Harvesting pomegranates

  • 27 Replies
  • 16585 Views
*

JTh

  • Hero Member
    • Email
Re: Harvesting pomegranates
« Reply #15 on: August 19, 2018, 07:28:14 PM »
Do you normally harvest them this early?.

Our pomegranate crop will not be  as good as  the last couple of years, but the pomegranates look very healthy. We probably had a lot more rain than you did.
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

*

John J

  • Hero Member
Re: Harvesting pomegranates
« Reply #16 on: August 20, 2018, 08:00:19 AM »
Not normally this early, Jorun, but with the 2 year drought we've been suffering the overall food supply for our feathered friends has been severely reduced, so they are taking more than their normal share. We had to get in while there were still a few left for us.
Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)

Daisy

  • Sr. Member
Re: Harvesting pomegranates
« Reply #17 on: August 23, 2018, 10:27:25 AM »
The rats have eaten ALL of my pomegranates this year.
Daisy
Amateur gardener, who has gardened in Surrey and Cornwall, England, but now has a tiny garden facing north west, near the coast in north east Crete. It is 300 meters above sea level. On a steep learning curve!!! Member of both MGS and RHS

*

Charithea

  • Hero Member
Re: Harvesting pomegranates
« Reply #18 on: November 25, 2018, 04:10:48 PM »
We planted 3 pomegranate trees, of the new variety, a few years ago. ( the trees came free) The middle tree produced one fruit. Luckily the birds have not eaten it. 
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

Caroline

  • Full Member
Re: Harvesting pomegranates
« Reply #19 on: November 25, 2018, 08:13:17 PM »
Does anyone know about how long before a Pomegranate usually starts to flower/fruit? I have a very healthy little tree on the back lawn which I am scanning for the first sign of a flower (remembering that we are now late spring here).  I was given it about five years ago and it is now about 80cm tall.  I planted it to remind me of one in my mother's old garden, which was probably 90-odd years old, and which every spring would be covered with those waxy scarlet flowers, and glowing red fruit in autumn. 
I am establishing a garden on Waiheke Island, 35 minutes out of Auckland. The site is windy, the clay soil dries out quickly in summer and is like plasticine in winter, but it is still very rewarding. Water is an issue, as we depend on tanks. I'm looking forward to sharing ideas. Caroline

*

JTh

  • Hero Member
    • Email
Re: Harvesting pomegranates
« Reply #20 on: November 25, 2018, 11:58:26 PM »
I read that it usually takes 4-6 years before they start bearing fruit, but that they can get 200 years old, see some more info here: https://homeguides.sfgate.com/long-pomegranate-tree-grow-61116.html . My two pomegranates took longer, though,  our soil is not very good, but they now give us plenty of fruit now, although not every year. This year was not a bad one.  I got 6 kg pure pomegranate juice out of these, and my fingers and nails were dark brown for weeks afterwards.


PA091512.jpg Punica granatum
by Jorun Tharaldsen, on Flickr


IMG_20181010_180240.jpg Pome granate jelly
by Jorun Tharaldsen, on Flickr

Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

*

Charithea

  • Hero Member
Re: Harvesting pomegranates
« Reply #21 on: November 26, 2018, 05:49:49 AM »
Jorun, what are you going to do with all this jelly?  Our neighbor has started farming pomegranates a few years ago and he sells to the market.  I bought some to make jelly but we have been eating them instead. I will ask him the name of the variety and how long it took for them to fruit.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

Umbrian

  • Hero Member
    • Email
Re: Harvesting pomegranates
« Reply #22 on: November 26, 2018, 07:52:52 AM »
My Pomegranate tree, planted four years ago when probably about three/four years old, produces many flowers but sadly, so far,  the most fruit it has set is three. That was this year when one matured into a large fruit whilst the other two remained very small. Fortunately the birds do not seem interested in them, either don't notice them or are too content gorging themselves on the abundant Kaki fruit nearby.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

*

Charithea

  • Hero Member
Re: Harvesting pomegranates
« Reply #23 on: November 26, 2018, 12:42:59 PM »
Here I am again with the information promised regarding names and time needed to produce fruit.  I asked our  neighbour and one of the variety is called Wonderful.  It took only two years to produce. The fruit is juicy but has big pips. He gave me a pomegranate to try this morning. Variety name unknown for now but it took 3 years to produce fruit. It is his favourite  pomegranate and I think he is correct in his choice. The fruit is very juicy and has tiny pips.  They planted the cuttings in the ground in the winter because it is cooler and in the hope  of rainy days. I also like to say that our pomegranates seeds  do not pop out when you hit the fruit with the back of the spoon.  They are embedded in so well they have to be cut open with a knife. We get very badly stained fingers. No rubber gloves .
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

*

Fermi

  • Hero Member
    • Email
Re: Harvesting pomegranates
« Reply #24 on: July 15, 2019, 02:24:01 PM »
The only way we could harvest any pomegranates is by netting.
However it doesn't keep them all out!
cheers
fermi
Mr F de Sousa, Central Victoria, Australia
member of AGS, SRGC, NARGS
working as a physio to support my gardening habit!

*

Alisdair

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
Re: Harvesting pomegranates
« Reply #25 on: July 16, 2019, 08:36:06 AM »
I wish our pomegranates attracted something as glamorous! (But we do get golden orioles attacking our cherries in SW France...)
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

*

Fermi

  • Hero Member
    • Email
Re: Harvesting pomegranates
« Reply #26 on: April 19, 2020, 02:35:33 PM »
Once again we've had to resort to netting our pomegranates! We noticed this morning that a few fruit had been plundered so knew there was no time to waste - I just hope this year's effort is more successful  ;D
There's a lot of small fruit so I know think that ours is one of the named selections,
cheers
fermi
Mr F de Sousa, Central Victoria, Australia
member of AGS, SRGC, NARGS
working as a physio to support my gardening habit!

Umbrian

  • Hero Member
    • Email
Re: Harvesting pomegranates
« Reply #27 on: April 20, 2020, 09:47:47 AM »
My Pomegranite is just coming into leaf and there are still two old, ungathered fruits hanging on it. I love to see some fruits left during the winter and in fact one friend commented that she liked my 'Christmas Tree' Our birds do not seem to like them at all as one or two poor fruits were left cut open on the ground for them and left untouched.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.