Tips

Pruning pomegranate

The importance of good pruning

The pomegranate is a particular shrub of oriental origin, widely cultivated also in the western territories. In particular, large and characteristic pomegranate plantations can be observed mainly in the temperate climate zones. But this particular type of tree is mainly for ornamental purposes, so it can also be grown in the garden. In the cultivation process of this particular plant, the pruning operation seems to be of central importance. In fact, the execution of an optimal and adequate pomegranate pruning ensures an increase in the level of productivity to the shrub during the growing season. In addition, with the practices of pruning the damaged and rotten parts of the

When it is necessary to carry out pomegranate pruning

The most suitable period for pomegranate pruning is the end of the winter season, precisely between the end of February and the beginning of March. The main reason why this pomegranate tree pruning procedure takes place in this specific period of the year is represented by the fact that, by doing so, the plant is acted upon before the vegetative season, thus preparing it to face the event in the manner best. Furthermore, during this delicate procedure, all those parts of the pomegranate tree that have suffered extensive damage during the past months, due to the harsh winter temperatures, are cut and removed. It is advisable that expert personnel who know how to move should perform this delicate operation.

Pruning tools and tips

First of all, it is extremely necessary to work in compliance with the most important hygiene rules. Adopting these measures is important, in order to avoid contaminating the plant, thus affecting its state of well-being. Therefore, the operator must always use properly clean gloves, as well as the instrumentation must always be suitably disinfected and sterilized. The most used tools are scissors, shears and hacksaw. The former are mainly used for particularly thin branches, unlike the hacksaw which is used for more consistent branches. Shears are mostly used for resizing the tree canopy. It is necessary to have a substance with a healing action at hand to be applied after the cut.

The pomegranate pruning: main types

Adult pomegranate tree pruning is referred to as production or maintenance pruning. This type of procedure involves cutting and eliminating all superfluous and damaged structures of the tree. Furthermore, during this operation, carried out on a regular basis from year to year, we also proceed with the thinning of the foliage. In this way, spaces are created through which the light manages to affect the entire surface of the pomegranate tree. Instead, the type of pruning that is performed in the first years of the plant’s life is called training pruning. As the definition itself suggests, it is basically aimed at giving the most suitable shape to the developing shrub. Furthermore, this is also performed regularly and by experienced operators.