If you consider yard orchards, apples, peaches, or blueberries would possibly come to thoughts. However do you know you may efficiently develop pomegranate bushes outside in zones 8 and above? With the appropriate care and endurance, you may take pleasure in homegrown variations of those distinctive, juicy fruits.

Nonetheless, pomegranate bushes don’t all the time bear fruit. They may produce flowers that drop earlier than setting fruit, or they might not flower in any respect. Both method, coping with an absence of pomergranates might be irritating.

It’s useful to look at some widespread the explanation why your pomegranate tree isn’t producing. After studying by means of the checklist, you may decide if any of the explanations apply to your state of affairs. To get you began, I’ll introduce seven doable causes for an absence of fruit and provide options to assist repair the issue.

Tree Is Too Younger

Since pomegranate bushes develop as woody perennials, they don’t produce flowers of their first 12 months of development. As a substitute, they spend their vitality rising a sturdy root system and forming lush foliage. After just a few years of improvement, the vegetation can start exerting vitality on flower and fruit manufacturing.

In case your tree is younger and appears wholesome regardless of an absence of pomergranates, it’s doubtless too immature to flower. Most pomegranate bushes will start producing free within the second or third 12 months after planting. Quite a few elements influence when a tree begins flowering;  the tree’s dimension at planting, the local weather, daylight, and water provide all influence when flowers kind.

You also needs to bear in mind that bushes will produce a small quantity of flowers and fruit of their first 12 months of manufacturing. If you happen to solely spot a handful of flowers, don’t fret! The bushes will produce extra flowers and fruit as they mature. Nonetheless, in case your plant isn’t producing by 12 months 5, there’s doubtless one other trigger accountable.

Not Sufficient Gentle

Pomegranate bushes thrive in full solar. They will tolerate just a few hours of morning or afternoon shade however require at the very least eight hours of direct mild to stay wholesome. A scarcity of sunshine can result in stunted development, elevated susceptibility to illness, leggy vegetation, and/or an absence of flowers.

In case your plant continues to be younger and also you’ve realized you planted it in an space that’s too shady, you may dig up the plant and transfer it to a extra appropriate location. The perfect time to transplant is the late winter or early spring—you wish to intention for the time simply earlier than bud break happens.

This time is good for 2 causes. First, the tree can be much less vulnerable to emphasize if you happen to dig it up whereas it’s dormant, and the spring heat will encourage the tree to settle into its new dwelling.

When in search of an acceptable location, examine the sunshine at totally different instances of the 12 months. Because the solar’s angle adjustments all year long, an space might obtain solely an hour of shade in the summertime however six hours within the winter. The perfect location is usually an open space freed from obstructions or the south-facing facet of a house or constructing.

Not Sufficient Water

Though pomegranates are recognized for his or her drought tolerance, they nonetheless require common irrigation to thrive. An ample moisture provide is particularly essential within the first few years of a tree’s development and in the course of the months of fruit improvement.

Since pomegranates produce flowers within the spring and ripe fruits within the fall, it is best to pay particular consideration to summer time irrigation. Sizzling, dry climate can shortly trigger drought stress, which might result in flower drop or inhibit pomergranate improvement.

When pomegranates lack water, they shut their stomata (leaf pores) to preserve moisture. The closed pores hold water within the vegetation, however the vegetation additionally expertise bother cooling themselves.

Researchers have discovered that pomegranate bushes exhibit decreased vegetative development and fruit yields when water availability falls beneath the perfect stage. If you happen to underwater the bushes for a number of years, the consequences can compound and result in weak bushes with poor canopies.

So, how typically do you have to water your vegetation to maintain them wholesome? Consultants on the College of Florida suggest irrigating deeply about as soon as per week when situations are dry. It’s essential to maintain your irrigation schedule as constant as doable all through the rising season. A sudden improve in water after a dry spell can lead fruits to separate open.

You possibly can water the bushes by hand with a watering can or hose. Nonetheless, putting in drip irrigation in your bushes could make it simpler to water. You can even set the drip system on a timer to make sure your plant receives a constant provide of water.

Too A lot Water

Like all vegetation, pomegranate bushes want water to thrive. Nonetheless, an excessive amount of water may cause simply as a lot stress as not sufficient. This stress can result in issues with flower manufacturing, fruit set, and maturation, all of which might result in an absence of pomegranates.

So, how a lot water is an excessive amount of? rule of thumb is to water your vegetation deeply at the very least as soon as per week in the course of the first rising season. If it rains sufficiently, you may skip your weekly watering. You can even lower irrigation within the late fall by means of early spring; throughout this time, you solely must water if the soil is dry.

Together with noting how typically you water, you also needs to take a look at the soil and drainage. Pomegranates can develop in soil excessive in clay and sand, in addition to something in between. Nonetheless, the bushes require enough soil drainage to stay wholesome. If you happen to discover that water is forming puddles, it is best to work to enhance the drainage.

Sadly, enhancing soil drainage is tough after your pomegranate is within the floor. Nonetheless, you may alter the soil earlier than planting. Aerating the bottom with a digging fork or broadfork will enhance drainage. You can even combine in compost to lift the extent of soil natural matter and enhance compacted soils.

Poor Pollination

In case your pomegranate plant produces loads of flowers however no fruit, it may very well be an indication of improper pollination. Pomegranate flowers are sometimes self-pollinated, which implies the feminine components of a flower obtain pollen from the identical flower. Nonetheless, cross-pollination additionally typically happens in pomegranates. This kind of pollination happens when pollinators like hummingbirds or bees switch pollen from one flower to a different.

Though cross-pollination isn’t crucial, it does improve yield. Due to this fact, an absence of pollinators can result in restricted pomergranate manufacturing.

One solution to improve cross-pollination is to carry extra pollinators to your backyard. Offering a water supply, rising numerous flowering vegetation, and avoiding broad-spectrum pesticides will all encourage pollinators to go to your backyard. Planting native vegetation will even present habitat and meals for helpful pollinators like butterflies and bees.

If you happen to’re determined, you may hand pollinate your pomegranate flowers. This includes utilizing a small paintbrush to switch the pollen from one flower’s stamens to a different’s stigma. Whereas this may increasingly sound difficult, it merely includes gently swirling the paintbrush in the course of one open flower after which finishing the identical course of on one other flower.

Improper Pruning

Normally, pomegranates don’t require heavy pruning. Eradicating lifeless and crossing branches is all of the vegetation want to stay wholesome. Nonetheless, you can even prune your pomegranate to encourage it to develop as a trailing shrub or upright tree.

It doesn’t matter what kind of pruning you undertake, keep away from eradicating an excessive amount of wooden directly. Not solely will aggressive pruning stress the plant, however it may well additionally take away fruiting wooden.

Pomegranates kind flowers and fruit on second-year wooden, so eradicating an excessive amount of woody development can take away all second-year wooden. If you happen to do that, you’ll find yourself with no flowers and fruit!

You’re Rising a Flowering Pomegranate

If you happen to’re fascinated with including a pomegranate to your backyard, you need to be conscious there are two essential sorts: fruiting and flowering. Whereas each sorts will produce massive, lovely flowers, the flowering varieties is not going to produce fruits. Due to this fact, don’t simply seize a pomegranate plant from a nursery and anticipate it to fruit.