Training and pruning in Pomegranate It is a promising technique to control vegetative growth and maintain the shape and size of trees to enable proper light penetration in the center of the tree, ease in ��� If you're talking about a fruiting tree, suckers have no roots, and even if you get one to root, probably won't produce fruit. You should use a pair of pruning shears for this as well, unless the shoots are too thick. Not sure of the difference between a single-trunk and multi-trunk system? Don't let these grow and develop. The dwarf variety "Nana" will grow shorter, to about 1 meter (3.2 feet) and are the best for growing in containers. And how much of pruning are you intending? Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. You can trim off the dead branches during cold winter months, when the trees are inactive. elbee. Keep up with the suckers and remove them as you see them. It is important to prune pomegranate trees properly if you want to increase fruit production and maintain an attractive form. % of people told us that this article helped them. Use fertilizer during the first and second springs and rotted manure in the third. Question: When should I prune my pomegranate tree and how much wood should be removed during pruning? The exposed wood should look healthy. If your pomegranate does not have any leaves, you should still be able to prune and not shock the tree as much. Is it too late to cut off three of the branches to allow only one of them to grow. The property contained a mature pomegranate tree which has annually produced maybe 6 to 9 medium cardboard boxes of pomegranates although last year it was down a bit. Choose a suitable variety of pomegranate. "I have a very mature pomegranate tree, and it's been putting out less pomegranates for the last few years. The pomegranate has been grown for centuries in the Middle East. Consider pruning the small shoots at the ends of the branches as well. Pomegranate trees are actually multi-trunk shrubs that are often cultivated as small, single-trunk trees. Use the same method as you did before to remove the suckers and water sprouts. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Keep in mind that too much fertilizer will increase foliage ��� This article has been viewed 49,289 times. References. When you get a new pomegranate tree, you'll have to start pruning it right away. It will grow to about 2.5 metres (8.2 feet) tall, with orange flowers during the summer season. But at this point it has 4 distinct branches growing out of the base. Since the best time to prune a pomegranate is in winter when it is dormant, you should plant it in early to mid winter. unlocking this staff-researched answer. This will give you bigger, tastier pomegranates! You can prune out suckers and other awkward branches as they appear throughout the growing season. Pruning Pomegranate As A Tree If you want to train your Pomegranate into a single- or multi-stem tree wait until the plants are 2 to 3 years old and at least 3 to 4 feet in height. You want the fruit to be on the older wood. Did you know you can read answers researched by wikiHow Staff? Most pomegranate trees will reach about 10 to 12 feet (3.0 to 3.7 m), but some varieties may grow taller. In this video you will learn how to grow and prune a pomegranate tree or shrub for maximum fruit production, tree health and structure. If you notice any dead or diseased-looking branches, trim them off in the winter, when the tree is dormant. Read on to learn more about pruning/trimming pomegranate trees. Pomegranate trees can grow to 18-20 feet (5-6 m.) high. At planting time, select a strong, single stem or five to six stems, depending on your preference for a pomegranate's form. You only need to do this once; don't do it during the following years. This hardy tree with its apple-sized fruit is suited for USDA zones 6 through 10. The collar is the raised ring between the trunk and the branch. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. But with the arrival of COVID-19, the stakes are higher than ever. thanks! Additional pruning at the ends of the branches should be done lightly – just enough to maintain a balanced form. Use the shears to trim off not only the short shoots as you did in the first section, but also ��� Start the process by creating 8- to 10-inch (20 to 25cm) long hardwood cuttings from your pomegranate tree using pruning shears. Do not fertilize newly-planted pomegranate trees. Pomegranates can be propagated from seed sown in spring or from cuttings taken between spring and autumn. ", Unlock staff-researched answers by supporting wikiHow. Growing pomegranates is a rewarding experience. Correct pruning is also important in helping a young pomegranate tree bear fruit. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. If the fruit touches the ground, it may rot or get contaminated. Sign up for our newsletter. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Description Choose a suitable variety of pomegranate. This task stimulates branching and side shoots that ultimately benefit tree health, productivity and ease of harvest. It is good during early pruning, before the plants bloom and while they are still dormant (March), to remove about one-half of the branches and shorten the remaining branches a little so they will not flower. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 49,289 times. Your tree's exact pruning needs may differ depending on the variety and the climate that you live in. Every dollar contributed enables us to keep providing high-quality how-to help to people like you. At sometime in the past someone pruned the central core branches at about a 7 to 8 foot level and since then numerous shoots have sprouted at the ��� If the tree is developed and maintained properly, it should only require ��� The pruning of production in the pomegranate is commonly limited to the elimination of suckers and misplaced branches; dead and unproductive, avoiding thick cuts, since the production takes place in the terminal part of the branch (flowers in wood of the year). Native to Iran, this fruit has spread to many other areas with the warm, dry climate it prefers. 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If you want both the beauty and the bounty, consider integrating the native pomegranate (Punica granatum) into your ornamental landscape while at the same time growing one of the delicious cultivars (e.g. Single trunk is when you let the branches grow more naturally, and it's usually meant for taller trees.". If your goal is primarily ornamental, pomegranate tree pruning should entail thinning out weak, awkward, diseased and crossed-over branches and suckers by cutting them to their base. The fruit of the Utah Sweet pomegranate tree has pink skin and pulp, with seeds that are softer than other pomegranate cultivars. For container plants, apply an organic plant fertilizer with an NPK of 10-10-10 or 20-20-20, or a slow-release shrub and tree fertilizer containing nitrogen. In this case, use the fine-toothed saw. Older branches of tree must be trimmed in midseason. Unfortunately, these two goals are in conflict. Pomegranate needs long, hot summers and regular moisture for good fruit production. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. If you aren't sure what the variety is, ask a nursery. Do this on an annual basis. Pruning to Shape. Prune for a tree shape by choosing one main stem when the tree is young and prune to force growth into that stem. Winter is a great time for pruning fruit trees and Tino shows how easy it is to get them into shape. 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. The red-seeded fruits of the pomegranate (Punica granatum) are not only beautiful, but they are packed with nutrients. Short video film 'Training and Pruning of Pomegranate Plant' by Shramajeevi. If you care less about fruit and more about the pomegranate���s ornamental value, you���ll want to prune to showcase the naturally arching form. However, if properly managed it can be grown in marginal areas as well. Your plant must be pruned prior to the emerging of new shoots, to give way the new growth. This will help increase air and light circulation. If the shoot is too thick, use a fine-toothed saw instead. It can ��� When pruning for best production, when your plant gets ��� Pruning and Training Dwarf Pomegranate Tree. This type of cutting of pomegranates encourages their natural form, opens up the center so air and light can penetrate the interior, and reduces disease vectors. Pomegranate trees (Punica granatum), hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10, are known to sucker profusely. Commercial growers typically shorten branches to induce new fruit producing shoots and fruiting spurs. He is a Organic Gardening Consultant and Founder of Grow-It-Organically, a website that teaches clients and students the ins and outs of organic vegetable gardening. The shrub grows up to ten meters and serves many functions. IMO ��� Lower the height of the tree by trimming all the main branches. Pruning a Fruit-Producing Pomegranate If you want your pomegranate tree to yield high amounts of fruit, you will need to prune it much more drastically. Pomegranates form fruit on second year wood, so be careful not to prune too much or you may end up with ��� Soak the carved tips of each cutting in ��� Finish cutting on an outward-facing shoot. Regarding pomegranate tree pruning, the first trimming should be done when it reaches a height of about 2 feet. It is not recommended that you apply wound dressing as this can actually slow down the healing process and increase the chances of fungal growth. If a tree is mature but produces little fruit, you can prune it more assertively. In the following years, prune lightly once a year to encourage new fruit spurts to grow. A new shoot is pinched from the start of summer; ensure to keep 2 and 5 leaves on every shoot. Pomegranates are beautiful ornamental tree/shrubs that produce fabulous fruit. What is the lifespan of a pomegranate tree? How do I get more trees? So for high desert areas in Inyo and Mono counties, a shrub form works best. We've been helping billions of people around the world continue to learn, adapt, grow, and thrive for over a decade. They do require pruning twice per year, however. Remove all other stems, and cut the tree back to 24 to 30 inches in height. Steve Masley has been designing and maintaining organic vegetable gardens in the San Francisco Bay Area for over 30 years. You can, and should, remove suckers more often. This article was co-authored by Steve Masley. Incoming suckers and sprouts will always be thin, regardless of the tree's age, so a pair of pruning shears will do the trick. It is easily transplanted. Or, you might��� Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. 16 years ago. Begin fertilizing after a full year of growth. If your single sucker dies, then you have to start over. “Wonderful”) in a backyard fruit orchard. Pruning your pomegranate into a tree form can mean risking fruit production if you live in an area that freezes like we do. Flowers and fruit develop on short spurs of two or three-year-old wood, primarily on the outer edge of branches. Cut suckers as close to the root as possible with pruning shears; you may have to dig through the soil in order to reach the base. Use pruning shears to snip the water sprouts off as close to the trunk as possible. Prune those close to the stem, where they grow. Plant your pomegranate tree in late winter. Remove all other shoots by cutting ��� For instance, pomegranate is a fruit crop.Farmers harvest the shrub���s fruits from September to May and use the ripe sections to produce juice, smoothies, and ��� Thanks. You can prune out suckers and other awkward branches as they appear throughout the growing season. If you don't prune a pomegranate tree, then you may encounter problems such as disease, dieback, stunted growth, and poor harvest. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Pat Browne and Steve Masley of Grow it Organically explain: "With a multi-trunk system, you usually cut the top off of a plant early, so you get a lot of little side shoots. This new growth is more likely to form flowering and fruiting buds. Adjusting Pomegranate Pruning Once a pomegranate tree is established and 3 or 4 years old, it usually sets fruit every year. Pruning - pruning of pomegranate plant depends on growth type. Punica granatum is a small deciduous tree. Not only will you get a beautiful tree laden with bright, red fruits, but you'll get a tasty treat once harvest time rolls around. Wednesday, February 17, 2021 Is your tree in the shade, and not getting enough sunshine? It will grow to about 2.5 metres (8.2 feet) tall, with orange flowers during the summer season. BTW, while pruning pomegranate you'll probably come across small thin stems and twigs, some are already dead, and you'll recognize them by their gray color and how easily they can be broken off. Mature trees could be trimmed at ��� In this case, trim the branches shorter. Prune a pomegranate tree is not a tough job. This way, the new branch will grow outward, not inward. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. If your goal is fruit production you need to prune pomegranate trees to increase exterior branches that form fruiting wood and fruit spurs. In 2007 and 2008, Steve taught the Local Sustainable Agriculture Field Practicum at Stanford University. They'll just suck up the water and nutrients that could otherwise go to your tree. Please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. How to Trim a Mature Pomegranate Tree or Bush. Leave the outward-growing branches and prune off the inward-growing ones. Pomegranate is a fruit-bearing deciduous tree cultivated in the Middle East all through to California. They are deciduous in interior, winter-cold areas but can be evergreen to semi-evergreen in milder regions near the coasts. If the tree is developed and maintained properly, it should only require light annual pruning. Cut the branches as close to collar as possible. Make sure that your shears leave a nice, clean cut. The only way I know is to graft onto the main trunk of a mature fruit tree, but for that you really need to talk to a nursery person, since most trees are hybridized and are grafted onto a trunk of a different variety to get the new hybrid fruit tree. Again, remove dead, crossed branches first. Thanks a bunch! Pomegranates bear on both older wood (2-3 years old and older) as well as the current season���s growth. to this article, I now know how to properly prune the tree and get a better harvest of fruit. Pomegranates have attractive glossy green leaves, they grow up to 5 metres high, and like to be pruned - remove the current year's growth in late winter to promote dense growth. Check out the expert guide with our expert to learn to prune a pomegranate tree easily. Pruning and Watering. Find out your tree's variety and research it online. Extension Master Gardener trainees in Valencia and Bernalillo counties. To start, you'll need to select 1 to 3 shoots you want to keep that will be the main trunk(s) of your tree. By using our site, you agree to our. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/b5\/Prune-Pomegranate-Trees-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Prune-Pomegranate-Trees-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/b5\/Prune-Pomegranate-Trees-Step-1.jpg\/aid10067130-v4-728px-Prune-Pomegranate-Trees-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"