How to choose a ripe pomegranate: proven correct methods

How to choose a pomegranate in a store

Often spoiled, unripe or overripe goods with damage are placed in front, so choosing a pomegranate in a store is not so easy.
You will have to choose from a new batch, which is stored behind the rest, but should look better. Take the fruit you like and check it: it should feel firm to the touch, without any soft spots or brown spots. Gradually press down on it - if indentations form under your fingers, you should refuse the purchase. It’s good to have a cut fruit lying nearby to make sure that it’s normal inside. You have every right to ask to cut a vegetable or fruit in order to buy an adequate product that is beginning to ripen, but large stores rarely allow this whim, so it is better to make such purchases at the market. Now you know how to choose a white or other garnet from the assortment in the market.

Anyone who does not know how to choose a pomegranate risks always buying an unripe and tasteless fruit. Therefore, there are special rules that you should follow in order to purchase a ripe, sweet, healthy product full of vitamins.

True connoisseurs choose pomegranates based on color, weight and peel. The color varies from orange-yellow to brown-red, depending on the species and the time when it began to ripen.

It is believed that a ripe fruit is necessarily red or burgundy, but this is not so: there are white and pink fruits that are not inferior to the classic ones in terms of the presence of useful microelements. Unripe ones (of any type) are recognizable by their hard and green skin.

If you don't know how to choose the right pomegranate, pay attention to its peel. She must:

• be dry and thin;
• tighten the grains;
• not have rot or strange stains of unnatural shades - both outside and inside;
• be intact, without cracks or dents.

A quality product is only light in appearance. Focus on heaviness, because weight depends on the size of juicy grains - a heavy fruit is definitely juicy, and an unripe one is light.

Another choice is made by sound: if you gently tap the fruit with your index finger, you will hear a sound as if you are touching metal. If it is muted, it means that the grain inside is sour, devoid of juice.

Maturity is also determined by the inflorescence (ovary) - the flower must be dry, ripe, without the presence of any greenery.

Often spoiled, unripe or overripe goods with damage are placed in front, so choosing a pomegranate in a store is not so easy. You will have to choose from a new batch, which is stored behind the rest, but should look better.

Take the fruit you like and check it: it should feel firm to the touch, without any soft spots or brown spots. Gradually press down on it - if indentations form under your fingers, you should refuse the purchase.

You can identify a ripe pomegranate when the product has a cut. It is important to ensure that the inside of the fruit is juicy and that the grains are even and beautiful, separated by thin membranes. The soft product with brown spots is clearly rotten; it is already overripe.

There may also be spots or even moss on the grains; if the products have been lying around for a long time, be careful.

When you don’t know how to determine the ripeness of a pomegranate, smell it: ripe fruit has a neutral, sweetish odor, but a strong smell indicates that it began to ripen several months ago.

Soft, green or damaged fruit will not be tasty - you will have to taste the acid, not the desired sweetness. When choosing a delicious pomegranate, consider the above.

At the same time, give preference to shipments that were delivered from nearby countries - Uzbekistan or Turkey. The latter country offers customers not only the classic ruby ​​variety, but also a white variety, which contains more vitamins than an apple, and is light and sweet inside.

Take the Turkish pomegranate - it is tastier and thicker than its Uzbek “brother”, it starts to sing faster.

Whether a fruit is sweet or not can only be determined by taste. To buy the desired fruit, you need to go to the market, where sellers will be happy to cut and let you try a couple of grains.

It is better to compare products from different trays before making a final decision.

When choosing a sweet pomegranate, be sure to check with the sellers about the country where the fruits were collected and the approximate time when they began to ripen.

Magic properties

The mineral helps honest, kind, active and purposeful individuals. It attracts good luck, gives self-confidence and is a powerful amulet against the evil eye. A passive, lazy person should not wear garnet jewelry, because the strong energy of the stone will have a depressing effect on him.

Are common

Pomegranate enhances the owner’s charm, increases self-esteem and helps in solving problems. It is suitable for balanced, creative people, devoid of envy and unhealthy ambitions. Periodically it is necessary to cleanse the mineral of accumulated negativity. It is enough to leave the jewelry overnight in a container with salt, which will take on the negative energy and return the stone to its magical properties.

Pomegranate helps in solving problems.

Abilities depending on color

In ancient times, garnet was considered a stone of strength and power, but certain colors gave the mineral its own protective properties.

The magical effect of pomegranates:

1. Pyrope and almandine ignite passion and can cause rage. Therefore, such stones will be dangerous for hot-tempered and unbalanced people.
2. Hessonite is known for its ability to protect against deception and dispel illusions.
3. All green types of pomegranates relieve bad thoughts, cleanse the soul and bring peace to life.
4. Demantoid is considered a masculine stone; it helps to achieve your goal and make the right decision. Suitable for businessmen and people seeking to improve their financial situation. For women, demantoid will add attractiveness and self-confidence, and will serve as a talisman against betrayal.
5. Rhodolite will help lovers build a harmonious and strong relationship for many years.

You should not buy antique jewelry that someone has already worn, because along with the stone, the energy of the previous owner will also pass to the new owner. You can rid a stone of negativity by placing it under running water for several hours.

The most delicious varieties of pomegranate

Experts divide pomegranate varieties into 2 groups: those with soft and hard seeds. The former are very demanding to grow and are not suitable for central Russia. The second group consists of fruits with hard seeds and juicy grains - they can be grown in the Moscow region.

In Russia, only pomegranates with hard seeds are grown

The protective skin of the berry can be of various shades - from light pink to dark crimson. But a whitish color does not mean that the fruit is not ripe, but only indicates its varietal characteristics. To choose a pomegranate based on taste, you first need to know the most popular varieties that you can find in stores and on the market.

Ak-Don Crimean

The fruits are large, oval in shape, with thin pink skin with red spots. The grains are light pink, the pulp is sour.

Dona Crimean - a common variety of pink pomegranate

Dogwood anor

Uzbek early ripening variety with pink-scarlet skin. The grains are bright red in color with a sweet and sour taste.

Bala mursal

The fruit is medium-sized, flattened, with red-raspberry grains, very sweet and aromatic, the sourness is barely noticeable. The homeland of the variety is Azerbaijan.

The sweetest variety of pomegranate is Bala Mursal.

Nikitsky early

Very large fruits with a high neck and a large cup, with a medium-thick red skin. Dark cherry grains of small sizes. The taste is sweet and sour.

Cossack improved

The fruits are large, round in shape, with a creamy-green skin on the outside and yellowish on the inside, with an uneven color over the entire surface.

Soft, green or damaged fruit will not be tasty - you will have to taste the acid, not the desired sweetness. When choosing a delicious pomegranate, consider the above. At the same time, give preference to shipments that were delivered from nearby countries - Uzbekistan or Turkey. The latter country offers customers not only the classic ruby ​​variety, but also a white variety, which contains more vitamins than an apple, and is light and sweet inside. Take the Turkish pomegranate - it is tastier and thicker than its Uzbek “brother”, it starts to sing faster.

Features of fruiting

The tree begins to bear fruit at the age of 3 . It lasts for 5-35 years. Pomegranate is a fast-growing crop. Its first fruits can be harvested in the 2nd year after planting.

When the harvest is harvested, the shoots on which the pomegranates were begin to dry out.

The period of fruit ripening depends on the plant propagation method:

• If seeds were used for this, then the tree produces fruits already in 3-4 years of life.
• If propagation took place by cuttings, then the tree will be able to bear fruit already in the 2nd year.

This phenomenon is due to the fact that it takes less time to root and grow a plant from a ready-made lignified shoot than for a bush grown from seeds.

How to pick a ripe pomegranate without cutting it

It is worth noting that without cutting the peel, it is quite difficult to choose a juicy, ripe and tasty pomegranate at the same time. But adhering to certain rules, you can try to determine the taste of the fruit by picking it up and examining it.

Selecting ripe and tasty pomegranate

Before choosing a pomegranate, inspect it carefully. One of the signs of ripeness is elastic skin. Most often it is a bright red color, interspersed with pink or orange.

Brown tint, cracks, dents are not allowed, as they are signs of rotting of the fruit. The surface of a ripe berry (peel or pericarp) is dry, leathery and woody to the touch.

Too dry skin may be a sign of improper storage or transportation. The grains of such pomegranates may be sluggish, unsweetened, tasteless - it is better not to buy such fruits.

You should not take berries that are too smooth to the touch or visually glossy. This is the first sign of immaturity

Having carefully examined the pomegranate, you can see a cup that looks like a crown or flower. In a ripe fruit, it should be dry, open and colored to match the color of the skin, but not green.

By weight of pomegranate

To choose the right pomegranate, you must pick it up. A fruit that is heavy in weight is almost always ripe inside - as the grains ripen, they begin to fill with juice and become heavier.

The large weight of a pomegranate is a sign of its ripeness and fullness.

By sound

Ripe fruit can be identified by its sound by tapping it. The poured fruit, when physically applied to the peel, produces a ringing “metallic” sound, and when pressed, you can hear the crunch of the grains. Unripe sounds dull, and overripe sounds muffled. In addition, overripe pomegranates may leave dents even after slight exposure.

Benefits of fruit

The pomegranate fruit is a berry with a thick skin. Its weight often exceeds 500 g. The fruit contains a large number of elongated ribbed grains. Depending on the variety, pomegranates can vary in hardness. They contain a large number of useful elements that help treat colds and anemia. There is another advantage: berry juice is an excellent antioxidant, which is an excellent means of preventing cancer.

This crop is highly valued by doctors, because these berries contain a large amount of iron. Eating pomegranate fruits prevents diseases such as anemia. And a large number of vitamins counteracts infection with tuberculosis, dysentery and E. coli.

According to doctors, this culture is one of the most useful and universal. It strengthens the immune system and helps the body fight many diseases. The level of antioxidants in the king fruit is higher than in blueberries, citrus fruits or green tea.

Pomegranate is also valued in cosmetology. The combination of nasturtium flowers and pomegranate fruits allows you to create one of the most effective skin peels, which is an excellent means of combating harmful environmental factors. The juice of these berries is often used in making face masks. Its chemical composition, rich in vitamins and minerals, makes the skin smooth and soft. Despite the origin of the plant from North Africa and the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, gardeners have adapted to growing it in our harsh conditions. But without knowing the specifics of growing pomegranate, you may encounter difficulties related to its fruiting.

Storing pomegranates at home

The pomegranate harvesting season is from October to the end of November. Ripe fruits are well transported and can withstand long-term storage, but they can dry out. Clay will help avoid this. It is mixed with water until it reaches the consistency of sour cream, and the resulting solution is used to fill the crown on the top of the berry.

Pomegranate tree before harvesting
It is recommended to store pomegranates individually wrapped in paper. To prevent the skin from drying out, we recommend a room with high humidity - a basement or cellar. The air temperature in the room should not be higher than 1 degree Celsius.

• If the storage rules are followed, the fruits will be edible for 9 months;
• If the thermometer reading is above 10 degrees Celsius, ripe fruits can be stored for no more than two months.

Why don’t fruits form on the plant and what to do?

Natural causes

Lack of fruiting can occur when not all pomegranate flowers can bear fruit, as it is a cross-pollinated crop.

There are two types of flowers on the pomegranate:

• with a short pistil – does not form fruits;
• with a long pistil - fruits are set.

It is in 95% that barren flowers are observed.

Unnatural causes

Pomegranate fruiting may not occur due to the following unnatural reasons::

1. Lack of heat. Pomegranate requires a warm climate.
2. Lack of light. A tree or bush should only be grown in a well-lit place. In the shade it will bloom sparingly and produce little fruit.
3. Bad soil. Pomegranate must be grown in loose soil with a neutral pH.
4. In order for a tree to begin to bloom, it must be grafted onto another.
5. There is no need to water the plant often, as this will cause it to get sick and the fruits will not appear.