The Latest Technical Methods and Tutorial for Growing Pomegranates

The history of pomegranate cultivation in China can be traced back to the Han Dynasty; according to Lu Gong's records, it was introduced from the Western Regions by Zhang Qian. It is cultivated in both northern and southern China, with larger planting areas in places such as Jiangsu and Henan, where some superior varieties have been bred. In traditional Chinese culture, the pomegranate is regarded as an auspicious symbol and as a sign of many offspring and abundant blessings.

The Growing Environment of the Pomegranate

The pomegranate grows on mountains at an altitude of 300-1000 m. It prefers a warm, sunny environment, is drought-tolerant, cold-tolerant, and tolerant of poor soil, but not tolerant of waterlogging or shade. It is not demanding about soil, but cultivation in well-drained sandy loam is preferable.

The Main Uses of the Pomegranate

The pomegranate can be enjoyed both for its flowers and its fruit, and it is also edible. Small potted flowering pomegranates can be used to arrange groups of potted flowers or for indoor display, while large fruiting pomegranates can be planted in large pots and used as three-dimensional displays or as background material in floral decorations. Flowering pomegranates like light and tolerate drought, making them suitable flowers for growing on balconies and rooftops. Old pomegranate trunks can be made into elegant stump bonsai. Pomegranates planted in the ground are suitable for planting in front of steps, in courtyards, beside pavilions and in wall corners.

The pomegranate has strong resistance to sulfur dioxide; each kilogram of dry leaves can purify 6.33 grams of sulfur dioxide without the leaves being harmed. It also has a certain resistance to chlorine gas. It is suitable for planting in factories with pollution sources and in arid zones.

Propagation Methods for the Pomegranate

There are many propagation methods for the pomegranate: seed-growing, division, layering, grafting and cuttings are all possible, but cuttings are the most widely used.

1. Propagation by cuttings

In the main pomegranate-producing areas, cuttings are the primary propagation method; hardwood cuttings taken in winter and spring, or softwood cuttings taken in summer and autumn, are both acceptable.

(1) Selection of the mother plant and cuttings: The mother plant should be a robust plant of pure variety, vigorous growth and no more than 20 years old. For cuttings, choose vigorous branches growing at the top of the canopy and on the sunny side. For hardwood cuttings, 2-year-old shoots are best; 1-year-old shoots are too tender, grow poorly and bear fruit late. For softwood cuttings, choose semi-lignified shoots of the current year that are already firm.

(2) Cutting time: Although cuttings can be taken in all four seasons, each area should take its own actual conditions into account to ensure suitable temperature and moisture conditions at the time of cutting. In the north, cuttings are mostly taken in spring and autumn, using lignified 1—2-year-old hardwood. South of the Yangtze River basin, in addition to hardwood cuttings, current-year shoots are also used for softwood cuttings during the plum rain season or in early autumn.

(3) Cutting method: There are two types, long-stick cuttings and short-stick cuttings. In arid northern regions and for direct planting in the garden, long-stick cuttings are used. The cuttings are about 100 cm long. Lintong County in Shaanxi Province uses the method of digging trenches 50-70 cm long and 30-50 cm deep, inserting 2—3 cuttings per hole. Deep insertion is required, with about 2/3-3/4 of the cutting going into the soil, then firming the soil. For large-scale nursery stock production, short cuttings are mostly used. Hardwood cuttings are 15-20 cm long; softwood cuttings are 4—5 cm long and retain several small leaves at the top. For softwood cuttings, special attention must be paid to shading and moisture retention, with humidity controlled between 18-33°C and humidity kept at around 90%. Whichever method is used, the upper cut of the cutting should be flat, and the lower cut should be trimmed into a horse-ear shape. To ensure the survival rate, the cuttings must be taken and inserted immediately. To promote early healing and rooting of the cuttings, growth hormones can also be used before insertion.

2. Propagation by division

The pomegranate has a strong ability to send up suckers from the roots. In early spring, when the buds are just beginning to swell, select strong root-sucker seedlings, dig them up and plant them separately; the method is simple and survival is easy.

3. Propagation by layering

This can be done in spring and autumn. Before the buds swell, bend the root suckers down into the soil; after rooting through the summer, cut them away from the mother plant, and they can become seedlings in autumn. However, transplanting the following spring generally makes for easier survival. Mound layering can also be used, which yields more new plants.

4. Propagation by grafting

The cut-grafting method is commonly used, mostly with 3—4-year-old sour pomegranate as the rootstock; this method is commonly used in Dongting Mountain in Wu County, Jiangsu Province. In spring, when the buds are about to swell, take a 10 cm scion from a superior mother plant and graft it 10-15 cm from the base of the rootstock; after cut-grafting, about 5-6 years of cultivation are needed.

5. Propagation by sowing

This is generally used when breeding new varieties or propagating dwarf flowering pomegranates in large quantities. Sowing can be done in winter or spring, mostly by dibbling or drilling. Winter sowing avoids the need to store the seeds, but the seedbed must be covered to overwinter. If spring-sown seeds have already been stored in river sand over winter, they can be sown directly into the seedbed. Dry-stored seeds should be soaked for 12 hours in warm water (one part boiling to one part cold) or for 24 hours in cold water before sowing, and sown after the seeds have absorbed water and swollen. After sowing, cover with soil to a depth three times that of the seed, and seedlings will emerge in about half a month. As for tissue culture of the pomegranate, it is a fast, good and economical shortcut, but it is still at the exploratory stage.