Do pomegranates tolerate heavy root pruning?

[justBonsai]

Hi,

My pomegranate tree started to push buds so I decided to repot it. I don't believe the tree I had was repotted ever as the roots were extremely bound and very thick. I reduced about half of the root mass and took off the thick roots.

I can't find too much information regarding this, but do pomegranate trees tolerate heavy root pruning? I'm a little worried about whether the tree will make it or not as I have never grown pomegranate bonsai before. Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Julian

 

[Ironbeaver]

I'd like to know as well. I keep thinking that I read poms have top growth connected to specific roots, but haven't been able to locate that article again. I'm most likely misremembering. I need to re pot my three pre-bonsai, just waiting for consistent nicer weather.

 

[GrimLore]

This place has an article that appears to pretty much quote what I have read in different publications. Covers initial potting and repotting of them. http://www.bonsaitreegardener.net/types/pomegranate. I don't have one yet but they are on my wish list if decent.

Grimmy

 

[Smoke]

All plants should for the most part tolerate reducing a root ball by half almost yearly. I reduce all my tridents by about 75 percent yearly with no ill effects. Poms will take this with no sweat. Removing large roots all the way to the trunk as long as there are enough feeder roots on the rest of the trunk should be no problem. The pom will also tolerate full sun where you live and I would put the repotted plant there for the next month at least and take advantage of these early spring nice temps.

 

[ColinFraser]

Over the last year, I've had more pomegranate (nana) cuttings take than anything else (except ficus), so they seem to be able to readily crank out some roots when necessary.

I'm going to hit mine pretty hard at their upcoming repotting - out of 5# nursery cans and into . . . how small do I dare go in one go . . . ?

 

[justBonsai]

Over the last year, I've had more pomegranate (nana) cuttings take than anything else (except ficus), so they seem to be able to readily crank out some roots when necessary.

I'm going to hit mine pretty hard at their upcoming repotting - out of 5# nursery cans and into . . . how small do I dare go in one go . . . ?

I repotted mine into a container slightly less than half the depth of the original pit. As I recall I have the exact same kind of pomegranate as you do. I pretty much cut back up to only 3-4 inches, maybe less from the trunk and left as many feeders as I could. I had to use a saw to cut off the bottom because it was rather thick. I'll update how mine responds in a few weeks or so.

 

[bonhe]

Poms will take this with no sweat. Removing large roots all the way to the trunk as long as there are enough feeder roots on the rest of the trunk should be no problem. The pom will also tolerate full sun where you live and I would put the repotted plant there for the next month at least and take advantage of these early spring nice temps.

Hi Bleumeon, I agree with Smoke, but you have to make sure that the new transplanted tree was stayed in the shady area in 6 weeks prior to the full sun.
Bonhe

 

[bonhe]

In the above picture, is the tree at the time of transplant?
Bonhe

 

[justBonsai]

In the above picture, is the tree at the time of transplant?
Bonhe

Yeah. Just about. I misread smoke's post as putting it in the sun after transplanting. Its heating up by midweek so I'll keep it in a shade area.

 

[bonhe]

Yeah. Just about.

It is a little scare when we transplant the plant which has the young leaves coming out! I would transplant the pomegranate in fall when all leaves dropped off or when the leaf buds start swelling up.
Bonhe

 

[Smoke]

You guys are a bunch of scaredy cats..... temps in the seventies right now is hardly hot or damaging to a pom or olive. Now if it shot up to a 100 for a couple weeks that would be different.

Do what you feel is right.....

full sun in February, damaging to a pomegranite, makes me laugh......

All my trees freshly repotted are in full sun right now...the highest it will get here is 77 Wednesday and rain for Thursday.

Good luck

 

[justBonsai]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I try to hit ideal time windows with my repotting but it really falls down to when I have time. My trees are in Arcadia, but I live in Riverside where I attend college. I am fortunate to have yard space and parents who can help with occasional watering, but big things like repotting can only be done when I visit home. The valleys are a bit hotter right now with peak temps at around 90 degrees by Tuesday or so. It should stay between low to mid 80s after that. I'll keep the tree in the shade for this week with 85+ degree temps and bring it back out in the sun after it settles down a bit.

 

[milehigh_7]

I have, on many occasions taken them from 5 gal. cans to 6" strainers with no ill effects whatsoever. They take full sun in Las Vegas if that tells you anything. Many places here they are used as the Southwest facing landscape shrubs.

 

[Anthony]

Al.

is correct, repotting started down here in January, and after a week in shade, the tree goes back into
full sun. Tropics.

However, unlike Al, we only remove 1/3 of the mass, sides and bottom, sometimes less.
Some of the trees are in their 30's and so we are also shifting from yearly/ bi annually to 3 to 5 years
and having to take notes, to remember when.

Pomegranates, nana , granatum and minima, we only remove 1/3 , but the soil mix seems to promote
only fine roots.
We will probably give away the few in the yard, as too much work goes into branching.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[MichaelS]

I repotted mine into a container slightly less than half the depth of the original pit. As I recall I have the exact same kind of pomegranate as you do. I pretty much cut back up to only 3-4 inches, maybe less from the trunk and left as many feeders as I could. I had to use a saw to cut off the bottom because it was rather thick. I'll update how mine responds in a few weeks or so.

Hi Bleumeon, have you or would you consider layering this off just under the head to make a multi trunk? They layer easily and you'll end up with a very interesting specimen plus another...

 

[justBonsai]

Hi Bleumeon, have you or would you consider layering this off just under the head to make a multi trunk? They layer easily and you'll end up with a very interesting specimen plus another...

Hi,
I don't intend to air layer off the top. Most of the crown will be cut back and the central trunk removed and carved. I'll probably do major work and post photos after the new growth hardens and the tree appears vigorous. So far the tree appears to have taken the repotting fine, so for now I'm just letting it recover.

 

[michaelj]

You guys are a bunch of scaredy cats..... temps in the seventies right now is hardly hot or damaging to a pom or olive. Now if it shot up to a 100 for a couple weeks that would be different.

I had mine in the sun, but we actually have temps this week in the 90s, which means well over 100 in the sun, so they are off to afternoon shade now for a while.

 

[justBonsai]

Leaves are still shoving. Looks like it tolerated heavy root pruning just fine--and I took off a lot.

 

[bonsaibp]

Yes they respond well to heavy root pruning as long as they are healthy and growing in good soil. Like Al I repot and put right back in the sun this time of year. They'll recover faster and have smaller leaf size than if put in shade. They're pretty tough if healthy.

 

[milehigh_7]

Well like I said they are used as West facing landscaping here and do pretty well in 120 and 4% humidity...