I have been growing a pomegranate fusion bonsai from seeds for about 4 years now and it is going quite well. I live in northern Europe and so the pomegranate is outdoors most of the year and brought inside when the temperatures start getting crisp. That’s not been a problem but this year in particular it started growing profusely once I brought it indoors. My problem is that I am tempted to feed it … but should I? And what will happen to these new shoots if I feed or don’t feed?

I would not add any fertiliser, you need to slow it down, mine stays outside all year, you need to put it in as cold a place as possible

I think you're probably right about not feeding it but the pomegranate would not survive the winter up here without indoor protection. The occasional minus 10 or minus 12 degrees would cause its death for sure.

Oyster Sauce wrote:

I think you're probably right about not feeding it but the pomegranate would not survive the winter up here without indoor protection. The occasional minus 10 or minus 12 degrees would cause its death for sure.

Yes, but indoor doesnt mean you bring your tree in your living quarters, which is lethal to trees ( too hot/dry....). Place it in a room/garden shed/garage where temps stay above freezing.

Oyster Sauce wrote:

I think you're probably right about not feeding it but the pomegranate would not survive the winter up here without indoor protection. The occasional minus 10 or minus 12 degrees would cause its death for sure.

Mine stayed outside last winter. -10 to -15 for over a week. grew just fine all year. Might be species dependent but.. They are certainly not a tropical species to be kept warm over winter.

lucR wrote:

Oyster Sauce wrote:

I think you're probably right about not feeding it but the pomegranate would not survive the winter up here without indoor protection. The occasional minus 10 or minus 12 degrees would cause its death for sure.

Yes, but indoor doesnt mean you bring your tree in your living quarters, which is lethal to trees ( too hot/dry....). Place it in a room/garden shed/garage where temps stay above freezing.

The pomegranate, bottle brush and ficus ginseng spend winters on a southern-facing window ledge in my living room where the heater is ALWAYS off.

leatherback wrote:

Oyster Sauce wrote:

I think you're probably right about not feeding it but the pomegranate would not survive the winter up here without indoor protection. The occasional minus 10 or minus 12 degrees would cause its death for sure.

Mine stayed outside last winter. -10 to -15 for over a week. grew just fine all year. Might be species dependent but.. They are certainly not a tropical species to be kept warm over winter.

-10 to -15 for a week? Wow! I am surprised. Shocked! But this thing about it not being kept warm over winter .... I am growing it from seeds I colleccted from a pomegranate tree in Anzio (IT) and I have also seen them growing along the west coast of Morrocco so I have been under the impression they are accustomed to some hot climates.