How to grow Pomegranate in Australia
Loves full sun and heat in well drained soil, and tolerates poor, alkaline ground. Water steadily through fruiting, then ease off as fruit ripens to reduce splitting.
At a glance
- Difficulty: Beginner
- Sun: Full sun
- Water: 6 litres a week, watered every 7 days
- Spacing: 300 cm
- Time to harvest: 365 days (about 1 year)
- Time to germinate: 1 days
- Soil pH: 5.5 to 7.5
- Frost tolerance: Frost hardy
When to sow by region
| Region | When to sow | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | June to August | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | June to August | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | June to August | |
| Melbourne & Victoria | June to August | |
| Adelaide & SA | June to August | |
| Perth & WA | June to August | |
| Tasmania | September and October | Marginal. The bush is hardy but fruit rarely ripens in cool summers. Hottest wall only. Plant Sep to Oct. |
| Canberra & ACT | September and October | Marginal. The bush takes Canberra frost but fruit ripens late and is often caught by the April frosts. Plant Sep to Oct against a hot north wall and choose an early variety. |
| North Queensland | Not suited | Not reliable. Fruit ripens Feb to Mar in the peak of the wet, then splits and rots. Trial orchards at Mareeba have struggled for the same reason. |
| Darwin & Top End | Not suited | Not viable. Needs some winter chill and a dry summer to ripen. Wet season humidity splits and rots fruit. |
Varieties
- Wonderful
- Elche
Companion planting
Good companions
Harvest and storage
Harvest tip
Ready when the skin is deep colour, feels heavy and makes a metallic sound when tapped. Cut with secateurs rather than pulling, as the fruit does not ripen off the tree.
Storage
Bench for 1 week, fridge whole for up to 2 months. Arils freeze well.