Q. How can you increase pomegranate
fruit size?
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| Beautiful fruit color and size of ‘Sharp Velvet’ pomegranate variety. |
A. First, keep in mind that some varieties of
pomegranates produce larger fruit than others. That and all red fruit color is
why the variety called Wonderful was selected for commercial production in the
United States. If you have a variety that can produce larger fruit it generally
has to do with 4 considerations; the health of the tree, no water stress as the
fruit is gaining in size, how it is pruned and the number of fruit on the tree.
pomegranates produce larger fruit than others. That and all red fruit color is
why the variety called Wonderful was selected for commercial production in the
United States. If you have a variety that can produce larger fruit it generally
has to do with 4 considerations; the health of the tree, no water stress as the
fruit is gaining in size, how it is pruned and the number of fruit on the tree.
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| Good size and the color is developing nicely on a not yet mature ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate. |
Larger fruit is produced
on flowers coming off of larger stems. This has to do with how it’s pruned.
Pruning should maintain older and larger wood. Pomegranates grown as a shrub
with lots of stems coming from the ground will produce a lot of fruit but they
will tend to be smaller. Larger fruit will be produced if 5 main stems are
maintained coming from the ground rather than 50. Trees with 4 or 5 major stems
will produce fewer flowers but the fruit that these flowers produce will be
larger.
on flowers coming off of larger stems. This has to do with how it’s pruned.
Pruning should maintain older and larger wood. Pomegranates grown as a shrub
with lots of stems coming from the ground will produce a lot of fruit but they
will tend to be smaller. Larger fruit will be produced if 5 main stems are
maintained coming from the ground rather than 50. Trees with 4 or 5 major stems
will produce fewer flowers but the fruit that these flowers produce will be
larger.
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| Producing a large percentage of large fruited pomegranate relies mostly on proper pruning and irrigation. |
Make sure pomegranates do
not get water stressed during the summer months as the fruit is beginning to
get larger. I have found that a 3 to 4 inch layer of woodchips on the soil
surrounding the tree help keep the soil from drying between irrigations.
not get water stressed during the summer months as the fruit is beginning to
get larger. I have found that a 3 to 4 inch layer of woodchips on the soil
surrounding the tree help keep the soil from drying between irrigations.
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| When several pomegranate fruit all originate from the same spot and the tree has lots of developing fruit and flowers, there is a chance that removal of these fruit when they are very small may result in larger fruit that remain |
Removing flowers or small
fruit can help increase size of the remaining fruit (thinning) only if there
are far too many flowers being produced. Proper pruning reduces the number of
flowers and thinning is seldom needed.
fruit can help increase size of the remaining fruit (thinning) only if there
are far too many flowers being produced. Proper pruning reduces the number of
flowers and thinning is seldom needed.
Fertilize the tree in
February or March just before new growth begins in the spring. Flowers are
produced on new spring growth.
February or March just before new growth begins in the spring. Flowers are
produced on new spring growth.
I have a early peach that I planted last March. It survived through its first summer but now when I expect it to start to look better it seems to be having more trouble I don't know if I am over watering or not watering enough.