caring for home flowers.
Indoor pomegranate is a light-loving and temperature-dependent culture, the content of the tree depends on these characteristics.
- Illumination. Light day for indoor pomegranate should last at least 12 hours. He loves the sun’s rays, but must be protected from direct sunlight, which can cause burns on leaf plates. Pots with indoor grenades are placed on the southern, western or southwestern windows; when warm, grenades are taken out to balconies or terraces. In summer, they can be outside around the clock.
- Temperature and humidity. For indoor pomegranate, a different temperature is required at each stage of growth. During flowering, it should not be higher than +25 ° C; during fruit formation, the temperature is artificially lowered to +20 ° C. Air humidity is important for the condition of the leaf plates. Dry air leads to their yellowing, excessive dryness provokes shedding of leaves.
The room where the indoor pomegranate is located is recommended to be regularly ventilated, while drafts should be avoided. They can cause stunted growth.
How to care for homemade pomegranate
Caring for a pomegranate tree at home is often complicated by the accompanying difficulties. Many gardeners complain that they are losing their pomegranate due to too dry air or abundant flowering, which was not stopped in time to save the plant’s strength. Exposure of light, compliance with the temperature regime are important requirements for caring for a dwarf pomegranate at home, but they must be interconnected with regular watering and proper feeding.
How to water pomegranate at home
When caring for a decorative pomegranate at home, you must follow the rules for watering. The fact is that droughts and excessive overflows lead to rotting of the root system, shedding of leaves and inhibition of flowering. At each stage of development, watering a pomegranate performs different tasks.
- During the dormant period: indoor pomegranate is not watered or watered with a minimum amount of water.
- Since February: soil moisture is gradually increased.
- When flowering: watering is again reduced to a minimum.
- After flowering: indoor pomegranate is abundantly shed for further fruit formation.
For irrigation of indoor pomegranate, warm settled water with a moderate degree of hardness is used. When watering with tap water, lemon juice or citric acid is added to soften.
With excessive dryness of the air, containers filled with water are placed next to the pot of indoor pomegranate, or the air is sprayed next to the leaves from the sprayer.
According to the advice of experienced gardeners, water with a total temperature of +18 ° C to +20 ° C is used for irrigation during flowering. After watering, the topsoil is loosened to saturate with air.
How to feed home pomegranate
Growing in their natural environment, pomegranate trees get their nutrients from the soil. At the same time, they achieve stable fruiting only in a subtropical climate. The subtropics are characterized by wet winters and hot summers. This forms a special soil filled with nutrients.
Fertilizers for indoor pomegranate take into account the characteristic features inherent in the culture. Dwarf varieties of pomegranate at home grow up to 1,5 – 2 m, so they do not need stem-forming elements. Throughout the existence of a houseplant, it is fed with nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and organic matter.
Feeding period | Stage of pomegranate development | Type of feeding |
From February to May | Bud formation, preparation for flowering. | Nitrogen-containing complexes are needed that can activate the growth of leaf plates. |
May to July | Flowering, bud set, fruit formation. | Potassium and phosphorus, mixed complexes for fruit ripening. |
July to October | Fruiting, preparation for wintering | Potash mixtures, organic solutions at the last stage. |
All fertilizers are applied to moist soil after watering. The exception is organic fertilizers, which can replace a single full watering.
Dwarf Pomegranate Pruning
Caring for indoor pomegranate includes regular pruning, which is carried out with several goals:
- the formation of the crown of indoor pomegranate;
- flowering stimulation;
- start of fruit formation processes;
- plant rejuvenation.
The initial stage of pruning falls on February. At this time, the plant begins to move from a dormant period to active growth. After wintering, indoor pomegranate is inspected and excess branches are removed. Shoots to be removed may be different:
- broken, dry, diseased branches;
- young small branches;
- branches that interfere with crown formation.
With full winter pruning, 6 to 8 skeletal branches are left. With proper care at home, indoor pomegranate grows green mass at a rapid pace.
Protection against diseases and pests
The room variety is characterized by the development of fungal diseases in case of violations of the rules of care. In addition, whiteflies and scale insects pose a danger to the tree.
If the root system becomes ill with a fungus, then the aerial part reacts with a drop or yellowing of the leaves. For treatment, root treatment with insecticides is used.
When overflowing with water, the plant reacts with yellowing of the leaves; during fruit formation, cracking and release of grains can occur – these are concomitant signs of the manifestation of the fungus.
If pests appear on the tree, they are collected by hand and foliar spraying is carried out. Whiteflies are butterflies that appear on leaf plates due to excessive dryness of the air and elevated temperatures. The reason may be insufficient ventilation. The danger is not adults, but deposits of larvae on the inside of the leaves. For elimination use tobacco solutions, soap solutions or fungicides.
Scale insects are small bugs with a hard shell. They appear on the tree due to high humidity, especially often spread along the trunk after the pomegranate moves away from its dormant period.
Preventive measures that protect pomegranate trees from the invasion of parasites and the spread of diseases:
- weekly thorough inspection of all parts of the culture;
- control over irrigation;
- airing the room;
- compliance with the temperature regime.
Wintering
Preparation for wintering begins at the indoor pomegranate after the cessation of fruiting. Indoor pomegranate begins to shed its leaves, as it belongs to deciduous crops in its type. Then the growth of the grant is gradually suspended. When caring for a pomegranate at home in winter, you must follow the basic rules:
- after dropping the leaves, the pomegranate is taken out to a cool room, lowering the air temperature to +10 ° C or +12 ° C;
- for the period of wintering, watering and top dressing are suspended;
- so that the indoor pomegranate does not stretch out, create artificial lighting for 12 – 16 hours.
When it gets warm outside and the indoor pomegranate awakens from rest, the pot is exposed to the sun and the temperature regime begins to increase.
When to repot a pomegranate tree
The pomegranate tree is an unusual crop for home cultivation. If it is customary to transplant indoor plants in the first stages of existence, then the pomegranate is not touched for the first 2-3 years. This gives the culture the opportunity to get stronger and build up a root system that can withstand the transplant.
A pomegranate transplant at home is planned for early spring. For a tree, choose a pot suitable for several parameters:
- it should be several centimeters larger than the previous one;
- the diameter of the pot is selected taking into account the fact that the root system tends to grow in breadth more than in depth;
- The bottom of the pot should have drainage holes.
How to transplant indoor pomegranate
When transplanting, drainage from expanded clay or vermiculite is laid with the bottom layer. Then lay a layer of soil with a neutral level of acidity. The flower is planted by transshipment, for this the soil is watered, the pomegranate is taken out and moved to a new soil without being cleaned from the old clod of earth.
The voids are filled with soil, compacted and watered. Transplants for adult plants are repeated every 3 years.
An older plant, which needs a 5-liter capacity, is transplanted only when absolutely necessary. In other cases, the top layer of soil is replaced with a new one.
Reproduction of decorative pomegranate
For breeding pomegranate, one of the following methods is suitable:
- layering;
- seeds;
- bones;
- vaccinations.
Growing a pomegranate tree from seeds at home is associated with various difficulties. The seeds have high germination rates, but it can be difficult to achieve fruiting from a pomegranate planted on its own. This takes 5 to 7 years.
Seeds purchased from specialized departments allow you to grow trees in a shorter time.
When growing pomegranate cuttings, it can take about 3-4 years before fruiting. In this case, the cuttings should be taken from the classic variety of the common pomegranate. They take root in the winter. In the spring, cuttings that have taken root are planted.
Conclusion
Caring for indoor pomegranate at home includes observing the temperature regime and watering rules. It takes several years to grow a fruitful tree. It depends on the type of cultivation.
