How to Grow Pomegranate in Container? The pomegranate tree, Punica granatum, can be a charming addition to your collection. This tree is most known for its brilliant red fruit, which is highly distinctive; the seeds (technically an aril) explode with a juice that has a strong and distinct flavour and is rich in antioxidants, which may provide considerable health advantages. Flowers are also beautiful and last for months.
Pomegranate trees are quite small—dwarf kinds can grow as low as two feet tall—and can thrive in pots, making them an excellent choice for container gardeners. Though the tree is not difficult to maintain in a container, it does require constant care in its early years: if you choose to grow it from infancy, expect to prune and trim it frequently.
How to Grow Pomegranate in Container?
1. Need for Sun
Pomegranate trees require plenty of sunlight every day to thrive, so place your tree’s container in direct sunlight. They can withstand partial shade if necessary (but this is not ideal).
2. Watering to Grow Pomegranate in Container
Pomegranates are drought-tolerant once completely mature. Newly planted trees require a lot of water to grow. Depending on the size of your pot, the density of your soil, heat, and wind, your pomegranate may require frequent watering—even daily or twice a day during the summer heat. While they don’t want to sit in water, keep the soil damp rather than wet.
3. Potting Soil
Though these plants accept a broad range of potting soils, one constant is that their soil must be well-drained; putting the pomegranate tree in wet soil will undoubtedly harm it. The best soil is one that is rich in organic materials. Make certain that the pot you choose has adequate drainage at the bottom. Elevating your container with pot feet is also a wonderful option.
4. Fertilizer to Grow Pomegranate in Container
Pomegranate plants, like most other trees grown in containers, will require frequent fertilisation. When you pot it up, mix a slow-release organic fertiliser into the soil, and then use a diluted liquid organic fertiliser every few weeks during the growing season.
5. Pruning
Pruning your tree on a regular basis is quite important, especially in the first two to three years. Young pomegranate trees produce a large number of shoots from the base; only allow a few of them to grow into the desired shape and cut the rest back. Suckers will also need to be clipped, and dead branches should be removed in the spring.
Once you’ve moulded your tree into the proper shape over the first two or three years of its existence, it won’t require as much pruning, though removing the dead material from the tree on a regular basis is still a good idea.
6. Harvesting
Around the fifth year, pomegranate trees will begin to yield fruit on a regular basis. Allow the fruits to ripen to a deep crimson before removing them—if the skin cracks, you’ve waited too long. Instead of handpicking the pomegranates, clip them from the tree with cutters for the best results.
Growing Tips
In general, this is a simple tree to grow in a container, especially once completely mature and no longer needs any attention. They don’t have any serious pest or disease issues, but they are sensitive to blight—keep a lookout for yellowing on the leaves. Remember that pomegranate trees, even tiny types like ‘Nana,’ may need to be re-potted if they get rootbound, the roots protrude from the bottom of the container, or the plant appears crowded.
Also Read: How to Grow Pomegranate?
