GROW YOUR OWN

Pomegranate trees make beautiful houseplants, and have been grown for centuries as ornamental plants. They can also be grown outdoors and you can grow your own quite easily.

Inside each jewel-red pomegranate aril is the actual seed, so the first thing to do is to extract this. Squeeze the juice off and wipe off any traces of flesh away – or you can run them under the tap and dry them with kitchen towel. They can be planted immediately or stored for later use.

Plant the seeds at a depth of around 1½cm in moistened seed compost in a pot. Cover the pot with clingfilm or a clear plastic bag and make sure the edges are sealed – you can use a rubber band. Make sure the pot is kept warm, either by keeping near a radiator or using a propagator in a greenhouse. It will take around a month to six weeks for the seeds to germinate, after which remove the plastic covering.

Another way of growing pomegranate seeds is called the ‘paper towel’ or ‘baggie’ method. Take a coffee filter paper (or you could use folded kitchen towel) and dampen it before placing the seeds on one quarter of the filter. Fold the filter into quarters and slide it into a plastic bag with a seal. Place the bag in a warm location and check to see when the seeds germinate, after which move them into pots.

You will need to repot your seedlings after they reach around 10cm tall. Prune them and pinch out new shoots to keep the growth bushy. Once your plant is ready it can go outdoors, preferably in a bright sunny place. It does not need too much watering, but make sure the soil is well drained.

Now all you need is patience as it can take upwards of three years before you see any fruit!