Got a pomegranate bonsai for my birthday

[Kier]

So my parents found out about my current obsession with bonsai and picked up a pomegranate from a local bonsai nursery for a present for me. Very awesome of them!

PSX_20230310_174332.jpg

It's a very thin little thing and I'm probably going to repot into the ground (kangaroos might eat it if I'm not careful) or a large pot for a year or two to try thicken up the trunk.

I'm wondering how long it might take to grow another cm or two in those conditions... Any ideas? I'm very new to this.

For now I'll keep it in it's little pot for a while, so maybe next year or something. I know it's not going to grow much though.

[shibui]

Pomegranate is one of the slow growing species. It is hard to estimate growth rates because 'ground' differs markedly from real fertile vege patch soil to very hungry stony or sandy soils. Also you have not mentioned where you live which will also have a big impact on growth rates.
A wild guess on growth rates for pomegranate in ground would see maybe 1 cm thickness per year??? subject to all the above.

[Kier]

Pomegranate is one of the slow growing species. It is hard to estimate growth rates because 'ground' differs markedly from real fertile vege patch soil to very hungry stony or sandy soils. Also you have not mentioned where you live which will also have a big impact on growth rates.
A wild guess on growth rates for pomegranate in ground would see maybe 1 cm thickness per year??? subject to all the above.

Thanks for the reply!

Living up in the Perth hills. The ground where I'm living is like very hard red soil, almost like rock. You kinda need to go at it with a pickaxe to get into it. But I have sections of my garden that have more of a sandy soil that I could easily fill with something more like veggie patch soil, but those areas are very shady, so probably less ideal.

I'm gonna assume potting mix would give it a better boost than the local soil would..

[shibui]

I'm gonna assume potting mix would give it a better boost than the local soil would..

Be careful of assumptions. Often reality is way different to our preconceived ideas.

Potting mix is for growing plants in pots.
Often potting mix mixed in with garden soil will give good results but that depends entirely on the local soil and what it is lacking. The hard, red soil you describe will probably benefit from added organic material and that's basically potting mix. You could probably get a similar or even better result by adding animal manure, compost, etc but it depends what is easier to obtain. Whatever you add mix it with the excavated soil because roots tend to stop at a change of soil type. Having a mix encourages roots to grow out into the surrounding native soil much better.
Red soils are generally quite fertile with good nutrient so should grow good trees given water.
Be careful of digging holes in hard soils and clays then adding compost or potting mix. The holes can act as a pond and drown the trees during wet periods. Make any holes much wider than the plant to give excess water room to soak into surrounding soil. Larger hole will also give more root run before finding the hard native soils.

Good luck with the pomegranate.

[melbrackstone]

Just an FYI, you can add your location to your profile. Saves people asking every time.

[Kier]

Whatever you add mix it with the excavated soil because roots tend to stop at a change of soil type. Having a mix encourages roots to grow out into the surrounding native soil much better.
Red soils are generally quite fertile with good nutrient so should grow good trees given water.

That's a great idea, thank you Shibui. I'll definitely do that.

Just an FYI, you can add your location to your profile. Saves people asking every time.

And thanks Mel, will do