Hi there, fellow enthusiasts! Some of you may remember me, Oslo Bobby, from my topic 6 months ago regarding what to do with my new pomegranate sprouts during wintertime her in Norway. After considering some feedback from you professionals, I ended up letting the two little sprouts stay in the window sill throughout winter, with little water and no food... Since I really appriciated your help, I wanted to update you guys on what happened Anyhow, during fall last year, I placed the plants inside by the window with the longest period of sun. Since the temperature stayed at normal 20 degrees celsius, the sprouts started to loose their leaves quite early since the sun became weaker. But, to my big suprise, already around february (with som periods of sun), they resprouted and started an early growth season. They have grown alot these last months, and now I water them regulary and feed them with 6-weeks-lasting bio-sticks, and I put them outside during midday on the warmest days... Heres how they look now: ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting Now, I have a few more questions as to what I do from now. My goal with these to plants, is to make a homemade bonzai tree out of one of them, and a big outside potplant which hopefully will bear fruits after som time. As you can see on the picture, they grow still alot in height, (hence the supporting stick), but not much in width, their wood is still quite thin... What I'd really like to know, is when I should start trimming and cutting them? And, should I start putting them in greenhouse? Oh, and one more thing... As you can see on the pictures, some of the leaves (mostly the lower ones) are starting to become yellow and dry out at the tip... what causes this? Thanks for reading! I'd appriciate any feedback!
Hi Oslo_Bobby. Sorry I can't help with your pomegranite - but its lovely to get some feedback and a picture. Congratulations on your success. My only comment is if you want a big plant - put it in a big pot and feed well. But if you want a bonzai, keep it in a pot that is too small and don't feed it.
Hello Bobby. Lovely to see how your Pomegrantes have progressed through the winter. Miniature Pomegrantes are readily available for sale here. I have Bonsaid plants for some 18 years now. It all depends on how large you wish your specimens to be as a Bonsai can be whatever size you desire. All it means is a tree in a pot. I have seen them at the Bonsai center here hundreds of years old and a couple of meters tall ... the price is quite mind boggling, four figures! Yellowing of the lower leaves is normal. Now Peter, I do have to disagree with you here because a Bonsai of any size can have a little feed several times a year. It is particularly good to have one in it's infancy to encourage new growth. It is good you are giving them some fresh air because you must always remember they are trees and their normal habitat is the great outdoors .. they do not like indoor heated conditions. Let the pots dry out a little and then water. This week we have been 25-27c in the day and I have had to water mine twice a day. Bobby, when you have decided what height you wish your tree to be, pinch out the top to encourage new side shoots for the tree to bush out. You can also remove the lower leaves to create a trunk. I cannot tell what size your pots are 15cm? You should wait a couple of years to trim the roots which will then restrict the growth. With luck you can have little fruits on them in a couple of years.
They look to be growing well Bobby well done in getting them through the winter. I cant help regarding bonsai I'm afraid, but if you want one to grow large but in a pot I'd suggest you pot one of them on, into a larger pot as it fills the existing pot with roots. This will keep the plant growing all summer. The lower leaves will tend to die off from time to time, its nothing to worry about. As to making them bush out, pinching back the new shoots as they grow will make the plants bushier, you could try making a "standard" of one, that is, a single stem up to a certain height with a bushy head on the top, at the desired height. I'm not sure what temperatures you get during winter but I find pomegranate can take quite a bit of frost and prefers to be at least cool in winter. Mine, outdoors are just starting into growth, best not to get them frosted once the new leaves form, so you need to decide for yourself if its safe to put them in the greenhouse.
That's interesting Victoria - about feeding bonzai. I didn't know that. Perhaps I should just comment on things that I do know about. :D But that would be very booring - I wouldn't have much to say at all. :D
Wow, I must say, this is truly the friendliest forum I've ever experienced!! I dont know what I would do without you, thank you for every bit of feedback, I feel much safer now! Thank you for your gratulations! Im happy they turned out the way they did The plants have only been in the pots which they are in now, for 3 weeks, and the pots are about 9 centimeters... Anyhow, to answer some of your questions, and to ask some more of mine: When I comes to size and structure of the bonsai tree... Structure, I was thinking just the ordinary "tree'ish" look with a straight leaf-less thick log with a round bushy green top... Exactly like this: When it comes to height, I'm thinking something in the area of 20 centimeters. So, do you suggest that once the future bonsai-sprout reaches that height, I should frequently trim the top to prevent further growth in height? Will that enhance root-growth and help the leaves and the wood to grow more in width? Now, the leaves that are turning yellow, is that because they've been burnt out in the sun? Should i cut off the leaves wich are turning yellow? These days, we have pretty nice weather in Norway with lots of sun and 20 degrees celsius,, is there any reason to put the plants a greenhouse?
Bobby, I would keep pinching out the growing point after it has formed there or four pairs of leaves, if you want a tight bushy head to the plant. Any yellow leaves will fall off on their own accord when ready. If your get 20C I'd put the plants outside and only move into the greenhouse if frost threatens.
Thanks! I'll be uploading some new pictures soon! One thing I may have done wrong, was that I pinched the top of the plant that I ment to be the big pot-plant. I shouldnt have done that I think, because i wanted that one the grow taller, now the top of it grows in a Y-shape... Is there anything I can do to make the top grow in a l-shape again? Oh, and Pete, when you say that I should place the plants outside, do you then mean all day AND night? Also when its less sunny and raining? In other words, 24/7?
I'm thinking they should be outside all the time now Bobby, see its pretty warm up your way right now. You can leave out until the first frosts start. They are not tropical plants and can take a fair degree of cold. Only thing to do to get back to a single stem is to cut one of the two back to the point where they divide, if you get further small shoots from that area just rub off the buds as they form.
Hey guys! Greetings from Bobby here, wishing you a great summer! I'm spending my holiday on a cabin we own south of oslo, by the sea, before I'm leaving for the military in the beginning og august. Now, my pomegranate plants have spent the last 2 months or so (since the last post in this topic) being outside all day and night, be moved to have a much time as possible in the sun (from sunrise to sunset). Unforunately, my plants' condition has gotten worse, and I HAVE NO IDEA WHY! Thats why Im coming to you guys for help I just moved to plants into bigger pots with new nutricious dirt, so that cant be the problem. THey are regulary getting watered. They get plenty of sun. And I am also giving them long-lasting plant-nutrition-sticks (although I forgot it at home, so now recently i gave them hen/rooster-fertilizer for the first time (dont know the exact english word for that kind of fertilizer, but you know what i mean)). I've attached 2 pictures of the plants, and they are in quite bad condition, so I'd appriciate any help I can get to get my plants back on its feet ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting ImageShack® - Online Photo and Video Hosting Best regards OB
Not really sure what is going on there Bobby, look OK but I guess not making any new growth. I'd cut out the feeding, you dont need that after potting on, for at least a month or more. Go easy on the watering, they are fairly drought tolerant, so dont over do it. bearing in mind no active growth.
