The pomegranate has long been a symbol of fertility in the Mediterranean. It has been a favored crop by the Roman Catholic Church because of its supposed virtues of improving virility, curing epilepsy, and treating colds, colic, inflammation of the lungs, and vomiting. It is said that St. Paul used the pulcher to cure an abscess when he was condemned to death. The fruit was very dear to the early Christians and they wore containers called “solas” to protect their teeth from decay and to ensure they would have food on the religious holidays. Some of the earliest accounts of growing a plant date back to ancient Egypt where it was used as a sunscreen for application to the body after washing.
A common problem for those who are new to growing a pomegranate is knowing just when to get started. There are two different seasons when you can harvest your melons. The first is when the soil is warm and moist; this is called “ossom time.” You should pick your grapes based on the type of soil you have. The second is when the soil is cool and dry.
It is easy to grow a pomegranate but not easy to maintain. You have to be diligent about pruning. The main problem is getting the grape to grow properly. They grow best in full sunlight but if yours does not get that, hang it out during the worst parts of the day. The branches will dry out and the melon will shrink.
Another challenge is keeping the fruit from drying out. You can help keep it moist by putting it in a plastic bag with some water or freeze-drying it. If you don’t do this, it will go bad within a week or two. The sugar content of the juice is what makes it wet. When you try to put it into a dish of water, it will crystallize. When this happens, it is time to cut the tree back to size.
Pomegranate growers should remember that the fruits are fragile. They need to be handled with care. If they are handled roughly, the fibers can snap. The skin will also be damaged if it is bitten or pinched. When you grow a pomegranate, it is important to handle it properly so the fruit will develop a strong stem.
Anyone who has tried to grow a pomegranate knows that it takes a lot of work. If you are a grower, you will want to use all the tools you can find to get the fruit to grow. Pomegranate growers often have to buy several tools when they get started. The best advice for the new grower is to buy everything you can afford so that you don’t have to waste money on useless tools. The sooner you get started, the more fruit you will harvest!