North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Lee Reich <leeareich@gmail.com>]

My plant, Sverkhranniy, is allegedly cold-hardy to just below zero degrees F, 
but have it potted and in a cooler for winter. Last spring I moved it into my 
greenhouse once weather warmed. I hand pollinated and, for the first time, 
ripened a fruit. The flavor was disappointing.

 I might give it one more year to prove its worth, ot not. In the many years 
that I’ve grown it, I’ve had very few blossoms and fruit, probably because I 
haven’t allowed it to grow large enough. Gotta keep the pot manageable to 
move around.

Plenty of heat here in summer and, surely, in the greenhouse.

Lee
Lee Reich, PhD
Come visit my farmden at
http://www.leereich.com/blog
http://leereich.com <http://leereich.com/>

Books by Lee Reich:
•The Ever Curious Gardener: Using a Little Natural Science for a Much Better 
Garden
•A Northeast Gardener’s Year
•The Pruning Book
•Weedless Gardening
•Uncommon Fruits for every Garden
•Landscaping with Fruit
•Grow Fruit Naturally
•Growing Figs in Cold Climates
• Fruit: From the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection (Tiny Folio)

> On Jan 23, 2023, at 11:38 PM, Jay Cutts <orders@cuttsreviews.com> wrote:
> 
> I see what you mean about ripening time. Your season may not be long 
> enough. It may also not be hot enough.
> 
> I am in New Mexico at about 4700 feet. We get temperatures here down to a 
> few degrees below zero at times. I have my pomegranates surrounded by a 
> wall of straw bales two layers high. The whole area is covered with a clear 
> tarp and I have heat fixtures inside it that go on at 20 degrees.
> 
> My understanding is that the plants don't want to get below 15 or 20 
> degrees without the tops being killed. I have soft seeded varieties, which 
> are a little less hardy than the hard seeded ones. Younger plants are 
> probably even more susceptible.
> 
> The new leaves in the spring seem to be very sensitive to temperatures 
> below 32.  The straw enclosures make them leaf out early so I have to keep 
> them protected until we are way past a frost danger. The good news is that 
> they get an earlier start at growing. You might also be able to extend the 
> season with the kind of enclosure I described.
> 
> I've had the impression - though I've never tested it out - that dwarf 
> pomegranates may be hardier and may ripen their fruit earlier.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Jay
> 
> Jay Cutts
> Director, Cutts Graduate Reviews
> Lead Author, Barron's MCAT Prep Book
> Lead Author, Barron's MCAT Flash Cards
> Lead Author, Barron's LSAT Prep Book
> (505) 281-0684 (landline, no texts)
> (505) 717-6394 (cell, text or voicemail)
> 10 am to 10 pm Mt Time, 7 days
> 
> On 1/23/2023 7:18 PM, Devin Smith via nafex wrote:
>> Lucky mentioned rooting pomegranates. As it happens, I’m hunting around 
>> for a pomegranate or two that would be viable in my high tunnel here in 
>> VT. I’m generally of the thinking that ripening time is going to be the 
>> crucial thing, not so much hardiness. I’m not sure if I’ll actually be 
>> able to winter it over in the ground or if I’ll need to dig it each year. 
>> We have been duly impressed by the difference floating row cover has made 
>> though, often 5-6 degrees. Also, it’s pretty remarkable how differently 
>> plants respond to cold in the high tunnel. We registered 27 or 28 degrees 
>> several times inside with no sign of frost on tender things like 
>> cucumbers, summer squash, and tomatoes. We have an indoor/outdoor 
>> thermometer with one right at ground level and the other at chest height, 
>> so temp stratification can’t explain it. All of this makes me think that 
>> wrapping may be an option.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Those of you growing pomegranates at the margins, what is your experience 
>> like? How do you protect or overwinter them? What varieties would you 
>> suggest?
>> 
>> Thanks!
>> -Devin SmithRockingham, Vermont
>> __________________
>> nafex mailing list
>> nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
>> Northamerican Allied Fruit Experimenters
>> subscribe/unsubscribe|user config|list info:
>> https://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex
>> 
> 
> __________________
> nafex mailing list
> nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
> Northamerican Allied Fruit Experimenters
> subscribe/unsubscribe|user config|list info:
> https://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex