How to grow luscious pomegranates

20 March 2016 - 02:00 By Andrew Unsworth

Pomegranates are back in culinary fashion, but then as they have been cultivated for at least 4,000 years in the Middle East, their brief neglect was but a blip in time. Many people who grew up in country areas, especially the drier parts, have fond memories of juicy pomegranates. Every Karoo garden had a tree, even a hedge of them. Commercial farming of the fruit only started in South Africa after 2000, and today the largest producer is in the Swartland near Malmesbury.story_article_left1If you have the space, plant one - Punica granatum . There are flowering and dwarf varieties, so make sure it's the fruit tree. They make a big multi-stemmed shrub, but you can prune side shoots to make a small tree, which looks dramatically beautiful when hanging with the red fruit.It's an attractive plant to use anywhere in the garden: coppery leaves in spring, shiny green leaves all summer and good autumn colour. They do best where it's cold enough for that winter dormant period, but will grow anywhere in South Africa. They need water but hate being too wet, and must have as much sunshine as possible.You can grow them from cuttings but best buy a named cultivar from a nursery: "Wonderful" is the most widely grown here, with fruit ripening late in summer. The fruit is ripe when turning red in the sun, or when it splits - but you can't depend on that. Once they do split, use at once or they will rot on the tree.The easiest way to open them is to cut out the crown with a sharp knife, then score the hard skin from the crown to the stem end in up to eight sections, following the slight ridges on the skin. It's then easy to pull the fruit apart.THREE WAYS TO ENJOY YOUR HOMEGROWN POMEGRANATES1) Juice: Blend pomegranate seeds briefly in a food processor and strain. Add sugar or apple juice to taste.2) Glaze for steaks: Cook together 80ml (1/3 cup) each of red wine, pomegranate juice and beef stock, with a sprig of thyme, a dash of black pepper and 15ml (1 tbsp) finely chopped onion. When reduced by half, melt in some butter and pour over cooked steaks before serving.3) Fruit compote: Boil 2 quinces and 2 Granny Smith apples (peeled, seeded and quartered), then drain. Boil 125ml (½ cup) pomegranate juice with up to 1 cup sugar. Add the quinces, apples, a handful of dried cranberries or fresh blueberries and cook till soft. Serve with cream or custard...

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