Author Topic: Sweet Pomegrenate (Read 8612 times)

bangkok · « **on:** December 02, 2012, 09:22:30 AM »

I bought a pomegranate from India which looks and tastes very nice.

In Thailand they have sour ones so this one costed 5 us$ for 1.

Can i grow this one from a seed in our humid hot climate? If not would it grow better grafted on a thai rootstock? Or is it better to not waste my time in growing this fruit?

By the way they also sold huge ones ( like a small pomelo) from Israel for 15us$ a kg. From India they were 13us$ a kg and much smaller.

siafu · « **Reply #1 on:** December 02, 2012, 12:20:06 PM »

If the one I tried from Israel is indicative of the overall quality, DON'T BOTHER.
They are, indeed, huge and nice looking, but inside they had little color and almost no sweetness.

Since then, I planted a local variety and while not as vibrant and unblemished on the outside, they are very productive and very tasty.

I thought pomegranates did not bloom in the low tropics. You could try growing a bunch of seedlings together until they fruit
and select the best. In the long run, it is likely best to graft onto a rootstock adapted to local conditions.

Pancrazio · « **Reply #2 on:** December 02, 2012, 03:58:45 PM »

Quote from: siafu on December 02, 2012, 12:20:06 PM

If the one I tried from Israel is indicative of the overall quality, DON'T BOTHER.
They are, indeed, huge and nice looking, but inside they had little color and almost no sweetness.

Since then, I planted a local variety and while not as vibrant and unblemished on the outside, they are very productive and very tasty.

Pretty much the same, in my experience. Imported one aren't worth the money: they are indeed eye-catching but the taste is pretty bad.
I had my old plant in my garden, i thought that the supermaket one could have been better, but i was wrong (tommy atkins anyone?).
The disappointing thing is that it keeps true also for the pomegranate juice.
I'm not sure what kind of cultivar is the israeli one; i tought it was the "wonderful", but i'm not sure.
Anyway if you wanna try some cultivar search for a local cultivar. Here we have the "Dente di Cavallo" which is good for taste and seeds are pretty chewy. I suggest this charachteristic, makes pomegrantare a pleasure to eat. It's less important if you want to use them for juice. Supposedly in middle asia there should be lots of cultivars. Even if you don't have local pomegranate cultivars, you seem to be pretty close to the center of diversity of this plant.

Jackfruitwhisperer69 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 02, 2012, 04:17:27 PM »

Here's a nice vid on Pomegranate varieties

Pomegranate Tour

I hear grafting pomergrantes ain't easy or close to impossible...best from cuttings.

Pomergrantes grow very well in a dry tropical climate...Bahia, Brazil have large plantations with this fruit.

bangkok · « **Reply #4 on:** December 02, 2012, 08:38:43 PM »

The one i have from India tastes great and the seeds are easy to bite. But i will not grow it then because it is easyier to grow some other fruit here. I will go for the sugarapple to grow. I don't understand why they only sell 1 specie of that in Bangkok but that one tastes good enough to grow.

Mike T · « **Reply #5 on:** December 03, 2012, 08:27:03 AM »

bangkok there are also sweet tap tim in Thailand.You can't grow the big red ones there as they don't like true tropics and a rainy climate.Some of the tropical varieties in Thailand are very plain in color and you see them in many yards.They are not as good as the mediterranean style ones.

bangkok · « **Reply #6 on:** December 04, 2012, 08:03:50 AM »

Quote from: Mike T on December 03, 2012, 08:27:03 AM

bangkok there are also sweet tap tim in Thailand.You can't grow the big red ones there as they don't like true tropics and a rainy climate.Some of the tropical varieties in Thailand are very plain in color and you see them in many yards.They are not as good as the mediterranean style ones.

Thanks Mike, many neighbours have them in their yard but the tree's look awfull but do have fruits. I will ask them if they are sweet but i have enough plants on my growing list. If they are really nice i might grow the tap tim one then. (tap tim sounds like a fish i sometimes eat by the way).

Mike T · « **Reply #7 on:** December 04, 2012, 08:19:16 AM »

Bangkok all the thai ones are called tap tim and they are pretty popular there.They are grown from seeds and while the trees look a bit scungy the flowers are nice.

bangkok · « **Reply #8 on:** December 14, 2012, 06:14:00 AM »

I was in the shop and i saw a nice Indian species pomegrenate tree with flowers. The owner said it will easy grow in Thailand and is the Indian very red species. Well i give it a try and bought one. What will be the best soil for it? It will be in full sun all day in a big pot.

Mike T · « **Reply #9 on:** December 14, 2012, 06:26:18 AM »

Iam surprised if nice red indian types probably from the north will grow well in Bangkok.The local tab tims are good enough I would have thought.Well drained soil that has a neutral pH would be good.
Bangkok is warmer that it latitude would suggest especially in terms of winter temps.Interestingly while Phuket phonetically sounds like it just doesn't care Bangkok is a city named after a terrible accident.

bangkok · « **Reply #10 on:** December 14, 2012, 06:33:48 AM »

Phuket is more hot and humid then Bangkok. For me it is hot enough here though, even now in winter.
The thai tub tim is nice but the Indian is better, looks better, sweeter, more red inside and outside and the seeds are crunchyer.

I pruned the tree allready because it had suckers growing tall and i need a nice shaped tree. It also brings good luck to grow one next to the gate to your house thats why many thai have one next to the gate.

If my flowers became fruits i will report it here also how they taste and look.

bangkok · « **Reply #11 on:** December 14, 2012, 07:08:56 AM »

I wanted to see if i really have the Indian species by checking the flowers on Google.

Then i found this species, i would love to grow it because how it looks.
Does anybody grow this Indian Pomegrenate?

FlyingFoxFruits · « **Reply #12 on:** December 14, 2012, 09:47:52 AM »

momordica charantia grows like a weed by us (not sure if thats exactly the same as your plant pic, but it's almost identical)

I eat the small red arils from the seeds, and theyre loaded with lycopene.

the leaves and unripe fruits are also eaten as a veggie.

its medicinal, and also an invasive plant in FL.

Dont crush the seeds, I hear they are toxic, just eat the scant flesh of the arils that surround them.

murahilin · « **Reply #13 on:** December 14, 2012, 09:48:38 AM »

Quote from: bangkok on December 14, 2012, 07:08:56 AM

I wanted to see if i really have the Indian species by checking the flowers on Google.

Then i found this species, i would love to grow it because how it looks.
Does anybody grow this Indian Pomegrenate?

That is a picture of bitter melon, not pomegranate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_melon

tropical66 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 14, 2012, 10:02:47 AM »

Quote from: murahilin on December 14, 2012, 09:48:38 AM

Quote from: bangkok on December 14, 2012, 07:08:56 AM
I wanted to see if i really have the Indian species by checking the flowers on Google.

Then i found this species, i would love to grow it because how it looks.
Does anybody grow this Indian Pomegrenate?

That is a picture of bitter melon, not pomegranate. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitter_melon

tropical66 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 14, 2012, 10:07:32 AM »

Quote from: bangkok on December 14, 2012, 07:08:56 AM

I wanted to see if i really have the Indian species by checking the flowers on Google.

Then i found this species, i would love to grow it because how it looks.
Does anybody grow this Indian Pomegrenate?

In Malaysia we call it Peria Katak, with bitter taste. ( Bitter Gourd )

http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peria_katak

Mike T · « **Reply #16 on:** December 14, 2012, 04:41:27 PM »

That is a bitter melon alright and one of the domesticated types grown in abundance in thailand.I have vines.The wild form with small fruit is often called balsam pear is a rampant pest here as well.You can use the red off the seeds like gac to color and flavor rice but the bitter flesh is used in many dishes especially soup.The vine tips are a handy green as well.

bangkok · « **Reply #17 on:** December 14, 2012, 07:12:34 PM »

Oh i see now that the green version of this fruit is on the markets a lot here. I don't want to grow this because i only want sweet fruits in my garden.

Okay thanks for the info.

fyliu · « **Reply #18 on:** December 15, 2012, 12:35:55 AM »

I hear growing bitter melon near other vine fruits will make the others bitter as well. Seems to be true with luffa.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #19 on:** December 15, 2012, 05:51:10 AM »

Quote from: bangkok on December 02, 2012, 09:22:30 AM

I bought a pomegranate from India which looks and tastes very nice.

In Thailand they have sour ones so this one costed 5 us$ for 1.

Can i grow this one from a seed in our humid hot climate? If not would it grow better grafted on a thai rootstock? Or is it better to not waste my time in growing this fruit?

By the way they also sold huge ones ( like a small pomelo) from Israel for 15us$ a kg. From India they were 13us$ a kg and much smaller.

Hello Bangkok, i am in Bangkok right now. A lot of the street vendors here have very large white pomegranates right now, about size of grapefruit, and very sweet! I just had 2 delicious chilled bottles of pomegranate juice. Very thirst quenching when walking the hot streets of Bangkok! It's hotter and more humid here even than in Goa.
About growing pomegranates in tropics, i experimented with about 1/2 dozen varieties. They all fruited but would not set fruit at my location. The main problem is if it rains during flowering the pollen will not set. I nocied that trees just a few miles from me along the coast will set fruit, but the rainfall there is about 1/2 of what i get. Our rainfall is evenly distributed the whole year. Very different from monsoonal climates where rain only falls a few monts of the year. I think in your location it's definitely worth a try. I recommend planting a few different types and see what does the best.

Mike T · « **Reply #20 on:** December 15, 2012, 05:57:18 AM »

Oscar grab the seeds as that is the best of the real tropical ones and it is true from seed.They should be everywhere in the tropics.That one grows in some of the high rainfall areas as well.I bet the winter Bangkok temps are like summer in Hilo without the rain.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #21 on:** December 15, 2012, 06:29:31 AM »

Quote from: Mike T on December 15, 2012, 05:57:18 AM

Oscar grab the seeds as that is the best of the real tropical ones and it is true from seed.They should be everywhere in the tropics.That one grows in some of the high rainfall areas as well.I bet the winter Bangkok temps are like summer in Hilo without the rain.

Big difference is that NE Thailand has monsoonal climate and Hawaii does not. We don't have any dry spells at all in rainforest of E. Hawaii. That is very difficult for pomegranates to cope with. Might be a real good one for very dry W. Hawaii. That area already has some pomegranates growing, but not commercially.

bangkok · « **Reply #22 on:** December 15, 2012, 06:53:18 AM »

Oh well this plant they had to get from the back of the shop, i didn;t see if it was under a roof or not but it sure has flowers. I can easy move it 1 meter and then it is under my carport and stays dry and still get sun all day. If it won't fruit i might try that because it is in a pot.

You must be around Sukhumvit area in the centre because there they sell pomgranate juice for the Arabs. I read in the newspaper that some shops dillute it with grenadine sirup and sell it for full price haha. You also should try the orange juice (mandarin) and if you are lucky you get the one without salt. It costs 20-25 baht a small bottle so don't let them cheat you. Tao lai kap som o? That means how much is the orange juice and then they will not cheat you because you speak thai.

I don't live in the citycentre but 1 hour away from it. Tomorrow is Chatuchak weekend market you can go there, take the skytrain to Mo-Chit and there follow the crowd. If you walk the ringroad in the market where the cars drive then you will see the plantshops with mango (if they are there at sunday at least)

Next time if you come here from Hawai bring me a scion of Rapoza and i will pay you for that. Pomegranate costs 10 baht on the local markets but in the centre maybe more. There are markets everywhere and they start at 4 pm untill 8-9 or later pm. Just ask somebody but you sure will see fruitshops on the streets as well. Every big mall has supermarkets mostly on the top floors they also sell fruit.

Have fun and let me know if you need some info or so.

bangkok · « **Reply #23 on:** December 15, 2012, 06:59:33 AM »

By the way it is not humid now for Thai understandings. This is winter and on that weather website that you posted i compared Hawaii with Bangkok and here we get double the amount of rain and it is 4-5 degrees warmer on average.

The citycentre is more hot then where i live, we have more wind and no high buildings. The best time to go out is after 5pm then Bangkok changes so much. Streetrestaurants open up everywhere and many people go out at that time. If you want to buy something special let me know and i can tell you where to go.

If you want to see a park with big varana's then go to Lumpini park near Saladeang skytrain or for metro Lumpini-stop.

If you might go to Chatuchak market then also have a walk around the park there that you can see out of the skytrainstation. There are huge catfish and also huge turtles that like to eat old banana's from a skewer.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #24 on:** December 15, 2012, 07:09:54 AM »

Quote from: bangkok on December 15, 2012, 06:53:18 AM

Oh well this plant they had to get from the back of the shop, i didn;t see if it was under a roof or not but it sure has flowers. I can easy move it 1 meter and then it is under my carport and stays dry and still get sun all day. If it won't fruit i might try that because it is in a pot.

You must be around Sukhumvit area in the centre because there they sell pomgranate juice for the Arabs. I read in the newspaper that some shops dillute it with grenadine sirup and sell it for full price haha. You also should try the orange juice (mandarin) and if you are lucky you get the one without salt. It costs 20-25 baht a small bottle so don't let them cheat you. Tao lai kap som o? That means how much is the orange juice and then they will not cheat you because you speak thai.

I don't live in the citycentre but 1 hour away from it. Tomorrow is Chatuchak weekend market you can go there, take the skytrain to Mo-Chit and there follow the crowd. If you walk the ringroad in the market where the cars drive then you will see the plantshops with mango (if they are there at sunday at least)

Next time if you come here from Hawai bring me a scion of Rapoza and i will pay you for that. Pomegranate costs 10 baht on the local markets but in the centre maybe more. There are markets everywhere and they start at 4 pm untill 8-9 or later pm. Just ask somebody but you sure will see fruitshops on the streets as well. Every big mall has supermarkets mostly on the top floors they also sell fruit.

Have fun and let me know if you need some info or so.

Right now i'm in the Khao San area. No arabs here, plenty of european/american young backpacker tourists. All the prices are marked, so no need to haggle, like in India. But i'm sure everything is well marked up compared to elsewhere.
I've been to Chatuchak on other trips. Will skip it this time as i don't like the huge crowds.

Mike T · « **Reply #25 on:** December 15, 2012, 07:16:09 AM »

The backpacker part of town and you can go the see the Kings Palace if you're into that sort of thing.Might be farang prices for some stuff.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #26 on:** December 15, 2012, 07:24:28 AM »

Quote from: bangkok on December 15, 2012, 06:59:33 AM

By the way it is not humid now for Thai understandings. This is winter and on that weather website that you posted i compared Hawaii with Bangkok and here we get double the amount of rain and it is 4-5 degrees warmer on average.

The citycentre is more hot then where i live, we have more wind and no high buildings. The best time to go out is after 5pm then Bangkok changes so much. Streetrestaurants open up everywhere and many people go out at that time. If you want to buy something special let me know and i can tell you where to go.

If you want to see a park with big varana's then go to Lumpini park near Saladeang skytrain or for metro Lumpini-stop.

If you might go to Chatuchak market then also have a walk around the park there that you can see out of the skytrainstation. There are huge catfish and also huge turtles that like to eat old banana's from a skewer.

Hello Bangkok, it may not be humid right now compared to Bangkok summer, but humid to compared to most places on the planet! Even though no rain falls this time of the year, all the flooded rice fields surrounding Bangkok builds up plenty of humidity in the air. Humidity right at this moment in Bangkok is 73% http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/hdfForecast?query=bangkok
You cannot compare Hawaii with Bangkok, because Hawaii is a whole state, and Bangkok is only a city. Even on one island in Hawaii there will be many different climates. The island i live on has a very dry side and a very wet side. I live on the wet side. Our average rainfall is 3200 mm per year. Compare that to
Bangkok's 1492 mm, and you can see you get less than 1/2 the total yearly rainfall.
http://www.bangkok.climatemps.com/
Thanks for the info. What are big varanas?

bangkok · « **Reply #27 on:** December 15, 2012, 07:47:26 AM »

Oscar i compared Bangkok with Honolulu at that site and then i saw Bangkok gets more rain. You get 3 metre of rain every year well that is a whole different story haha. If it is humid here then we sweat even without doing anything and only wearing a boxershort nothing else. It is too hot to do anything without airconditioning but i like it though because it is always better then Holland's climate.

Kao San road i know well, it is expanding a lot last years. It is a good place to meet people though i sure not call that area Thailand.
You can walk to the river from there and travel by express boat, they are very cheap and can bring you to nice markets. Also Chinatown is close from there and they sell much strange food there. There also is India town with loads of Indian vendors, an electronics market with mostly chinese or illegal electronics (Bang-Mo is the name). Or just walk around in chinatown and don't follow the crowd but go into the alleys and everywhere is something going on.

If you want to see plantshops then at wednesday it is at Chatuchak only for plants and not crowded. You can also go to the place i mentioned at the golden queen mango thread. If you want i can join you to there but the best way is a taxi with english speaking driver. Don't go there tomorrow because it will be traffic jam all day but maybe that is good actually to see the shops while in traffic jam.

I guess you have a smartphone with you because you can email all the time, i liked to walk from Kao san road to chinatown (by boat) and use my gps Garmin which worked perfect.

I just ate a NDM but it was not as sweet as in the summer. You should try one! Also try the green mango's with or without salt and sugar and spices.

Mike T · « **Reply #28 on:** December 15, 2012, 08:02:27 AM »

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_032025.shtml

Innisfail would have tyhe closest climate in my area to Oscars' place but is more seasonal.

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_014015.shtml

Nowhere close to me is like Bangkok but Darwin in thre NT is very similar.

I imagine the even spread of rainfall would reduce flowering cues for many of your trees in Hawaii Oscar.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #29 on:** December 15, 2012, 11:33:28 AM »

Quote from: bangkok on December 15, 2012, 07:47:26 AM

Oscar i compared Bangkok with Honolulu at that site and then i saw Bangkok gets more rain. You get 3 metre of rain every year well that is a whole different story haha. If it is humid here then we sweat even without doing anything and only wearing a boxershort nothing else. It is too hot to do anything without airconditioning but i like it though because it is always better then Holland's climate.

Kao San road i know well, it is expanding a lot last years. It is a good place to meet people though i sure not call that area Thailand.
You can walk to the river from there and travel by express boat, they are very cheap and can bring you to nice markets. Also Chinatown is close from there and they sell much strange food there. There also is India town with loads of Indian vendors, an electronics market with mostly chinese or illegal electronics (Bang-Mo is the name). Or just walk around in chinatown and don't follow the crowd but go into the alleys and everywhere is something going on.

If you want to see plantshops then at wednesday it is at Chatuchak only for plants and not crowded. You can also go to the place i mentioned at the golden queen mango thread. If you want i can join you to there but the best way is a taxi with english speaking driver. Don't go there tomorrow because it will be traffic jam all day but maybe that is good actually to see the shops while in traffic jam.

I guess you have a smartphone with you because you can email all the time, i liked to walk from Kao san road to chinatown (by boat) and use my gps Garmin which worked perfect.

I just ate a NDM but it was not as sweet as in the summer. You should try one! Also try the green mango's with or without salt and sugar and spices.

Thanks for the tips. I've been to Thailand several times before so have done a lot of the things you mentioned. I didn't know about Chinatown and India area and might check that out. Also i've never been to floating market. Is that worth going to? Are there 2 floating markets, one for tourists and one for locals?
Honolulu climate, people, and even atmosphere very VERY different from where i live. Maybe it is like comparing Bangkok with Chiang Rai, 2 very different places.

bangkok · « **Reply #30 on:** December 15, 2012, 08:47:57 PM »

Well the floating markets are fake and for tourists. I have seen it once and that was enough. There is a new mall now in Hua Hin that is built in Venice style with the boats and canals and everything but Hua Hin is 2 hours away to the coast.

I don't want to recommend the floating markets but maybe i am spoiled and you like it a lot. I don't like fake things in general who are set up for tourists only. Chinatown is real and you really feel like being in China there. That long alley in Chinatown where it is very crowded and goes into India town is not relaxed, the motorbikes drive through the crowds all the time and they sell earrings and things like that (handricraft stuff). India town sells fabrics and so. But that whole neighbourhood is interesting, it is around the "Old Siam" shoppingmall and you can walk there a whole day for sure and you are lucky it is not hot or humid this time of the year. They also sell a lot of fruit there.

For Dinner i can recommend a cruise on those huge lighted boats on the river, some have food from the menu and others have a buffet with live music. The trips takes about 2 hours and i liked it. Then go to the Riverfront Hotel and there you can go on those cruise-boats.

Another huge buffet is in the Bayoke sky hotel (on the 85th floor) or closer to Kaosan road the buffet lunch in the Prince Palace hotel which is near or in Chinatown.

I am going into the city today for a wedding brunch party. 10 courses of chinese food for hundreds of people in a good hotel.

fruitlovers · « **Reply #31 on:** December 17, 2012, 02:41:06 AM »

Disneyland also is not real, but most tourists, and even Americans, want to visit there! HAHA

bangkok · « **Reply #32 on:** December 17, 2012, 05:17:07 AM »

Well i also have been in Disney Land, in Hongkong and i even liked it!

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Author Topic: Sweet Pomegrenate (Read 8612 times)