Do you know how deep your pomegranate roots are? All vascular plants have roots, which are significant subsurface components. This part of the plant is principally responsible for anchoring it to the ground and utilizing the water, minerals, and essential nutrients found in the soil.
Additionally, food is kept in it. In this article, we will be taking a deeper look at pomegranate roots and we will be answering some frequently asked questions about pomegranate roots.
How do pomegranate roots grow?
Pomegranates are normally planted as trees, but they can also be grown as massive shrubs by letting suckers grow and keeping them pruned for growth. Pomegranate roots grow by watering, fertilizing (at least a few times a year), and plant exposure to sunlight. Just like every other plant, there are ways you can help your plant root to grow, which include:
- Make sure your soil is ideal. For optimal performance, healthy roots require enough nutrients and excellent drainage. Before roots can absorb water, sandy soil will wick it away, but thick clay soil can cause water logging and root damage. For pomegranate plants, the best soil is sandy loam.
- Consider reducing the amount of water you use on your pomegranate plant roots.
- Make use of good complete fertilizers for your pomegranate plant.
- Watch out for pests and plants destroying insects.
How big are pomegranate roots?
Pomegranate roots are not very big in size. The pomegranate root is about 2-3 inches in size.
How deep are pomegranate roots?
The majority of the pomegranate’s shallow root system, which is found in large, mature trees or robust, spreading shrubs, is usually less than 60 cm (2 feet) deep and very infrequently falls below 90 cm (3 feet)1. The pomegranate root plays a major role in the plant. The pomegranate roots ensure the following in the plant:
- They first give a plant the anchor it needs to stay put.
- Pomegranate root helps the plant root to draw moisture, nutrients, and oxygen from the earth and transport them to the leaves,
- They help the pomegranate plant to interact with sunlight which helps the plant in fruit bearing.
- The pomegranate root helps to provide energy for the plant.
How wide are pomegranate roots?
They are about 10 -25ft wide from the trunk. Pomegranate plants’ width is very okay in size, unlike some other plants that are very wide and thus occupy a lot of space. This is why pomegranates can be planted around the home or in gardens or even in small open spaces.
Protect your pomegranate by learning about what animals pomegranate attract, and the measures you can take.
Are pomegranate roots invasive?
Pomegranate trees are not invasive, which is one of the main reasons why they grow well in pots and containers. If you wish to plant a pomegranate tree, remember that you can do it even inside because they don’t grow to be very large and are therefore ideal for most home landscapes. Pomegranate production is comparatively sustainable as long as pesticides are not used because there is no harm done to the air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. The blooms are another wonderful offspring of their tree. They are little shrubs with a range of 16 to 33 feet in height, 1.2 inches in diameter, and beautiful red highlights that make them stand out.
Examples of plants that have invasive roots are:
- Willow Tree: Willow tree roots have been reported to extend up to 40 meters broad in certain places, wreaking havoc on roads, sewers, and sidewalks. Although they are wonderfully beautiful in the spring, they are not the ideal choice for smaller gardens due to their invasive roots.
- Mint: The mint tree is one of the simplest herbs to grow, but its “runners,” or roots, are very invasive.
- Sycamore2: Sycamore tree thrives in disturbed regions and they are invasive. Pavements and other constructions are damaged by their intrusive roots. The sycamore tree is tough and can survive some conditions as well as wind. Their annual growth rate is approximately two feet. Its innate propensity to have a strong trunk leads to associations with an aggressive system.
- Hybrid poplar trees: Hybrid poplar trees are recognized for growing to enormous sizes and having a robust root system. They have a long, straight growth pattern, which indicates that they rely on the power of their root system to support them.
- Silver maple: The roots of silver maple trees develop quickly and are exceedingly shallow. However, they have one of the most invasive roots.
- American elm
- River birch: They are highly invasive plants that require a lot of water for growth and development.
Can pomegranate cuttings root in water?
Pomegranate cuttings cannot root in water. Cuttings should be planted in the soil for growth. Pomegranate requires sunlight and good drainage. Cuttings however will not root in water. Cuttings are one of the ways we can propagate pomegranate. A hardwood cutting that is taken at the right time is necessary for growing a pomegranate tree from cuttings. Pomegranate tree cuttings should be taken in the late winter.
In growing pomegranates from cuttings, here are some steps to do so:
- Use hardwood cuttings to propagate pomegranate cuttings in the simplest way possible. Although spring or summer cuttings will also take root, these branch tips were cut in the winter. As opposed to immature or soft growth, hardwood cuttings represent growth from the previous year and don’t require misting. In January or February, cut branches with a diameter of a pencil into 8-inch lengths. Make an incision just below a bud node.
- After bundling the clippings, place them in a sunny, well-draining area. The holes for the sticks should be 3 inches deeper than the length of the sticks. In the spring, only the top portion of each one should be exposed as you dig them out and plant them.
The advantages are cuttings
- Cuttings allow for a quicker start to cultivation because the plant is already little. Cuttings, therefore, have a shorter growth period than seeds, which typically enables you to harvest more quickly.
- Cuttings are regarded as sweeter and produce delicious fruits.
- By growing a plant from cuttings, you can maintain its distinctive characteristics.
However, cuttings have their disadvantage, which includes:
- It might lead to crowding. The children are less equipped to adapt to their surroundings since there is no genetic variation.
- Cut plants and air-layered plants typically lack a robust root system. These plants could fail if they are too old.
What is the Pomegranate root type?
Pomegranate trees or shrubs have a relatively shallow root system, except for a taproot that can grow to two to three feet long in mature trees. Some examples of plants with shallow root systems are:
- Blossfeldia
- Zebra plant
- Onions
- Pansies
- Dogwood
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Chard
- Holly
- Kale
- Petunias
- Aloe Vera.
Advantages of a shallow root system include:
- It can obtain water quickly via irrigation or rains
- It has an increased nutrient availability in the top soil layers,
- It is a good drainage system;
- It has a lower probability of oxygen deprivation;
- Another significant advantage is the capability to transplant bushes with shallow roots.
- Plants or shrubs with shallow roots are easier to multiply.
What is the distribution pattern of pomegranate roots?
The distribution pattern for pomegranate roots is a uniform distribution. One of the crucial elements of fruit trees, which have extensive root systems, is the research on root distribution. Understanding the pattern of root dispersion might help you use inputs like irrigation and fertilizer more efficiently. Numerous variables, including tree age, season, rootstock, scion variety, soil texture, fertility, tillage, and growth circumstances, have an impact on the root spread.
What are the benefits of Pomegranate root?
Pomegranate root supplies various forms of benefits, which includes:
- They work well for storing minerals for the plant
- A root’s main jobs include anchoring the plant, absorbing water and dissolved minerals, and transferring them to the stem. Roots have root hairs through which roots absorb water and nutrients from the soil which are essential for plant growth. Roots have the capability of absorbing inorganic nutrients against the concentration gradient. After the water and nutrients are absorbed, they are moved upwards to the stem and leaves.
- Prevention of Soil Erosion: Pomegranate root plants can help to reduce soil erosion from occurring. To stop soil erosion, roots securely retain the soil particles in place.
- Transport: Plants can be transported by their roots.
- Pomegranate roots also help in soil aeration
- Pomegranate roots help the tree balance. The plant’s root system supports it physically by securing the plant’s body to the ground. Many plants may remain upright for hundreds of years because of their deep-rooted roots, which firmly anchor the plants in place.
- They also help in photosynthesis in pomegranate plants.
Some of the ways to take care of your pomegranate roots are by watering, using fertilizer sparingly, and looking out for insects that affect the root of a plant.
Some of examples of insects that affect plant roots are:
- root mealy bugs: They feed on roots and sap the plant by drawing it from the roots. As they feed, many root mealybugs leave behind a waxy, powdery substance that taints the soil.
- Cicadas: They chew the roots of plants and cause damage also to plant leaves.
- Fly maggot: Maggots can be particularly harmful to seedlings, destroying the roots’ developing points and stifling plant growth.
- Root aphids: Aphids burrow into plant roots, leaving scars that make plants susceptible to fungus and disease.
- Beetle grubs: The grubs eat the roots of young and mature plants, which causes the plants to wither.
- Wireworms: Wireworms eat underground on young seedlings, roots, and germinating seeds, either directly killing them or injuring them.
- White grubs: They eat the roots of plants. Poor plant development and even plant death may result from this. When young plants are consumed by the white grubs, damage can be particularly severe.
- fungus gnat larvae
- root maggots: White grubs mostly feed on taproots and/or peripheral roots, which decreases a plant’s ability to absorb water, causing stunting or death.
- root weevils: Both indoors and outside, root weevils are a problem for plants. A healthy plant will have these pesky insects penetrate its root system, and they will then start to eat the plant from the roots up.
Will Pomegranate Tree Roots Cause Damage To home Foundations?
No, they won’t. Pomegranate roots are not invasive and so they won’t cause much damage to home foundations. They can also be used to beautify the surroundings of a house because of their beautiful, evergreen, and sometimes multicolored leaves. Pomegranates are environment friendly and can be grown at home or compounds.
Citations used in this article include:
- https://www.madaboutberries.com/pomegranate/how-to-grow-pomegranate-trees-in-containers.html
- http://treesandwoods.com/sycamore-tree-root/
