Over the last few years I’ve been developing a pomegranate border along the north side of my vegetable garden.  So far I have planted four pomegranate trees spaced tightly at 4-5 feet apart and plan on extending the border with another two to three trees.  The initial plant that I put in three years ago is now about ten feet tall, with the second one already up to six feet.

Pomegranates behind Onions

Unless pruned to take on a tree form, pomegranates grow more like a large shrub, putting out suckers and many low branches and reaching a height of about twenty feet.  Since one of my goals with the border is to have more privacy, I appreciate the hedge-like qualities of this plant and for now I’m only pruning branches that extend into the vegetable garden.

The varieties planted include Wonderful (the most common commercial variety), Granada and Angel Red.  I took some cuttings this year and am trying propagation for the first time.  It looks like one of the cuttings is rooting which makes me happy.

Pomegranate Flower

This is not just a single species hedge row; it’s a mixed border in progress.  I’ve planted comfrey and mountain peas in among the border.  Every garden needs comfrey, but since it tends to become permanent once planted, this border seemed like a good location.  Once the comfrey gets established I’ll periodically cut its large leaves to make my own garden mulch as well as add it to the compost pile.

Comfrey

Mountain pea, Orbexilum pedunculatum, is a native groundcover in the legume family.  I like it because it doesn’t need a lot of water, has lovely flowers and adds nitrogen to the soil.

Mountain Pea, Orbexilum pedunculatum

I still want to add some good pollinator plants to the mix.  Once the Mexican Hyssop that I’m starting from seed is ready to transplant out, it will probably go here.  Like a lot of things in my garden, the form evolves over time.  A year or two from now, I’m sure that this border will progress into a more complex structure.