When do pomegranates ripen in the latest season?
The pomegranate is a deciduous tree or shrub of the genus Punica in the family Lythraceae. The history of pomegranate cultivation in our country 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 throughout the north and south, with larger planting areas in Anhui, Jiangsu, Henan and other places, among which Huaiyuan County in Anhui is the hometown of Chinese pomegranates. Now let us take a look together at when pomegranates ripen!
When do pomegranates ripen?
The flowering period of the pomegranate is from May to June, and it ripens from September to October. The flowering pomegranate blooms from May to October, and after ripening it becomes a large, many-chambered, many-seeded berry; each chamber contains numerous seeds, and the outer seed coat is fleshy, bright red, pale red or white, juicy, sweet with a tart note, and this is the edible part. The inner seed coat is horny, though it may also degenerate and soften, which is the soft-seeded pomegranate.
Where is the pomegranate native to?
The pomegranate is native to the Balkan Peninsula, Iran and adjacent areas, and is now grown in temperate and tropical regions worldwide. In our country, large numbers of wild ancient pomegranate communities are also distributed on the barren slopes along both banks of the Chawo River in the Sanjiang River basin at an altitude of 1700 to 3000 m. The planting area is relatively large in Jiangsu, Henan and other places, and some superior varieties have been bred. The pomegranate likes a warm, sunny environment; it is drought-tolerant, cold-tolerant and also 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.
Reasons why pomegranates do not bloom
1. The pomegranate is a sun-loving plant, so the place where the potted flowers are placed must receive sunlight often; even in summer it does not mind being in the sun all day. Keeping the potted pomegranate in a shady place is one of the main reasons it will not bloom.
2. The potted soil of the pomegranate should be watered only after it dries out. Although soil that is too wet does not affect growth, in order to make it bloom you must wait until the potted soil is dry before watering.
3. The pomegranate should normally be given less nitrogen fertilizer and more phosphorus fertilizer. After it sets fruit, the fertilizer concentration should be light and the frequency should be high. Chicken or duck manure, or fishy internal organs, are commonly fermented and then diluted with water for use to supply phosphorus fertilizer, but excessive fertilizer causing rampant plant growth is also one of the reasons for failure to bloom and fruit.
4. When the pomegranate reaches its flowering period but shows no flowers, necessary pruning can be carried out, and at the same time the terminal buds at the tips of the branches should be removed. This can both inhibit the plant's unlimited growth and promote new lateral buds to produce side branches. Generally, flower buds appear one week after pruning.