Picking Pomegranates - Learn About Harvesting Pomegranate Fruit

When harvesting pomegranate fruit, pick when the fruit is fully ripe and a deep red in color since it does not continue to ripe post-harvest. Begin picking pomegranates when the fruit makes a metallic sound when you tap it with your finger.

1. How can you tell if a pomegranate is ready to be picked?
2. What month do you pick pomegranates?
3. How long does it take to get fruit from a pomegranate tree?
4. How do you harvest pomegranate seeds?
5. What is the best way to eat a pomegranate?
6. Do pomegranates ripen on the counter?
7. Do pomegranates need to be refrigerated?
8. How much do pomegranates cost?
9. Why do pomegranates split on the tree?
10. Where is the best place to plant a pomegranate tree?
11. How can you tell if a pomegranate flower is male or female?
12. Do you need 2 pomegranate trees to produce fruit?
13. What are the side effects of pomegranate?
14. Do you have to wash pomegranate seeds before you eat them?
15. Can you eat the pomegranate seeds?
16. What animal eats pomegranates?
17. What are the benefits of eating a pomegranate?
18. How much pomegranate should I eat a day?

How can you tell if a pomegranate is ready to be picked?

Skin on pomegranate fruits shifts from being smooth and hard to slightly rough and softer as they ripen. Skin on ripe fruits should be easy to scratch with a fingernail. Mature fruits often crack as arils swell or in response to rain and high humidity. Mature fruits with any skin cracking are usually ready for harvest.

What month do you pick pomegranates?

Pomegranate harvesting begins in August. The fruit does not continue to ripen after harvest and should be picked when fully ripe for best eating quality. The fruit is ready for harvest if it makes a metallic sound when tapped.

How long does it take to get fruit from a pomegranate tree?

Some patience is required when growing a pomegranate tree, as it takes five to seven months for fruit to become mature and the tree itself needs two to three years before it bears more than a couple of fruits.

How do you harvest pomegranate seeds?

Points to remember

1. Roll the fruit first to loosen the seeds.
2. Score around the middle and tear it open into halves.
3. Hold each half over a bowl, seeds facing down and tap the skin with a wooden spoon, squeezing a little to release the seeds.
4. Alternatively, score 4 lines from top to bottom to quarter the pomegranate.

What is the best way to eat a pomegranate?

There are two main ways to eat pomegranate on its own: Eat the arils with a spoon, like you would eat a bowl of cereal. You can eat the hard seeds, or spit them out. You can also cut the pomegranate into large chunks, pick them up, and bite down on the seeds.

Do pomegranates ripen on the counter?

However pomegranates are a fruit that ripens on the tree and not off the tree. When you buy one in the store or at a market, they are ready to eat immediately. You don't have to leave them out on the counter, or put them in a paper bag, or anything like that. It's go time right from the get go.

Do pomegranates need to be refrigerated?

Pomegranate keeping quality is similar to that of apples. They should be kept in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, out of direct sunlight. Whole fruit can be refrigerated and will keep as long as 2 months. ... Pomegranate arils can be frozen for later use.

How much do pomegranates cost?

But at $3.99 for a four-ounce container (according to POM Wonderful), that can get pretty expensive -- especially when you consider a whole pomegranate sells for about $2 to $3, and one fruit can produce as many as eight ounces of seeds depending on its size. Why pay $2 more -- twice as much!

Why do pomegranates split on the tree?

If a dry spell (no rain or no watering) is followed by a sudden influx of water, the cells inside the fruit expand faster than the skin cells. Because the skin cells don't expand as rapidly, they get pulled apart, resulting in the split.

Where is the best place to plant a pomegranate tree?

When picking a location for your tree, try to find a well-drained area with sandy loam soil. This is the best for pomegranates, but as long as there is good drainage your tree should thrive. Place your tree in full sun for the best growth and production rate.

How can you tell if a pomegranate flower is male or female?

The individual flowers can be perfect, meaning both male and female parts are found together in a single flower. Other flowers found on the same shrub can be imperfect, meaning they are single-sex. The imperfect flowers on pomegranates are male only, so they produce pollen and then fall to the ground.

Do you need 2 pomegranate trees to produce fruit?

The pomegranate is both self-pollinated and cross-pollinated by insects. This means you only need one pomegranate bush or tree to get fruit. There is very little wind dispersal of pollen so most of the pollination is done by bees. ... The best way to do that is to plant more pollen-heavy flowers in your garden.

What are the side effects of pomegranate?

Some people can have allergic reactions to pomegranate fruit. Pomegranate extract is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth or applied to the skin. Some people have experienced sensitivity to pomegranate extract. Symptoms of sensitivity include itching, swelling, runny nose, and difficulty breathing.

Do you have to wash pomegranate seeds before you eat them?

Because the seeds are filled with juice they readily sink to the bottom of the bowl, while the airy, white interior of the pomegranate floats to the top. ... Continue to rinse and drain the seeds until no more pieces of pomegranate interior float on the water.

Can you eat the pomegranate seeds?

Pomegranate seeds are different from the arils, which are the sweet, juice-filled pulps that this fruit is known for. The seeds themselves appear to be perfectly edible. They are a good source of antioxidants, insoluble fiber, and punicic acid.

What animal eats pomegranates?

The squirrels thoroughly damage/eat the pomegranates. If left on the tree, the birds come in and eat what is left. So...

What are the benefits of eating a pomegranate?

Here are some of the potential benefits of pomegranate.

• Antioxidants. Pomegranates have been eaten throughout history for their health benefits. ...
• Vitamin C. ...
• Cancer prevention. ...
• Alzheimer's disease protection. ...
• Digestion. ...
• Anti-inflammatory. ...
• Arthritis. ...
• Heart disease.

How much pomegranate should I eat a day?

Recommended daily amount. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends that a person eats 2 cups of fruit per day. Pomegranates and their seeds are a nutrient-dense and low-calorie way to hit this target.