- Author: Toni Greer
One year ago I wrote a blog regarding pomegranate bushes and trees which my husband and I planted up north. Three of the original bushes, which have been in the ground 3-4 yrs have given us our first substantial harvest. The fourth bush was eaten by grasshoppers earlier this year and is now starting to recover. The two trees were planted last year and are too young to produce fruit.
I can tell you that while not being ruby red in color, the flavor is quite good. They were picked a bit early since we weren't sure when we would next be up at the property. I was able to make a yummy salad with the arils and home grown herbs.
While there are many methods of de-seeding poms, my favorite is sitting on plastic covered with newspaper and just breaking into the fruit. If you have an over abundance the arils can be frozen in a single layer on wax paper. Once frozen, put them in a plastic bag and keep frozen until you need a few.
The botanical name for pomegranate is Punica granatum and is either a shrub or small tree. If you are thinking of planting one, place it in the sunniest, warmest part of your yard, or orchard in our case. Once established they do well in drought conditions. However, to have good fruit you must water occasionally. The fruit will appear at the tip of the new growth only, so shorten the branches for the first 3 years carefully. Select the cultivar specifically for your area as with any plant. As note of warning- some of the plants have thorns, pick carefully.
I've loved this fruit since I was very young, whether it was the fruit or the juice and I still love it today.