By Mike Donahue
Moapa Valley Progress
Moapa Valley soil and hot desert climate provide almost perfect conditions for a wide assortment of fruit trees including the several varieties of pomegranates that grow here, according to Bob Morris, assistant professor and horticultural specialist at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension (UNCE) orchard in Las Vegas.
Morris, who was at the Logandale UNCE office Saturday to conduct a pomegranate pruning hands-on workshop, explained to 25 demonstration participants that pomegranates need a stretch of 100-degree-plus temperatures to produce the best quality fruit, “exactly what you find in Moapa Valley.”
“Pomegranates do best in deep, well drained soil, whether it’s loam, sandy or adobe-clay,” he said. “In addition to the hot growing stretch, if you can let the fruit sit at about 34 degrees for a few days before eating, it will really boost its sweetness. Quality pomegranates have a good balance between acidity and sugar.”
Morris said pomegranates are native to Iran and spread from there around the world including Europe and the Americas. While the trees are especially known for their fruit, they can also be used as hedges and other ornamental windbreaks.
During the workshop Morris discussed growing and transplanting techniques as well as correct fertilizing, watering, mulching and pruning.
“Proper pruning is essential to quality fruit production,” he said. “And when you prune, you should remember that trees are living tissue. It’s no different than a doctor cutting a patient with a scalpel. If you want to avoid problems, always remember to adjust, sharpen and sanitize any tools.
“Pruning must be coupled with proper irrigation and fertilization to get the most out of the tree,” he said. “At the (UNCE) orchard we recommend one to five trunks on each plant so they’re more tree than bush and always start at the bottom and work up.”
Morris cautioned participants that the best fruit is produced on the oldest wood so the object is to thin youngest branches.
“Pruning won’t increase the yield on pomegranate trees but the size and quality of the fruit will be greatly improved.”
