Digging a Large Pomegranate

[ColinFraser]

OK Nuts, I will have an opportunity to collect a Pomegranate tree from a friend's property in the next week or so. I've had some success with other species and landscape collection, but I've never dug a Pom before. If you have any tips or tricks, I'm all ears.

I know they're hardy, and my climate is very mild, so I have high hopes for success. Here's an old "street view" shot of the tree in front of the house a few years ago.


Obviously I'll update with photos as things progress

 

[michaelj]

They are tough. You should do well, even though it's fully leafed out.

 

[bonhe]

I don't know how big the trunk base is, but I have a few tips:
1. Some roots will be big and long! Try to save them as much as you could because you can make them into interesting bonsai specimens later on.
2. If it has multiple trunks, you can separate those trunks into different trees (remember that the pomegranate can be easily propagated through the big cutting - of course with critical post-cutting care)
3. Put them in the good drainage soil with more inorganic contents (pumice, coarse sands, etc...)
4. Can remove all the upper trunk and branches (pomegranate can have new growths from the old wood).
Good luck!
Bonhe

 

[bonsaibp]

Bonhe advice is on the money. Have at it they are one of the easiest trees to collect. Heck I've taken cuttings as big as my thigh.

 

[bonhe]

Bonhe advice is on the money. Have at it they are one of the easiest trees to collect. Heck I've taken cuttings as big as my thigh.

How is about the 17" diameter cutting?
Bonhe

 

[bonsaibp]

This was two years after rooting. Now its living in PA I believe.

 

[ColinFraser]

Thanks guys. It sounds like I can treat it a lot like an olive - takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'

3. Put them in the good drainage soil with more inorganic contents (pumice, coarse sands, etc...)

I was thinking I might just use straight pumice (I have a lot of dry-stall laying around). What do you think about that?

 

[bonhe]

Thanks guys. It sounds like I can treat it a lot like an olive - takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'
You're welcome.
Yes, it is exactly similar to olive!

I was thinking I might just use straight pumice (I have a lot of dry-stall laying around). What do you think about that?
I did not use straight pumice. I used pumice: pine bark with 3:1 ratio. However, for the cutting of all species, I have been using whatever bonsai soil I found around my garden, and it has worked well (I never discarded the used bonsai soil after transplanting. I just kept it in the nursery pot to use for cutting. But be careful! If you have the infected soil, you must not reuse that soil)
Bonhe

 

[ColinFraser]

Well, I completed phase one today - removing most of the upper branching and cramming it in my hatchback!

 

[ColinFraser]

. . . and here's what's left. I'll go back for it in a few days.


Obviously I will cut it back much more, but I didn't feel like sawing in the rain today, and the car was mostly full with the lopper-able stuff.

 

[ColinFraser]

Not a clue about variety, but the fruit and the foliage seem small - bonus!

 

[CWTurner]

That looks a good bit bigger than in your first photo. Gonna be a big job getting it outta there so close to the steps and home.
Are you going to try rooting any of the "lopperable" stuff?
This is interesting. Keep us posted.
CW

 

[ColinFraser]

That looks a good bit bigger than in your first photo. Gonna be a big job getting it outta there so close to the steps and home.
Are you going to try rooting any of the "lopperable" stuff?
This is interesting. Keep us posted.
CW

Yes, I'm readying my hatchet and reciprocating saw for an afternoon of "fun". The steps are getting demolished in the next week, so at least I don't have to be careful about them

I put quite a few of the branches I brought home in a barrel with some water, since I can't get to them right away. If I get around to it in the next couple of days, I will try to root some interesting pieces.

I'm also planning to try and root some of the larger trunk segments that will come off next . . .

 

[sorce]

I wanna see these come up in the tree selling forum in about 2-4 years.

I think you got the chops to create some good "taper and a half" starters.

I've only seen seedlings and lame halfass starts for sale.

Good Skill.

Sorce

 

[bonhe]

Not a clue about variety, but the fruit and the foliage seem small - bonus!

I agree.
You have a nice one right there! If you have big yard, you should try to do cutting as much as you could.
Bonhe

 

[ColinFraser]

I agree.
You have a nice one right there! If you have big yard, you should try to do cutting as much as you could.
Bonhe

What are your thoughts about leaving vs. removing foliage from the cuttings as I plant them?

 

[bonhe]

I would not remove foliage, but I cut each leaf into half.
Make sure you give them ample humidity!
Good luck
Bonhe

 

[ColinFraser]

Now you see it . . . Now you don't!

 

[ColinFraser]

It was quite an interesting dig, and it came out in several pieces, including this weirdo:



I didn't cut the top off; this is a sprout from an older stump that was buried in the mass of trunks.

 

[ColinFraser]