Interest in pomegranate fruits is not new. There has been a brewing interest in this fruit for several reasons, including high levels of antioxidants, a mouthful of taste, and so on.
This article will help you figure out how long it takes to grow pomegranate trees. We will further discuss when pomegranate trees will produce fruits and so on. So read ahead to learn more about it.
When do pomegranate trees produce fruit?
Pomegranate trees produce fruits about 3 to 4 years after planting them first. Note that the fruits of these plants take about 6 months to ripen after they have bloomed in the tree. The fruits generally ripen during the summer. Pomegranate trees host mature fruits from September to October.
Pomegranates come in a range of colors and tastes. But in general, they are mostly bright red in color when they are mature.
These fruits come in a diameter of about 4 inches, which is the size of a pretty large orange. All in all, these fruits are very tasty and have won the hearts of people around the world.
So if you are particularly interested in growing fruits in your garden, you must have contemplated growing pomegranates at some point. Don’t worry, it will not be very difficult.
Pomegranates are much easier to grow, compared to most other fruits. And these trees do not take too long to produce fruits. However, you will have to wait a bit for the fruits to mature in the trees.
After you have planted a pomegranate tree, it will take about 3 to 4 years for the tree to produce fruits.
That is if you take proper care of the tree. Once your tree has fruits in it, you will have to wait about six more months for the fruits to mature and ripen. Afterward, you are free to indulge in delicious pomegranates, fresh from the tree.
Seed-grown pomegranate tree:
For seed-grown pomegranate trees, the timing is almost the same as other pomegranate plants. These plants need high temperatures and warm weather for the fruits to get good flavors.
Note that these plants grow well in areas where there prevails a hot and humid temperature. If you are working in a hot and humid environment then you can expect the trees to fruit faster than average.
On average, a seed-grown pomegranate tree will need about 3 to 4 years to bear fruit.
Once there are fruits in the trees, the plant will need another six months to ripen the fruits. So you will have to wait a while in order to indulge in mature and ripe pomegranate fruits from seed-grown plants.
Propagated pomegranate tree:
If you are propagating pomegranate trees, make sure that you are planting the young trees in late spring.
This will have you avoid any potential danger of a late frost. Otherwise, your plant may be affected by the frost.
Even the propagated pomegranate trees will take about two to three years to welcome new fruits.
After that, you will have to wait a few more months for the fruits to ripen. So all in all, it’s a pretty long wait. But rest assured that the wait will be worth it.
Things to know about pomegranate tree fruiting:
There are many factors that you will need to consider in order to understand how to properly plant pomegranate trees. Let’s take a look at the things that you will need to know about pomegranate tree fruiting. Read ahead to learn all about it:
The months of the year when pomegranate trees produce fruit:
As you already know, these trees take a while to bear fruits. The plants will need about two to three years of growth before they bear fruits.
The months of the year when pomegranate trees produce fruits depend largely on the weather. Therefore, the months are different in the two hemispheres.
Pomegranate fruits mainly ripen during the winter seasons. That is to say, these plants will bear fruits and mature from September to February in the northern hemisphere.
On the other hand, in the southern hemisphere, the months are March to May.
Note that you can pick these fruits a little before they are fully mature. After that, they will ripen shortly after being picked. The fruits generally mature between March to May.
Frequency of fruit production each year:
You will be able to produce these fruits only once a year. That is to say, the frequency of fruit production each year is only once.
Note that these fruits ripen during the winter. So you will be able to enjoy them between late fall to late winter. Afterward, you will have to wait for a new blooming season to indulge in more pomegranates.
Amount of pomegranates produced from a tree each year:
The numbers vary depending on the size of the tree.
In addition, the amount of pomegranate produced from a tree each year gradually increases. Every year, you will get a better production rate than the last.
On average, the annual amount of pomegranates produced from a tree varies between 200 to 250 fruits. However, you can expect the number to grow up to 100 to 150 pomegranates per tree by the time it reaches its tenth year.
What causes a pomegranate tree not to bear fruit?
There are many reasons why your pomegranate tree might not produce fruit. Read ahead to learn some of the reasons that will cause your pomegranate tree not to bear fruit.
lack of water and irrigation:
The primary reason why your pomegranate tree might not bear fruit is a lack of water and irrigation. If you want to ensure that your pomegranate tree reaches its maximum potential, then you will have to ensure that it gets the proper amount of water.
Note that pomegranate plants are rather high-maintenance. These plants will not thrive if they do not get a sufficient amount of water. So you will need to ensure that they have access to enough water for their growth.
And if you know that there are not enough underground water in the area, then you should ensure proper irrigation.
lack of adequate sunlight:
As you already know, these plants thrive during the summer. They need sunlight for healthy growth.
So in order to ensure that your pomegranate plant has a healthy growth and bears fruit, you will have to make sure that they get enough sunlight. These plants do not thrive well in shade or even partial shade.
Tips for encouraging fruiting on pomegranate trees:
In order to encourage fruiting on pomegranate trees, you should follow these tips:
Ensure proper soil pH:
Note that pomegranates have an extensive soil pH tolerance. These plants can tolerate a pH level between 4.5 to 8.2 on the scale. These plants need moderately alkaline soil in order to thrive. So you should ensure that the pH level is suitable.
Adequate light:
These plants need adequate sunlight in order to thrive. So if you want to encourage fruiting on pomegranate trees, you should ensure that the tree has exposure to adequate sunlight. Otherwise, the tree might not bear fruit.
Enough water:
Make sure that you supply enough water to the plant. While they can make do with underground water, sometimes it will fall short.
So in order to encourage fruiting on pomegranate trees, you will need to ensure that you provide enough water through irrigation.
Pruning:
You should run an annual pruning on these plants in order to encourage fruiting. You should prune these plants, especially during the first 3 to 4 years. Otherwise, their growth may be hampered.
Do you need two pomegranate trees to produce fruit?
No, you do not need two pomegranate trees to produce fruit. Most pomegranate trees are fruitful by themselves. You will not need two trees in order to ensure proper fruiting from the trees.
However, if you plant another pomegranate tree beside an existing plant, it will definitely encourage fruiting not just in one of the trees but in both the pomegranate trees.
That is to say, while cross-pollination is not necessary in the case of pomegranate plants, it will definitely bear a better result when it comes to fruiting.
Final thoughts
Pomegranate plants bear fruit 3 to 4 years after they have been planted. Once the plant has fruits, you will need to wait six months for them to ripen. Then you can indulge in bright red and juicy pomegranates. These plants bear fruits once a year and the number of fruits increases every year.