Pomegranate Tree Uprooted, re-potted it - Will it live ?

[n00bgardener]

Hi Every one,

Its a gloomy day today, I planted 2 pomegranate saplings 2 years back, in my neighbor's land. Now they are constructing a home. They brought in a JCB digger and with the permission of my parents dug the tree out 2 days back.

Now I came to learn of it today and I rushed back home, took one of the tree's (that still had a block of mud on its root and re-potted it. I filled the pot with alternating layers of compost and mud, made sure the drainage in the pot was 100% functional. I forgot to nip the damaged roots...

Here is the picture of the growing plant:

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The one in the left was the one that I re-potted. (The pic is 5 months old and now the tree is much larger. Almost 5 feet)

This is the second plant (that I let go of ). It was fruiting. The roots were bare. So I did not want to attempt to revive it. What do you feel ?

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This is how the soil looks after re-potting and putting in 12 liters of water.

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This is how the overall setup looks.

Closer view of the degraded leaves

The tree is clearly in the ICU. What advice should I get to make sure this tree lives and is just well ? Its in a cool place as of now with 1 hour of sunshine a day.

Thanks

Ady

[Gardener_Wes]

My only advice for you right now is to just let it run it's course in that pot. I've had similar issues before and that's what I've always done. Gave it a little bit of organic fertilizer(that promotes root growth) and 50/50 chance of it surviving every time. Never have I grown Pomegranate trees so best of luck and hope they survive.

[ElizabethB]

The pot looks small for the size of the tree. MUD? You need a good, well draining potting mix. At least double your pot size and use a good potting mix. No mud.

Good luck.

[n00bgardener]

Thank's Gardener_Wes - Does "run It's course" mean -> till the leaves revive.

Thank's your majesty, that pot was the largest I had. The composition was 20% mud and 80% compost. It is well drained - 12 litres of water just flowed through and has compacted the soil. The compost is very old. atlas 8 months old.

If the plant revives, lets party

[ElizabethB]

Still think you need a larger pot. Check with local nurseries and landscapers. Get your hands on a 20+ gallon nursery pot - cheap or free. 25 - 30 gallon would be better. Pot in a 50/50 or 60/40 mix of your lovely compost and potting soil. Don't use a potting soil with fertilizer. That will push foliage growth and stress the roots. Don't plant your tree any deeper than it was original planted in the ground. Don't fertilize or prune until spring. again you do not want to push foliage growth. With a much larger pot and a better potting mix your tree will survive and flourish.

Good luck

[Gardener_Wes]

Thank's Gardener_Wes - Does "run It's course" mean -> till the leaves revive.

Pretty much. I will agree with Elizabeth, you do need a bigger pot. I've been there though. When you're trying to save a plant you grab the closest thing you can find, and mud isn't exactly a good idea. It's thick and suffocates everything. Try and get ahold of a bigger pot and do another transplant. Be careful not to damage the roots any when transplanting, and see about getting potting soil rather then mud. Elizabeth has given some really good advice here, and yeah.. just take what I said. Run it's course. Water it as needed and just keep an eye on it til it starts to snap back into shape.

[n00bgardener]

Thanks !!

[applestar]

I think I would consider pruning some of the branches off to conserve moisture loss. Maybe the top 1/3 off the longest leader or thinning by removing up to 1/3 of the branches since it's so bushy.

The seed grown pomegranates I have in pots are very drought tolerant, so don't overwater, and I wouldn't leave it out in full sun right now -- dappled shade under a tree or shaded from noon day sun.

[imafan26]

I agree, the root mass is probably small since it was cut off from the larger tree. Cutting 1/3 of the foliage might actually help the tree revive.

[ElizabethB]

The problem with pruning is that you will push new foliage growth. If you pot up to a very large container with good soil, do not fertilize and do not prune the plant may well drop leaves in order to conserve energy for the roots. Not a problem. Keep your soil just slightly moist at all times. No over watering, not pot saucers and no drying out between watering. a difficult but do able balance to maintain.