I noticed that they had reduced the price of pomegranates at the store last week. From $3.99 to $2.99-each. Wow! Here's a fruit that is easy to grow, thrives in rubbish soil and only the water that nature sends. Sunshine a must. The fruits transport well and have a long shelf life. So what's the big deal. Are we the only ones who enjoy this fruit?
This is my favorite bunch, hanging over the wall into the sunken garden. They are the reddest I have ever seen. Not that a redness is a requirement for juicy red seeds. It doesn't seem to matter. I have dull brown ones whose seeds are just as plump and juicy.
The bad news is that all that rain we had a couple of weeks ago had exactly the same effect as it did on the tomatoes. The skin of tomatoes is pretty thin so splits show up almost overnight. On the pomegranate, with its tough, leather like skin, ( the Romans used to tan the skins to make a kind of leather) it took a little longer.
So, it's time to get busy removing those little plump gems and sprinkling them our morning cereal.
This is my favorite bunch, hanging over the wall into the sunken garden. They are the reddest I have ever seen. Not that a redness is a requirement for juicy red seeds. It doesn't seem to matter. I have dull brown ones whose seeds are just as plump and juicy.
The bad news is that all that rain we had a couple of weeks ago had exactly the same effect as it did on the tomatoes. The skin of tomatoes is pretty thin so splits show up almost overnight. On the pomegranate, with its tough, leather like skin, ( the Romans used to tan the skins to make a kind of leather) it took a little longer.
So, it's time to get busy removing those little plump gems and sprinkling them our morning cereal.
I love poms. I buy them as soon as they show up in our grocery stores. Usually, the first ones are pretty small, but by December, the big ones arrive and I buy several at a time. Love them and wish I could grow them here.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed that our pomegranates are starting to turn red, all three of them. How do I know for sure that it's time to pick them?
ReplyDeleteI used to love pomegranates when I lived in England, but they just don't seem the same here, so I just got out of the habit of getting them. Perhaps I should grow my own!!
ReplyDeleteWill the split ones still be okay, Rock Rose?
ReplyDeleteFour years in, we've had a few flowers but not one pomegranate on our 'Wonderful'. It does want more sun but I'm not the boss of that.
On the other hand, the dwarf pomegranate has made a few fruits in part sun but they're more ornamental than edible
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Wow, that last picture brought back some memories. We had several huge pom trees in our yard when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great picture of the fall season in South Central Texas.
ReplyDeleteCarol- I certainly hope you don't have to play the prices we have to pay here in Austin.
ReplyDeleteMeredith- I think it is trail and error. Pick one and see how sweet he seeds are. I lose a lot to them falling of the tree, which means they have gone too far.
Jayne- Nothing to lose. time to plant is the bare roots in Jan.
Annie- Yes the split ones are fine. We just juiced a pile of split ones but I think we will just drink the juice and not freeze it. The ornamental ones are pretty but I think you are right they are for show.
Bob- How come you don't have any in your orchard. Could it be you are not partial to the fruit, Bob?
Abbey- Yes, we don't get much color here so the poms are a treat for the eye as well as the table.
I've been eating my homegrown in Dallas poms for a couple of weeks now, in fact, just finished a big juicy one. Love those poms.
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