Pomegranate sprouts: what do shoots from a seed look like in a photo, can it develop from seed, how to choose a frost-resistant seedling and where to buy it?

Pomegranate is a very healthy fruit, a real storehouse of vitamins and minerals. The natural desire of many flora lovers is the desire to have this plant in the house or in the garden.

About some nuances of reproduction and purchase of pomegranate seedlings this article. In the photo we show how the pomegranate sprouts look.

We will also describe in detail how to care for a young plant and what to do if there are no seedlings on the planted pomegranate. You will find out when you can transfer the pomegranate to another pot.

What do seed sprouts look like?

Shoots appear in the form of a whitish hook-shaped shoot, which, as it grows, straightens and acquires a pale green hue. Gradually, from each “hook” a sprout is formed with two round leaves that are completely unlike pomegranate leaves.

After a while, they grow up and give a second and third pair of leaves. Immediately visually, you can determine which sprout will be viable, and which is better to get rid of. A healthy sprout looks strong, resilient, richly green. Excessively thin, elongated, weak and yellowish sprouts should be removed from the pot.

Photo

In the photo below, you can get acquainted with the appearance of pomegranate seedlings.

How many days after planting seedlings germinate from seed?

Pomegranate seeds have good germination - 80% - 90%. Depending on the conditions of detention and the care provided, the first seedlings may appear soon. But it should be noted that the seedlings sprout unevenly: some come to light after 1.5 - 2 weeks, others may not appear until 3 - 6 months.

An important role in the process of seed germination is played by the time of year in which the sowing was carried out. Pomegranate is a southern plant, besides photosensitive. Accordingly, in the spring-summer period, the process of hatching of the sprouts will be quick, but the seeds sown in autumn and winter will need additional illumination to accelerate the germination process and the full development of the sprouts.

Important! It must be remembered that during the propagation of any plant by seeds, including pomegranate, varietal characters of the mother plant are not preserved.

The reasons for the lack of seedlings

The reasons for which the sprouts did not appear on time include the "freshness" of the seeds, non-compliance with the requirements for the sowing process, in particular, the stage of preliminary soaking of seeds was missed, non-compliance with the temperature regime (in the room should be about + 25 ° C), lack of additional lighting in the cold season.

Primarily it is necessary to analyze: have all the conditions and requirements for sowing seeds and care for the expected sprouts been met. If something is missing, then it is necessary to eliminate all the shortcomings in the near future. And henceforth, of course, one should be more careful: be sure to check the shelf life on the package of seeds, carefully study the planting instructions.

Effective measures that will help young sprouts to appear to the light nevertheless include some actions.

Watering with Epina solution: the concentration of the drug in water must comply with the instructions, which must be placed on the packaging.
Soaking seeds in Epin: some flower growers advise to extract seeds from the soil, soak them again in the Epina or Zircon solution (according to the instructions) and sow them again in the soil.

Can I buy a ready-made seedling?

If you do not have enough time and patience to wait for emergence of seedlings or if you don’t want to experiment with the taste qualities of future fruits, then you can buy a ready-made seedling of pomegranate.

Where to get?

Of course, in order to purchase pomegranate seedlings, you can turn to the services of an online store, especially since there are currently a sufficient number of them. However, in this case, you should look for the necessary options on the pages of well-proven sites, otherwise you can buy what is called a "pig in a poke".

You can resort to sites that place private ads and find a private person who wants to sell the desired escape. But still it’s better to go to the nearest specialized store or a special nursery and make a purchase there. It is with a visual inspection of the seedlings that you can verify the quality of the planting material.

How to choose the right one?

When buying pomegranate seedlings, you need to evaluate in which place it is sold: crossings and curbs are not the best places to buy quality goods. If the seller does not have special documents, it’s not worth the risk. The best place to shop is garden centers or nurseries!

When visual inspection should pay attention to the state of the root system of the seedling: if the roots are few or unhealthy (peeling, thickening, etc.), then you do not need to buy a plant. A healthy root system looks powerful, resilient, without damage, with a large number of branched small roots. Inspection of the pomegranate seedling bark will also provide useful information: a healthy bark is smooth and without visible damage.

It’s not worth chasing a sufficiently “mature” plant. Yes, it is stronger and more viable, but it will hurt for a long time and may not take root at all. On the other hand, one should not buy too young a tree. The optimal height of the purchased pomegranate for growing in open ground should be at least 70 cm and have a minimum of 4 healthy side shoots.

How to choose a frost-resistant seedling?

Frost-resistant pomegranate seedling is a relative concept. Even the most hardy varieties will not survive the frosts -15С - 20С. And this is without taking into account the strong gusty wind, which is so rich in winter weather.

Therefore, if pomegranate grows in open ground, then shelter should be a mandatory step in preparation for the winter.

It is necessary to read special literature in advance and get acquainted with the list of winter-hardy varieties. When buying, be sure to specify the name of the variety. In addition, in specialized garden centers, a tag with the main characteristics is attached to each seedling, frost resistance is one of them.

Cost

In Moscow and the Moscow Region, pomegranate seedlings can be purchased at a price of 600 rubles or more. In St. Petersburg - from 250 rubles and above. But the prices are relative: you can contact a private person through the announcements and agree on a purchase. The price, in this case, is much lower.

How to care?

When seed propagation after emergence, the container must be placed in a bright, warm place.
It will be nice if you can provide lower heating for the container (can be installed on the battery).
Seedlings should be periodically moistened with a spray gun: the soil should never dry out.
It is also important to systematically open the film or the roof with which the container is covered to ventilate the seedlings, otherwise they can rot.
If pomegranate sprouts appeared in autumn or winter, then they definitely need additional lighting.

When can I carry?

In another pot

With the advent of two to three true leaves, the sprout can be transplanted into an individual potwhile shortening its spine by a third. It should not be deep, since the root system of the pomegranate is superficial.

Reference! Soil for planting pomegranate can be purchased at the store, or you can cook it yourself: mix leaf humus, peat, sand, turf in a ratio of 2: 1: 1: 4.

In open ground

When the seedling reaches about 50 cm in height, it can be transplanted into the open ground in spring. Such a plant will bloom in 3 to 4 years, and will begin to bear fruit in 4 to 5 years.

Pomegranate is a very unpretentious plant that requires warmth and basic care. Therefore, there is nothing difficult in the reproduction of this plant or in its cultivation. Enough to be patient, and the results will not take long.