[Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page

[Dick]

In my limited experience with pomegranates, Dianna, the plant has a tendency to make a bush and that seems to be the normal form without an effort to select a center stem and maticulously prune everything else off. I remember seeing a Pomegranate orchard some years ago along I-5 in Northern California where all the trees were single trunk and assumed that was the way they grew.  An ancient Golden variety in the Old Tuscon mission was a large bush as well.

But, I have seen efforts to make the bush a tree turn into an ugly disaster. Best to start early?

Someone with a more intelligent experience with the species is invited to set us straight if any of this "data" makes his or her hair stand on end. This is a wonderful, healthful fruit that flourishes in our area and this forum is, after all, a learning vehicle in which even us dumb ones can learn stuff.

Bcc: azcrfg; arid gardener

Dick Gross, MGV
U of A Maricopa County Cooperative Extension 

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: yafa suslovich 
  To: Dick 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 11:19 AM
  Subject: Re: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


  The "suckers" are stems that could become a second trunk?
  Do you know anything about the growth rate of pomegranates?
  Thanks,
  Dianna

  Dick <rkgross3 at cox.net> wrote:
    Dianna, as a rule of thumb. plant any flowering and fruiting species where, 
    as an adult, it can enjoy full sun. Having said that, I often plant juvenile 
    plants in morning shade where they can grow into full sun allowing them to 
    harden-off gradually..

    I would plant any pomegranate in full sun but if you have a young tender 
    start that has never seen full sun--not hardened off, try to shade its 
    foliage and root area until the roots have the capacity to keep the foliage, 
    now in full sun, turgid--fully imbibed, that is, with water. If 
    transpiration is faster than the feeder roots can keep up, foliage cells 
    will go into a critical wilt from which they cannot recover and, of course, 
    may die. If you are rooting cuttings, shelter them from direct sun until 
    they have grown roots of their own.

    Pomegranates, unless an un-conditioned, juvenile plant is brutely stuck into 
    full sun in June, will adapt readily, in fact will do better in full Arizona 
    sun. I have seen a number thrive so. Just keep in mind that abruptly moving 
    any potted plant from shade to full sun is a bit shocking to the plant and 
    it may never recover.

    I have never seen pomegranate roots become invasive and raise concrete slabs 
    or foundations and, in my humble opinion, that is not likely to happen but 
    if any of the thousand or so Master Gardeners out there have had different 
    experiences with this species, they have an obligation to speak up so that 
    we may all learn. The plant will send up multiple suckers frob thre base 
    qand I find them a bit if a nuisance if I want a single stem bush.

    If this raises more questions than it answers, Dianne, don't hesitate to 
    respond.

    Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer, U. of A. Maricopa County Cooperative 
    Extension.

    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: 
    To: 
    Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 11:38 AM
    Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page


    > Dianna
    > 85022
    > yafadance at yahoo.com
    >
    > Hello. I would like to plant a Wonderful Pomegranite tree. I need help 
    > deciding on the location. Would it be ok in full sun on the S. side of the 
    > house? And how far do the roots extend? I want to get it as close to the 
    > house as I can, for shade, without risking the roots going under the 
    > house. Also, how fast do these grow?
    > Thanks!
    > Dianna
    >
    >
    > _______________________________________________
    > Arid_gardener mailing list
    > Arid_gardener at CALS.arizona.edu
    > http://CALS.arizona.edu/mailman2/listinfo/arid_gardener 






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