Pomegranate: how to grow a tropical bush at home. How to grow pomegranate at home from seed

Many southern plants that produce tasty fruits can be successfully grown indoors. These include and cultivated in subtropical and tropical regions. A dwarf tree will serve as a decoration for the house during flowering and will give unusually useful fruits.

cultivation fruit plants southern origin requires special preparation. For many years, flower growers have been distributing Dwarf, Ordinary pomegranate different varieties. Home specimens take root perfectly, delight with fragrant delicate flowers, small fruits. Growing a plant will require patience, knowledge in this difficult process.

can be taken from the acquired fresh fruit, on which there should be no mold, rot, no spots on the skin. The bones pulled out of the fruit are thoroughly washed under warm running water, clearing the pulp. For planting, you need to have hard cream-colored seeds. They are dipped in a solution of Zircon for twelve hours.

Pomegranate seeds are planted in a nutrient mixture of soil to a depth of at least one centimeter, covering the containers with a film. The greenhouse effect will allow them to germinate quickly, and room temperatures up to 25 degrees Celsius will speed up the process.

If pomegranate seeds fall into the ground in early November or March, then in a week or two green shoots will appear. The rest of the time, planting seeds will bring results only after two months, and sometimes they germinate even after six months. The time spent on preparing pomegranate seeds for sowing will be well spent - seedlings will quickly begin to grow.

At the end of November or March, containers with green pomegranate seedlings are placed in a bright room, and when three leaves appear on them, they begin to be planted on permanent place in an individual pot. It may not be too deep, since the root system of the pomegranate tree is close to the surface of the earth.

Good drainage in containers is necessary - a layer of expanded clay or crushed stone is poured onto the bottom.

The soil prepared for planting should consist of forty percent of soddy land, 30% of leaf, the rest is sand, peat. In order for the tree to grow lush, it is necessary to pinch the top over the third leaf during planting.

For pomegranate seedlings, good is important. Seedlings planted in autumn will require additional lighting otherwise they may be thin and elongated. spring time planting seeds allows the young plant to get stronger, it can be in warm summer days expose to fresh air. In a year, the pomegranate will begin to bloom. This is a sign that the timing and rules of landing are observed.

Pomegranate propagation also occurs by cuttings, which are prepared either in February or July. This method is always successful if some rules are followed:

• Cuttings are harvested from the growth of the current year, their length must be at least ten centimeters. Suitable for planting and material cut from root shoots.
• Before planting, the branches are soaked for six hours in a growth stimulant solution, then washed under running water.
• The prepared material is planted in river sand coarse grain to a depth of 2-3 centimeters, sprinkled with nutrient soil on top.
• The container for the pomegranate should not be too large. and fruiting is better when the roots are closely intertwined in the pot.
• From above, the container with the pomegranate is covered with a jar, exposing it to a warm room with good lighting.
• Watering is carried out regularly, be sure to ventilate the seedlings.
• A month later, when the cuttings take root, it is necessary to add nutrient soil to the container.

When propagated by cuttings, the maternal properties of the pomegranate are completely preserved, and in the second year it may already bloom.

A pomegranate tree at home takes root well, without requiring special care:

• The main requirement is good illumination of the place where the tree grows. It can be a window sill of the south, west, east side of the house. AT winter time, cloudy weather will require the inclusion of lamps daylight, installation of powerful phytolamps .
• The temperature in the room where the plant is located should always be high, not lower than 20 degrees. But excessive heat, stuffiness will lead to the loss of leaves. On summer days, putting the grenade on the balcony, on the street will help to get enough light and warmth. From bright sun then it is better to shade it.
• The pomegranate tree needs sufficient humidity. In dry air, the bushes are sprayed with cool water.
• The drying of the top layer of soil in a pot is a signal to the plant. Water often during and after the pomegranate blooms. AT winter period when the flower is resting, you can reduce the number of waterings, but not until the soil dries out. The appearance of fruits requires caution in watering. Abundant moisture will cause cracking of pomegranate fruits.
• It is also necessary to feed the pomegranate, it is enough to do this twice a month. Before budding, nitrogen is needed in fertilizers. During the flowering period - phosphorus, and in the fall - top dressing with potassium. Fertilization occurs after watering, when the earth is sufficiently moist.

Unpretentiousness allows you to grow it even for flower growers who do not like unnecessary troubles with houseplants.

It is advisable to replant a young pomegranate tree annually, picking up a container slightly larger than the previous one in diameter by 3-4 centimeters. When the plant is three years old, the procedure is performed once every three years. Transplantation time is spring, the most favorable.

The work of transplanting and pruning will allow the pomegranate to bloom and bear fruit profusely.

Drainage, sand are poured into a new pot, then soil that passes moisture and air well, filling it up to the middle of the container. Then the carefully dug bush is transferred to a new pot, adding soil. After transplanting, watering the plant is required.

The pruning of the tree crown has a beneficial effect on the growth and development of the pomegranate. It begins in the period of bud formation - February. Remove first dry branches without shoots and foliage. By removing part of the young branch above the outer bud, the grower stimulates the development of a lush crown. It is also impossible to get carried away with pruning, this will lead to a weakening of the tree. Four to six skeletal branches should remain. Extra shoots can be removed in the summer, during the growing season. Pruning will help to produce a large number of buds on developed annual shoots.

Because of improper care the plant often suffers. It may turn yellow leaves. This means that the air temperature is too high, there is not enough moisture in the soil. Falling leaves can also be a signal of insufficient watering. But this is a natural process after the growing season.

The tree dries out when the mold covers upper layer soil in a container. In this case, the plant is urgently transplanted, changing the soil to a new one. In this case, it is better to wash the roots, removing the affected parts.

All pests can be effectively controlled with chemicals type Aktellik, Aktara. It is not difficult to grow, but it requires constant attention.

More information can be found in the video:

The pomegranate tree symbolizes wealth, prosperity and is one of the favorite plants of flower growers. Growing it from a bone at home is a fascinating and interesting activity. At proper care after a few years you can get a beautiful bush. Varieties such as Dwarf, Baby, Carthage are ideal for sowing.

Indoor pomegranate is an unpretentious and grateful plant. If you create him comfortable environment, then he will delight not only with flowers, but also with fruits. They are not always edible, but how beautiful the green fluffy bush, hung with red balls, looks!

Selection and preparation of seeds

To grow indoor pomegranate from a seed at home, you need to purchase seeds. Varieties of Baby or Carthage are available in many specialized stores. You can combine useful and pleasant: to collect seeds from a pomegranate fruit. When buying fruit in the market, you do not need to pay attention to the size and taste qualities: on sale hybrid varieties, which, when grown from seed, do not acquire the quality of the mother plant.

For seeds, choose a ripe fruit without rot, mold. Such a fruit will have a thin peel, through which it is easy to feel the grains. Ripe bones are hard to bite into. An empty bone inside is not suitable for sowing.

• If the seeds are taken from the fruit, then the grains are pierced in several places with a needle, placed in a jar, closed with a lid and left for several days.
• After the bones are freed from the pulp, they are washed with water, wiped and dried. It is necessary to ensure that they do not dry out and do not lose their germination.
• To discard pomegranate seeds, they are soaked in saline solution. For sowing, only those that first fell to the bottom are left.
• Before planting the seeds, they are wiped with a nail file so that the sprout breaks through the thick skin faster.
• When buying seeds of Baby or Carthage varieties in a store, it is worth treating the bones in a solution of potassium permanganate to protect plants from diseases

Preparing seeds for planting at home does not take much time, but all procedures must be done very carefully, because the quality of a houseplant depends on it.

Seedling care rules

Seeds in the soil are waiting for the hour when young bores break through to the light, but the flower grower should not relax: growing pomegranate is a laborious task. During this period, it is important to create optimal conditions for the rapid emergence of young shoots.

Features of planting pomegranate seeds

• Select a wide container with a height of 10 cm.
• For drainage use expanded clay or gravel.
• The soil is bought in the store. Riding peat or sand with 50/50 peat is best.
• The seeds are planted in moist soil to a depth of no more than 1 cm.
• After planting, the soil is compacted.
• The pot is covered with glass or film - for quick germination.
• The container is placed on the windowsill, if there is a working battery under it, or in another warm place.
• Airing is carried out once a day for several minutes.

During this period, heat and humidity play an important role. It is strictly forbidden to water the soil. When drying is allowed, the earth is sprayed from a spray bottle. If the seeds are viable, they will sprout within two months. Sometimes sprouts appear after six months, so you need to be patient.

For the appearance of fast shoots at home, pre-germination of seeds is practiced. The bones are soaked in a growth stimulator and wrapped in a damp towel or soaked in a saucer with warm water for 12-20 hours. Seeds need to breathe. It is important that they do not dry out and are not completely immersed in the liquid. Bones without moisture crack and die.
After the appearance of sprouts, the film is removed, and the seedlings are thinned out, removing weak plants. Leave only healthy, strong specimens. Of these, several seedlings are later selected.

Plant care and bush formation

After the appearance of two or three leaves, the plants are transplanted into cups. The day before the procedure, the soil is watered. Take out seedlings from a container with a clod of earth, so as not to damage root system. For transplanting, take a fertile mixture for deciduous plants and do not forget about drainage in pots. The plant is buried in moist soil so that the root collar sinks 1 cm. After planting, they do not water it and put it in a greenhouse on a windowsill or under lamps. In the early days, the greenhouse is shaded from the light.

During this period, it is important to monitor the humidity: it is necessary to ventilate the seedlings several times a day. After the appearance of new leaves, the plants are gradually accustomed to independent living.

Top dressing is applied when there is complete confidence that the seedlings have taken root. On the initial stage use nitrogen and potash fertilizers, later - complex top dressing for fruit houseplants. They are introduced no more than once a month during the period of active growth.

When the roots are wrapped in an earthen ball in a pot, the seedling is pinched and after a week it is transferred to a large container in a permanent place. Once every two months, pinch the plant under the third pair of leaves and form a bush of the desired shape.

Indoor pomegranate is thermophilic and tolerates well hot weather at home, if you maintain a certain level of humidity. But the cold in the room can ruin it. At a temperature of +16, the plant sheds leaves and goes into a passive phase. This means that growing bushes on an unheated balcony is unacceptable during the cold season.

In order to form a bonsai from a pomegranate at home, you need to grow it with one branch. The top of the seedling is not pinched, but the only branch is tied to a wire so that it is straight and vertical. When the plant gets stronger - adjust the height.

Bonsai can be different shapes; spiral, upright, curved with an inclination to the side. The pomegranate crown is made triangular, broom-shaped, round or spreading.

Indoor variety Baby lends itself to shaping even in adulthood.

Growing bonsai is very popular with flower growers. traditional form. A small tree with a thick trunk and spreading branches holds the gaze of every person. To get such a miracle at home, you need to make a lot of effort and spend several years, but believe me, it's worth it.

Growing indoor pomegranate from a seed at home is within the power of every grower. In order for the plant to please with lush flowering, you need to pay a little attention to it and learn as much as possible about how to properly care for young seedlings, learn the features of bush formation and the rules for fertilizing in different periods of the year. Learn to talk to your green pet, and he himself will tell you what and when to do so that it flaunts on the windowsill lush bush grenade and pleased not only bright colors but also a rich harvest.

Where can I get planting material? Buy on the market or in the store large fruit saturated hue. You can not take fruits with rot or mold for planting. Bones obtained from such specimens are weak and painful, germinate and develop poorly.

Only healthy ripe pomegranates are suitable, which must be carefully cut and the contents removed. Remove the soft shell, and put the seeds in a colander and rinse under the tap to remove juice and pieces of pulp. Examine the bones carefully. Only hard, greyish-beige or ivory seeds will do. So they are already ripe and have enough nutrients to germinate. Planting material is green, soft to the touch, does not germinate. Such bones simply rot, falling into the ground, and disappear.

Germination

Put the pomegranate seeds on a saucer and pour a little water so that they are half immersed in the liquid. Planting material needs air, because oxygen awakens the grain and starts the germination process. It is impossible for the bones to float in the water, otherwise they will die.

Planting material must be disinfected. Recommend means such as "Zircon" or "Epin". Only 2-3 drops, and no fungus and rot. Change the solution in the saucer every 12 hours. Seeds should lie in water for about 3 days, and they must not dry out, otherwise the hard shell will crack and the grain will die.

You can cover the saucer with gauze or cotton cloth, which retains moisture well. Water intended for soaking should be passed through a filter to remove harmful impurities. Put the saucer in a warm place, away from drafts.

Bones after a three-day bath practically do not change their appearance. Unlike the other planting material, they do not germinate in a plate, but already in the ground. It is important to prepare in advance correct soil and pots, because the grains are put into the soil directly from the plate.

Substrate preparation

Pomegranate takes root in almost any land, but in order for the plant to be strong and develop quickly, one of three options should be used. The easiest way is to buy a special substrate designed for indoor flowers. It contains many nutrients, is quite loose and breathable.

The second version of the soil is prepared from peat and coarse-grained river sand, which is pre-calcined or doused with boiling water to disinfect. Take the components in equal proportions, mix thoroughly and fill the pot with the mixture.

If peat was not at hand, it is replaced with soddy soil and humus. Combine the ingredients and insist for several days, and add river sand before planting the pomegranate seeds. The last component will make the soil looser and softer, and the humus will become a source of minerals.

Regardless of the composition of the substrate, a drainage layer must be placed in the pot. If it is absent, the water constantly stagnates at the bottom of the container, the roots of the tree rot, and it suffers from a fungus. Expanded clay or small pebbles, pieces of foam plastic or crushed clay shards are suitable.

Tip: If the soil dries out quickly or becomes too compacted, it should be replaced with new soil to which pine or other sawdust is added.

Seed planting

1. Fill the pot with the substrate, make several holes in it with a depth of 1–1.5 cm and slightly moisten with a spray bottle.
2. Do not make the holes too deep, otherwise it will be difficult for the sprout to break through the ground.
3. Put a wet seed and sprinkle with soil, without tamping it.
4. Spray with water and cover the pot with cling film or plastic bag. Get a mini-greenhouse, which is always warm and humid.
5. There is no need to add fertilizers or growth stimulants. Pomegranate seeds will take the necessary nutrients from the soil.
6. The main thing is that the pot with the future tree is constantly warm.

Natural selection

When the shoots hatch, it is recommended to move the pot to the south window. Young trees need a lot of light to grow and gain strength. Do not remove the film, but regularly ventilate the sprouts, slightly opening the makeshift lid for 1–2 hours, and water. It is impossible that the soil is too wet or water accumulates at the bottom. In such cases, you need to stop watering for a few days so that the substrate dries out, and further reduce the amount of liquid to moisten the soil.

If the seeds are planted in winter, then in early to mid-spring, the first leaves will appear on the sprouts. Then the film is removed so that it does not prevent the trees from stretching up. Only one plant is left in the pot, the strongest and largest. The rest must be carefully pulled out. You can simply pinch off the top, leaving the spine in the ground. It will gradually decompose, supplying the developing sprout with additional nutrients.

Important: Not all seeds planted in winter hatch in March-April. Some may take months to awaken, so empty pots without seedlings are recommended not to be thrown away, but set aside and continue to be watered. If after 6 months nothing happened, then the seeds did not germinate.

picking

Seedlings can not be thinned out, but transplanted into separate containers. Pomegranate picking is carried out after the appearance of two real, not cotyledonous, leaves.

How to carry out the procedure?

1. You will need several medium-sized pots. The amount depends on how many trees you plan to grow.
2. Fill each pot with drainage and pine sawdust substrate.
3. Make one hole 2–2.5 cm deep. Be sure to moisten the ground so that the pomegranate quickly takes root.
4. Gently spread the roots over the hole. Sprinkle the seedling with earth, compact the soil a little.
5. You can add water, but if the substrate is moist enough, watering should be postponed for several days.

Too thin and weak or crooked seedlings are recommended to be thrown away. They grow into sickly trees that are constantly attacked by pests or fungus.

Irrigation water and sunlight

Pomegranate comes from warm countries, so the tree loves the sun and normally tolerates high temperatures. A pot with a plant can be placed on the southern windowsill, closer to the light, but be sure to shade the delicate leaves from ultraviolet radiation. It is desirable to hang patterned curtains or blinds on the windows, which scatter the sun's rays and make them softer.

Summer pomegranate useful to take out to the balcony. The owners of summer cottages move the pot with the plant to the garden. On the fresh air pomegranate blooms faster and develops better. The pot is recommended to be buried with earth, hiding the seedling under a taller tree.

In winter, water the pomegranate 2 times a week, and in the summer up to 4–5. If the ground inside remains wet and the top layer dries quickly, it should be sprayed with a spray bottle. Water should not fall on the leaves of the tree and flowers. Use only warm, settled liquid, in which fertilizers for indoor flowers or complexes for tomatoes and sweet peppers can be added in spring and summer. Among natural supplements, manure infusion and aquarium water are distinguished. You need to fertilize the land twice a month, before adding nutrients, the pomegranate is watered abundantly.

Other nuances

1. To make the tree fluffy, you need to pinch the fourth after the appearance of the third pair of leaves. This will cause the pomegranate to grow with two tops.
2. The plant will bear fruit if grafted. In other cases, a tree grown from a stone only blooms, but no fruit appears on it.
3. Closer to winter, around November or early December, the pomegranate sheds its leaves. When the last one falls, you need to take the pot to a cool greenhouse or cellar. The plant should winter at a temperature of + 5-0 degrees.
4. From November to March, pomegranates are watered every 1.5–2 months. You don't need to fertilize.

During the flowering period, you can try to pollinate the plant with a brush or cotton swab. No one guarantees that an ovary will appear on the pomegranate, but it is likely that by autumn several fruits will ripen on thin twigs. Even if the tree does not give birth every year, it is worth planting for the beautiful rose buds that will appear every 10 months.

Video: how to grow a pomegranate

Growing different exotic plants fun activity at home. Fans of indoor gardening love to experiment. Seeing images of a beautifully flowering pomegranate bush, there is a desire to plant pomegranate seeds and grow a plant on your own windowsill.

You can grow a tree from a seed

cultivation

Observing simple instructions and knowing how to properly grow such a plant, you can get a beautiful bush with oval green leaves, beautiful red flowers and edible fruits. Proper agricultural technology will give a positive result in such an experiment. It is necessary to approach responsibly all stages in the cultivation of pomegranate from the stone.

In order for a pomegranate bush to appear on the windowsill, you need:

• select seeds and prepare them for sowing;
• prepare the ground;
• sow seeds;
• carefully care for the bush.

Seed selection

Quality seed material will be the key successful cultivation strong and healthy pomegranate bush. If you use seeds from store pomegranates, you need to remember that these are hybrid varieties and the bush that grows from seeds will not produce fruits with the same qualities as the mother fruit. But this does not hurt to grow a pomegranate from a seed, which will delight you with a lush crown and high decorative qualities.

Seeds for planting are taken from a healthy ripe fruit without damage. Pomegranate seeds should be:

• hard;
• ivory;
• no mold or damage.

These characteristics affect the germination and future health of plants.

Seeds should be selected from a healthy large fruit

Seed preparation

Selected pomegranate seeds must be prepared before sowing in the soil so that they sprout well. To do this, the seeds are washed in clean water so that no pulp remains on them. Clean seeds are dried on a towel for 24 hours.

Already dried bones for stimulation are advised to be treated with Epin or another phytostimulant, for this a solution is prepared in accordance with the instructions.

A piece of cotton cloth or gauze is moistened with a solution, and the seeds are wrapped in it. Leave to swell for at least 10 hours. Make sure that the bones do not dry out and do not become moldy.

Soil preparation

For sowing pomegranate seeds suitable universal soil mixture. You can add river sand to it, in a ratio of 3: 1. pomegranate plant, not demanding on the soil, which should be:

• moderately nutritious;
• loose;
• with a pH level of 5.5-7.

The soil for sowing pomegranate must be disinfected, as when planting any other plant. This can be done in different ways:

1. Irrigate the soil with a weak solution of magnesium permanganate.
2. Roast in the oven at 90°C for 30-45 minutes.
3. Spill the soil with boiling water.

After such treatment, the chances of infection of young plants with diseases and pests are significantly reduced.

Land for pomegranate must be loose

seed sowing

A container is chosen for sowing, it can be a small flower pot, plastic containers, balcony box. Before using the container, wash it well and pour over with boiling water. The containers are filled with prepared soil, watered clean water. When the water is absorbed, the seeds are sown to a depth of 1-1.5 cm and covered with a film. Put in a warm, well-lit place. Shoots appear on average after 14 days, but it happens that this may take longer.

A few days after the appearance of the sprouts, they begin to slightly open the film for a while. A week later, the film is removed completely. Make sure that the soil does not dry out and slightly moisten it. Pomegranate seedlings do not tolerate excess moisture. If a lot of plants have sprouted, then they are thinned out, removing weak and low-quality ones.

Care

Sprouted pomegranate seeds are only half the success, in order for young seedlings to turn into a pomegranate tree or bush, you will need to carefully care for it.

Transfer

After 2-3 months, the seedlings will grow up, and they need to be planted in separate pots. For the first transplant, you need to choose flower pots volume of 2-2.5 liters. You do not need to plant seed indoor pomegranates immediately in large containers, this can slow down their growth. And with a large volume of soil, the plant will use all its forces to develop the root system, and above-ground part will develop poorly.

Pots of 2-3 cm are filled with drainage, for this it is suitable:

• expanded clay;
• small pebbles;
• broken brick;
• fragments of ceramic pots.

This will provide good drainage and will not allow excess moisture to accumulate at the bottom of the pot.

The soil for growing pomegranate from the stone is used universal. Fill the pot, make a deepening in the middle and slightly moisten. young plant with an earthy clod carefully transplanted.

The day after the transplant, pomegranates are watered with Kornevin to stimulate rapid rooting.

The following transplants are carried out as the plant grows in the same way, gradually increasing the volume of the pot. By the age of 5 years, you need to plant a pomegranate in a tub or pot with a volume of 10-20 liters.

bush formations

In order for a pomegranate to grow from seeds into a beautiful bush or miniature tree, it must be formed by pinching and pruning branches. The first pinching is done a couple of months after germination. Pinch the top of the seedling so that it forms side branches. As they grow, the next pinching is carried out to form branches of the next order. In this way, you can form a lush crown of a tree or a beautiful branched bush. pruning homemade pomegranate carried out in the spring before flowering or at any time if there is a need to trim long branches. In an adult bush, you can cut off the branches growing inside, this will improve its shape, and the plant will look neat and well-groomed.

Pomegranate branches bend easily and, by fixing them, you can create a bonsai-style tree with an intricate crown shape. It will look especially impressive during flowering and fruiting.

Conditions and watering

Pomegranate is a thermophilic plant. For him, you need to choose a well-lit place. In the southern regions, a grown pomegranate tree can be planted in open ground. In the cooler zone practiced in summer period keeping the plant in the garden or on the balcony.

This crop grows well even in drought conditions, but requires regular moderate watering for full growth and development. In the hot season, water twice a week. Irrigation water should be room temperature. In winter, when the air temperature drops, the plant begins a dormant period and can last about two months. At this point, watering is reduced and watered no more than once a week.

fertilizers

Pomegranate for full growth, flowering and fruiting, like other fruit plants, requires regular feeding, especially if it grows in a limited amount of soil at home.

Top dressing is carried out from the beginning of March until November every two weeks. For this use:

• mineral complex fertilizers;
• organic feeds.

You can use one type of fertilizer or alternate. For top dressing in specialized gardening stores, you can choose the best fertilizer for this purpose.

It can be a mineral soluble top dressing for citrus or fruit plants. She will be able to fully satisfy the need for pomegranates in nutrients. For adherents organic farming suitable top dressing based on humates. They are absolutely eco-friendly and very nutritious.

Pomegranate at home can partially or completely throw off the leaves, this indicates the onset of a dormant period. During this period, it is important to remember that fertilizers do not need to be applied. If the seed pomegranate does not have a dormant period in winter, the bushes are fed once a month, reducing the dosage recommended in the instructions by half.

Fertilizer for fruit plants is great for pomegranate

Pests

It is not always possible to protect plants from pests. Grenades can hit:

• spider mite;
• scab;

These pests deplete the plant and prevent it from fully developing, so immediate treatment may be required. To get rid of pests, use tobacco dust and garlic infusion.

1. Tobacco dust when aphids or spider mite sprinkle the leaves and lightly sprinkle the soil. You can prepare an infusion, for this 2 tbsp. l. powder is added to 1 liter of water, insisted for 24 hours and sprayed on the bush.
2. To combat the scab, prepare an infusion of garlic husks. Take 2-3 tbsp. l. husks pour 250 ml hot water and insist at least a day. The finished infusion is sprayed with pomegranate.

If these funds have not coped with the pests, you can treat the plants with Actellik or Intavir. After treatment with insecticides, the room must be ventilated. The best option will carry out spraying outdoors.

Intavir - insecticide for pest control

Flowering and fruiting

To grow a pomegranate from a stone, caring for it, everyone is looking forward to the moment of flowering and fruiting. The first flowering is possible in 2-3 years. Pomegranate blooms for a long time, from late spring to mid-summer. The bright red flowers are bell-shaped with protruding stamens, they give the bush a special decorative effect.

With the advent of the first flowers, the first fruiting can also be achieved, for this you need to carry out pollination. A cotton swab is used to transfer pollen from the stamens of one flower to the queen of another.

It is good to pollinate two bushes with each other, then the percentage of the formed ovary increases. To improve the effect, you can spray the Ovary.

After successful pollination, in a few days the bush will be decorated with small pomegranates that will ripen in mid-November. Fruits grown at home will not be able to have the same size as in the southern gardens, but their value is great. Little grenades will confirm proper cultivation and care.

Conclusion

Following all the recommendations for growing and caring for pomegranate from the seed, you can get a wonderful result. Such a plant will decorate the windowsill, will delight incredibly beautiful flowering and surprise your friends with the fact that the pomegranate from the stone bears fruit. The positive experience of growing such unusual plant on the windowsill is a direct way to new experiments in breeding different exotics at home.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that almost every apartment or house in our country is decorated with indoor flowers. Most often, their range is not particularly diverse, but there are exceptions. How do you like indoor pomegranate, for example?

Basic information

Pomegranate (Punica) feels quite comfortable at home. However, in this case, it is not the nutritional properties of its fruits that come to the fore, but the decorative qualities of the flowers of the plant. Important! AT room conditions it is still better to grow a dwarf variety of pomegranate (Punicanana). However, many scientists and gardeners believe that the pomegranate houseplant is just a separate form of the parent plant. Judging by the appearance and features of the vegetation process, it is so.

Brief historical background

Oddly enough, but indoor pomegranate has been known as a houseplant for a long time. This circumstance is mainly due to the amazing unpretentiousness this plant. In the subtropics and tropics, it is widely grown in open field, and in our conditions, ordinary pots on windowsills or even indoor greenhouses are preferable. By the way, for the excellent decorative qualities of pomegranate flowers, it has long been awarded an Honorary Diploma of the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain.

Ancient legends say that once this fruit was known under the name "Punic apple". In legends, the pomegranate was a symbol of fidelity in marriage, in Greece it was used as a symbol of fertility, and the Persians honored it as the personification of passionate and passionate love. However, all this is trifles, since the beneficial properties of pomegranate have been known since ancient times.

In general, so useful plant worthy of becoming a decoration of any home or garden. Moreover, it (as we have already said) is distinguished by its rare unpretentiousness, it can grow on brackish and arid soils.

Description of the pomegranate

It should be noted that the original indoor pomegranate was described as early as 1803. Its height in the maximum case does not exceed 120 centimeters, and in the form potted plant it only grows up to 0.9 meters. The leaves are light green, oval in shape, no more than three centimeters in diameter. They differ in short cuttings that have a slightly reddish tint. In spring, the leaves take on a beautiful bronze color, in summer they are light green, and by autumn they turn yellowish.

Note that the most decorative are special, cultivars indoor pomegranate. From May to September, these plants are strewn with beautiful purple flowers in abundance. They are located in a single order, formed already in the first year of cultivation. Tellingly, their size exceeds that of the leaves - about four centimeters. Please note: only flowers with long pistils can bear fruit. The percentage of those is very low, since the houseplant pomegranate is purely decorative.

Each flower lives for a maximum of three days, but new buds are tied and bloom every day. Gardeners testify that there are no more than three or four ovaries per hundred flowers. The room pomegranate has a special uniqueness for the reason that both buds and already ripening fruits can be on the plant at the same time.

Separately about the fruits

The fruits themselves, by the way, can be painted in the most different colors: from orange to brown-red. Alas, they are far from the taste of the "ordinary" pomegranate, and in diameter they are a maximum of six to seven centimeters. You can taste them from November. The fruiting season ends around January.

Since pomegranates are most often grown at home for their flowers, the fruits are usually removed. This is related to the fact that abundant flowering already severely depletes the plant, so to save decorative properties pomegranate is better to remove the ovaries that have appeared. However, one or two fruits can still be left on one tree.

And it’s worth doing this not so much for culinary purposes, but to get your own seeds. We note, however, that the varietal qualities of plants can by no means always be indulged in this method of reproduction. And only once every three or four years you can make yourself a gift, leaving all the fruits on the tree. The beauty of a pomegranate that blooms and bears fruit at the same time is simply indescribable.

What varieties are best to use?

On sale you will surely meet only dwarf pomegranate(Punicagranatum). Occasionally, a room grenade "Baby" or "Carthage" comes across on store shelves. The last two varieties are artificially bred, designed specifically for indoor cultivation. Their height rarely exceeds 30 centimeters, while the usual dwarf variety often grows up to one meter.

Lighting Requirements

Despite its general unpretentiousness, the houseplant pomegranate is demanding on the lighting conditions in the house. That is why you can choose any windows in the house for its placement, except for those that face the north side. However, in hot and sunny days it is still necessary to cover the delicate leaves of the plant from exposure to direct sunlight.

Note that the ideal place for a pomegranate in summer is a loggia, attic or veranda. Important! Train the plant to sunbathing”should be gradual, since with an excessively sharp course of the process, the formation of sunburn on the leaves is not excluded. As soon as the duration of daylight begins to decline, and the nights become colder, this southerner should be immediately brought into the house.

Temperature Range

As you might guess, the pomegranate needs warmth, and for the entire period of flowering and fruiting. In general, its normal development is possible at a temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius. Important! If the temperature in the room exceeds 25 degrees, it must be taken out to a cooler and more ventilated room, otherwise the shoots may begin to dry out. In the case when this is not possible, regularly spray the leaves with water at room temperature (settled, of course).

But! For normal fruit ripening, a pomegranate needs a temperature of approximately 16-18 degrees Celsius. From November to March, the plant has a dormant period, during which it is required to maintain temperature regime at 10-12 degrees. By the way, these houseplants can withstand frosts down to minus six degrees Celsius.

Requirements for the composition and other characteristics of the soil

Although we said that in nature pomegranate is extremely unpretentious to soils, at home, to create the most ornamental plant, the characteristics of soil mixtures should be maintained at the proper level. Please note that they must be neutral (pH 7). We would recommend the following features:

Half sod land, ¼ good leaf humus, 12% peat, and 13% sand.
. Half sand, ¼ parts loam and peat (watch the pH!).
. Two parts of clay-soddy soil, one volumetric part of leafy soil, one share of sand and humus each.
. Especially for young plants: humus, sod, sand and leafy soil are taken in equal proportions.

About watering and humidity

As you probably understand yourself, competent watering of any plant is a guarantee not only of its decorative appearance, but also of survival. In our case, there are the following watering rules:

At rest (we talked about it above), the number of waterings is reduced as much as possible: no more than once every one and a half to two months!
. When houseplants come out of hibernation, you can gradually increase the frequency. Gradually move to frequent watering well soaking the top layer of soil in a pot. Moisturize it as it dries.
. Please note that during flowering, moisture intake should be limited, as in natural conditions this time coincides with the dry and hot period. But be careful! With a lack of moisture and nutrients, you may well be left with nothing, as the plant will simply drop all the buds and ovaries.
. As we have already said, in hot weather and in stuffy rooms, it is necessary to spray pomegranate leaves with settled water.
. As soon as flowering ends, the plant must again be watered abundantly, otherwise abundant flowering in the next year will be in question.
. If you need to grow fruits, then the issue of soil moisture should be approached as carefully and carefully as possible. If you overdo it with water, then the fruits may well crack and even rot.

We feed

Any indoor flowers need feeding. Pomegranate is no exception. "Feed" it should be at least twice a month. AT spring period any nitrogen fertilizer can be widely used. When the pomegranate blooms, phosphorus top dressing is mandatory, and in autumn period- potassium. However, once (per month) it is quite acceptable to use complex fertilizer. Important! Top dressing should be done only in cloudy weather.

Fertilizers must be applied exclusively to moist soil, but all excess water from the flower pan is drained into without fail. In the autumn period, the frequency of top dressing is gradually reduced, preparing the pomegranate for the dormant period. Most often, it occurs in December-January, when the last flowers have faded and all the fruits on the plant have fully ripened.

rest period

You can easily find out about its onset, since at this moment the plant begins to shed its leaves. As we said, during this period, the ambient temperature should be maintained within ten degrees Celsius. Important! As for young pomegranates that have not yet reached the age of three, a dormant period is not necessary for them, but the temperature at this time should still be lowered to about 16 degrees Celsius (as when the fruit ripens).

Of course, in a city apartment it is far from always possible to create optimal conditions for “hibernation”. AT sufficient a simple measure will help reduce the temperature: move the pot of pomegranate close to the glass, and then fence it off from the rest of the room plastic wrap. It will be enough to keep for three to four weeks. However, the most optimal results can be achieved by pulling the plant into the basement for this time.

Trimming procedure

Around February, the pomegranate is taken out of the cold room and, while the buds have not yet blossomed, they are pruned. The plant tolerates just such a pruning procedure best. Most all small young branches should be removed. To stimulate branching, it is necessary to cut the branches outside the bud at an acute angle, leaving no more than five internodes on the shoot. Important! When forming a room pomegranate (the photo of which is in the article), never forget to leave within the six skeletal branches that form the basis of the whole plant.

If you get carried away with pruning, you can significantly weaken the tree. By the way, it is precisely for the formation of the tree form of the pomegranate (including bonsai) that all the young shoots in the pot must be mercilessly removed. When forming branches and pruning, you need to be extremely careful, as the shoots are fragile. Excess shoots formed during the current growing season can be harvested in the summer. In this case, it is advisable to seal the wound with garden pitch.

How is the transplant done?

Up to three years, it is necessary to transplant pomegranates annually. After reaching three years, the frequency of the procedure is reduced to once every two to three years. It is best to do this in the spring. The transplant itself is simple, as it is done by conventional transshipment. To do this, take the soil with the mandatory addition of sand. Of course, the presence of drainage in the pot is extremely important.

Despite the developed fibrous system, the grenade does not need an exceptionally wide pot. An increase in capacity should be carried out at the rate of two to three centimeters per transplant, no more. By the way, the flowering of the plant is the more abundant, the closer the roots in the pot (but do not overdo it!). Here's how to care for a potted pomegranate.

Reproduction of pomegranate seeds

We immediately warn you that in order to successfully grow a plant from seeds, it is extremely important to buy them in specialized stores or from trusted suppliers. However, all flower growers who grow indoor flowers will tell you about this. Pomegranate grown from normal seed material, will allow you to enjoy flowering in the first year, and you will be able to try your own pomegranates in about two to three years.

However, no one forbids trying to grow a tree using seeds from an already ripe fruit. Note that they remain viable for up to six months. You need to choose seeds only from the largest and well-ripened pomegranates. After that, they are cleaned of pulp and dried properly in a warm and dry room. They can be sown in April, to a depth of approximately 0.5 cm. Attention - the pomegranate, the fruit of which appeared on the tree for the first time, is absolutely unsuitable for use for seed purposes, since its seeds may be too weak and will not sprout.

The substrate for this is made from equal parts sand and peat, after which it is moderately moistened. Germination occurs at a temperature of about 25-27 degrees Celsius, the development of seedlings begins quickly. As soon as two or three true leaves appear, the strongest and healthiest-looking seedlings are distributed into pots with a diameter of approximately six centimeters. In order for plants to grow and develop faster, during this period they need heat and moisture. For better bushiness, they need to be pinched. Here's how to get indoor pomegranate from seeds.

Important! If you buy a pomegranate in the market or in a store, deciding to use its seeds for sowing, then keep in mind that you can expect flowering from it in seven years at best. In addition, the size of such a plant will be too large (two or three meters) for an average city apartment. Recall that indoor pomegranate, the cultivation of which does not cause particular difficulties, rarely grows at least up to a meter.

Propagation by cuttings

Cuttings should be taken from mature and well-bearing plants. In summer, you need to take those of them that are half stiff, and in winter (in February), respectively, stiff. You need to cut the branches into pieces with five to six buds. The soil for planting is made from equal parts of sand and peat, landing is carried out at an angle, to a depth of approximately three centimeters. Here's how cuttings are propagated indoor pomegranate.

Cuttings need to be covered with a cut plastic bottle or jar, water frequently to maintain high humidity air and soil, as it is necessary for rooting. It is highly desirable to treat the cuttings before planting with some kind of humic fertilizer, since this measure dramatically increases the likelihood of successful rooting. After about two or three months, young plants can already be seated in separate pots. The buds may appear as early as the first year, but they should be cut off for the first two seasons, as the plant is not yet fully grown to fully bloom.

In a word, pomegranate is a plant that every lover of flora must have!