Here is complete guide about Pomegranate Tree gardening found in the book called “TREE AND SHRUB GARDENING FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA” by “Bob Tanem” and “Don Williamson”,here is an excerpt
Punica
Features: flowers, fruit, foliage Habit: rounded, deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree Height: 2-20’ Spread: 2-20’ Planting: container; spring, fall Zones: 9-11
MAKING POMEGRANATE JUICE THAT WILL BE USED IN JELLY CAN BE an insurmountable and time-consuming task. Do not try to use a juicer that grinds the seeds-they are bitter. First, you must separate the seeds from the husk; do so underwater. You merely rub the seeds loose, which then sink to the bottom while the husk floats. Once you have separated the seeds, you must place them in a food processor for a couple of twirls. Don’t process longer than a couple of seconds. Place seeds and processed juice in a potato ricer that then squeezes out the juice. The juice can be drank or used in jelly-making or basting a leg of lamb. I once donated some 4 ounce jars of jelly to a church bazaar, and the organizers priced them at $1. I couldn’t believe that they didn’t realize the effort I had made in preparing the jelly. I bought them all back.
Growing
Pomegranate prefers full sun in fertile, moist, well-drained soil, with shelter from cold, drying winds. It can adapt to quite a variety of soils, including alkaline soil, and it is drought tolerant. Pomegranate needs long, hot summers and regular moisture for good fruit production. It is easily transplanted. In the colder parts of its range, grow pomegranate against a south- or south-west-facing wall.
Pomegranate needs only minimal pruning in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. It can be pruned to control the height. Old, unproductive growth can be removed from trees and shrubs. Remove suckers that grow at the base of the tree, unless a new stem is required. Pomegranate can be trained as a single-stemmed tree, with a low-branching crown. Use hand pruners when harvesting fruit to avoid damaging the fruiting spur.
Tips
Pomegranate can be grown for the juicy fruit or used in the landscape as a specimen or hedge. It grows well in containers and can be used as a foundation planting or fan-trained against a wall. The dwarf selections can be used in mixed and shrub borders and do well in containers.
Recommended
P.granatum is a rounded, sometimes spiny shrub or small tree that grows 15-20’ tall and wide. The foliage begins copper tinged, matures to bright green in summer and turns bright yellow in fall. Showy orange-red flowers bloom for an extended period in summer, followed by red-yellow to pink-yellow fruit. ‘Chico’ is a dwarf, fruitless selection with double, orange-red flowers. It grows 3-6’ tall and wide. ‘Legrellei’ (‘Madame Legrelle,’ ‘Variegata’) grows 8-10’ tall and wide and bears double, orange-red flowers that are striped with creamy white. It does not bear fruit. Var. nana (Dwarf Pomegranate) grows 2-6’ tall and wide and bears orange-red flowers followed by small, inedible, red fruit. It is known to bloom when only 12” tall. ‘Wonderful’ is a great fruiting selection that grows the same size as the species. It produces orange-red, double flowers and red fruit. ‘Wonderful’ is the most popular variety. The fruit can be left on the tree until it splits. When it splits, it is telling you it’s harvest time. (Zones9-11)
Problems & Pests
Pomegranate is susceptible to dieback, powdery mildew, leaf blotch, gray mold, scale insects and thrips. It is resistant to oak root fungus.