Growing new pomegranate plants from seeds is usually easy. The planting material is available in large quantities during the fall and winter months. The pomegranate seeds are very germinative, so even an inexperienced hobby gardener can achieve quick success.
How to grow pomegranate from seeds?
To grow pomegranate from seeds, remove the seeds from a ripe fruit, clean them of the pulp and place them in warm water for about 12 hours to pre-soak. Then sow them in potting soil or a sand-peat mixture without covering them. Keep the seeds warm, bright and moist.
When growing new pomegranate plants from seeds, it is not always certain that the self-grown trees will ever bloom. In the garden forums, hobby gardeners often report that pomegranate trees and bushes grown from seeds sometimes only bear flowers for the first time after 10 years.
The decorative, compact pomegranate trees are beautiful container plants even without flowers and fruits. They are robust and easy to care for. Its leathery, shiny green leaves are reddish when they shoot and turn slightly yellow in autumn before the leaves are shed to hibernate in the winter. The pomegranate trees are not hardy and must be overwintered in a frost-free room.
Obtaining and preparing seeds
The pomegranate season begins at the end of August. Care should be taken when opening a ripe pomegranate, as the splashes of juice leave dark red stains on clothing that are difficult to get out. The seeds are carefully removed from the fruit and must be completely removed from the pulp. Then place the seeds in warm water for about 12 hours to pre-swell.
Sowing
- Put some seeds in a pot filled with potting soil or a sand-peat mixture,
- Pomegranate seeds germinate in light, so do not cover them with soil,
- keep the sowing warm, light and moist,
- make sure that no waterlogging forms.
Seedling care
Depending on the temperature, the seeds will germinate after three to six weeks, possibly more. An indoor greenhouse or cover made of clear film will help you maintain an even temperature and humidity. The temperatures of 20-25° C are optimal. Lots of light, but not blazing sun, is important for the good development of the seedlings. These are repotted as soon as the first leaves have formed.
Tips & Tricks
The seeds can be obtained, among other things, by straining the seeds of a purchased pomegranate through a sieve. You can also buy the seeds (€1.00 on Amazon) from specialist exotic plant shops and sow them at any time.