When to Fertilize a Pomegranate Tree? Detailed Guide to Fertilizing Time and Methods

SummaryBase fertilizer: Pomegranate trees are generally given base fertilizer in autumn before the ground freezes or in early spring after the soil thaws; for autumn application, the base fertilizer needs to be applied right after fruit harvest. Topdressing: Topdressing is needed before and after flowering; the pre-flowering fertilizer and the post-flowering fertilizer are complementary. Fruit swelling fertilizer: From late June to early July, apply quick-acting nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer, which can be combined with an appropriate amount of potassium fertilizer. Fertilizing methods: These include ring-shaped fertilizing, radial trench fertilizing, hole fertilizing, strip trench fertilizing, whole-orchard fertilizing, irrigation-type fertilizing and other methods.

I. Fertilizing Time for Pomegranate Trees

1. Base fertilizer

Generally, base fertilizer is applied in autumn before the ground freezes or in early spring after the soil thaws. The main base fertilizers include various organic fertilizers as well as superphosphate and slow-release bone-based fertilizers. Autumn base fertilizer is generally applied right after fruit harvest, which helps strengthen the tree vigor, increase the fruit set rate the following year, and thereby raise the yield.

2. Pre-flowering topdressing

Pomegranate budding and flowering require relatively large amounts of nutrients, so quick-acting nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium can be applied to meet the needs of flowering and fruit setting, which helps increase the number of flowers and raise the fruit set rate.

3. Post-flowering topdressing

The young fruit of the pomegranate grows relatively quickly, and the new shoots are also accelerating their growth. At this time, nitrogen fertilizer can be reasonably applied, which helps promote new shoot growth and reduce the physiological fruit drop rate. The pre-flowering fertilizer and the post-flowering fertilizer are complementary; if sufficient fertilizer was applied before flowering, no fertilizer needs to be applied after flowering.

4. Fruit swelling topdressing

When most flowers have faded and the young fruit is swelling, from late June to early July, quick-acting nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer can be applied, together with an appropriate amount of potassium fertilizer, which helps reduce young fruit drop, thereby promoting fruit swelling and increasing yield.

II. Fertilizing Methods for Pomegranate Trees

1. Ring-shaped trench fertilizing

This method is relatively suitable for flatland pomegranate orchards. Dig a ring-shaped trench outside the tree canopy about 50 cm wide and about 25-40 cm deep, then mix the fertilizer evenly with the topsoil, apply it and cover with soil. It is often used for young trees; its features are convenient operation and economical fertilizer use, but the fertilizing range is relatively small, and digging the trench can easily cut the horizontal roots.

2. Radial trench fertilizing

About 1 m from the trunk, with the main trunk as the center, dig 4-8 trenches outward that are shallow on the inside and deep on the outside, with a trench width of 30-50 cm and a depth of 15-30 cm. Mix the soil and fertilizer evenly and apply. This method is suitable for topdressing during the growing season for trees in full fruiting stage and fruiting trees; its features are less root damage and a relatively wide fertilizing area, which helps promote root absorption.

3. Hole fertilizing

Dig fertilizing holes more than 1 m from the trunk to apply fertilizer. This method is generally often used for topdressing during the growing period of fruiting trees. 

4. Strip trench fertilizing

This method can be carried out together with autumn plowing. Generally, trenches are opened between rows and between plants or in alternate rows for fertilizing. The method is similar to ring-shaped trench fertilizing and is often used for deep plowing in young tree orchards and autumn fertilizing in wide-row dense-planting orchards.

5. Whole-orchard fertilizing

First spread the fertilizer evenly over the whole orchard, then turn it into the soil to a depth of about 20 cm. It is generally suitable for fertilizing mature trees and densely planted orchards. Its features are a relatively wide fertilizing area, which helps root absorption, but long-term use will reduce stress resistance, so it can be used together with the radial trench fertilizing method to help maximize fertilizer efficiency.

6. Irrigation-type fertilizing

It is generally often used for fertilizing mature tree orchards or densely planted orchards and in dry-farming areas. It is actually the combination of irrigation and fertilizing; its features are no root damage, saving time and labor, and high fertilizer utilization rate.