fruit Punica granatum tree , Punica granatum , are best befit to growing in hot , dry climates of USDA Hardiness Zones 7 - 11 .
The fruits can take between five and seven months – depending on the potpourri – to mature and mature , ready for picking .
Since they do not continue to ripen off the tree diagram after they have been pick , it ’s crucial to get the timing of your harvest just properly .
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Ourguide to growing pomegranateshas all the details on how to naturalise these trees in your landscape . In this guide , we ’ll discuss when and how to harvest your homegrown fruit .
Here ’s what we ’ll cover :
What You’ll Learn
How to Tell When Pomegranates Are Ripe
in the main speaking , pomegranate trees will produce a reliable harvest two to three year after embed .
They flower from midspring into free fall , and fruits that are set in March or April will be ready for harvest between August and October , depending on the multifariousness .
It ’s crucial to note that because pomegranate plants blossom in two to three cycle throughout the spring and summertime , though some fruits may be ready to harvest , others may still take more clip .
design to make a trip out to the garden oft during harvest time of year , to check on your craw and pick what ’s right .
When you go out to harvest your fruit , you ’ll need to know how to describe which ones are quick to break up and which ones should be left on the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree to continue ripening .
You ’ll find three elementary visual cues when the fruits are ready for harvest :
When they are ripe , rather than being pear-shaped like a ball , the anatomy will alter , taking on a boxier , flat - sided appearing .
This is because the arils on the interior are filling out with soma , and push against the inner chamber . The fruits have a pretty hexagonal shape when they are fully mature .
The outer grain of the skin will seem smoother , with a leathery flavour , as the inside of the yield fill up out completely .
The exterior color will be its deepest for the particular kind you ’re growing . For example , some yellow or pink variety may change from green to their last mature color , while flushed multifariousness may change from pink to a deep red .
You should also inspect the area around the stem end of the fruit . If it ’s pale , yellow-bellied , or greenish in color , this can be a sign that the fruit is not properly mature .
Because the plump aril have filled the inside at this point , you ’ll point out that the pomegranates experience big for their size when they ’re ready to pick , and tapping on the outside will produce a obtuse , slightly hollow thud .
Fruit that has been forget on the tree diagram too long may bug out to split open which can draw pests . you’re able to learn Punica granatum split open on the tree in our guide .
If you do occur to circumstantially collect a fruit that is not amply mature , you ’ll realize pretty quickly once you prune it open . The arils inside will be extremely hard and pale , and more unintelligible than they should be .
The pithy sections between the seeds may also be yellow or green rather than snowy in those that have not mature fully .
Harvesting
Before harvesting , you should pull on some thick gardening gloves . Pomegranate trees and shrubs produce large thorns that can deflate the tegument , so be sure to plow works with care to avoid being injured .
It ’s best to cut the fruit gratis rather than pulling them off the limb because pulling can do scathe , get the plant more susceptible to disease or leading to die - off of the damage share .
Use a curing of sporty , sharp garden shear and cut short the stems close to the yield . The base are rather woody , and leave a long radical intact could potentially cause legal injury to others if you ’re harvesting several at a clock time .
rank the pomegranate cautiously into a hoop or pail rather than just flip it in , to forbid bruising .
Any that have split or been masticate by animals should be put away , as they can entertain fungi and other disease pathogens that you may not be able to see with the defenseless eye .
If you ’ve applied pesticide , you may desire to wash out the fruits prior to storing , but be indisputable to allow them adequate metre and exposure to air flow so they dry completely before they are stored .
Moisture can direct to molder or cast exploitation .
Storage
pomegranate tree will generally stay fresh for two to three months when stored at temperatures of between 32 and 40 ° fluorine . At elbow room temperature , it ’s best to use them in one to two week .
If you dilute them overt and remove the aril , these will typically last about five days in the refrigerator .
you could also immobilize the aril by spreading them on a baking tray or cookie sheet and localize it in the deep freezer for a couple of hour . reassign the flash-frozen aril into a zip fastener - top suitcase or sealed storage container .
They will keep for up to a year in the freezer .
Patience and Care are Necessary When Harvesting Pomegranates
If you ’ve waited for calendar month for your fruits to ripen , it can be alluring to hurry through the unconscious process of harvest home .
Do n’t succumb to temptation and hurry though – use tutelage when compile those long - look fruits so they not only taste heavy , but put in well for calendar month too .
You ’ll be reward with tart and tasty yield that are quick to wipe out , or to process and add to a wide array of recipes . deal yourself to a smoothie or make some overbold succus , and you ’ll see that it was deserving the wait !
And for more information ongrowing pomegranatesin your garden , have a read of these guides next :
© postulate the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more contingent . Originally publish October 22nd , 2021 . Last updated August 18th , 2023 . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock . With additional writing and editing by Clare Groom and Allison Sidhu .
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