Greetings everyone!  The topic is self explanatory.  I am wanting to hear from people growing pomegranates in 7a-b or colder.  If you have pics please post them.  I want to know how you are growing yours, what the hardiness level seems to be and the type.  I want to know all I can about making this happen in my area. 

I am over wintering two varieties in containers in garage.  My plan is to put them in ground in the spring. 

Cool, which varieties?

I have my inground and every year it died to the ground over winter. This year I increased the quality of wrapping and hope it survives.

If it does not work, I may consider container growing it. 

I have read that they will die back to the ground every winter and come back every spring.  The question I have is...will they be able to produce ripe fruit during the growing season.  I'm going to plant them in a slightly raised area surrounded by rock/brick.
I have a Eversweet variety and a Wonderful (started it from seed).  They grow like weeds during the growing season.  I have had them two years in containers...letting them grow before putting them in ground this spring.

Supposedly there are heirloom varieties that are growing in Alabama.  I have heard of one russian  variety that is supposed to endure zone 6 winters with no die back.  I hope someone with experience chimes in.  I had some pomegranate plants in pots that I allowed to freeze and now I have them in the house and they are still alive with no dieback.  I hope they can gradually become hardy for my area, though they technically could be already :)

Salavanski,Afganski,and Kazake is the kind you want to grow in 7b.They are hardy and produce good fruit.Talk to Richard from Pomnaturals he is the expert on hardy varieties.I cant post pictures because of the size limit.  

Much like fig trees, if they die back to the ground, all energy will be spent on growth, this cant be normal and would believe they need extreme covering over winters.

I have salavatski in zone 6b in the ground, ( with some simple protection and south facing near the house) and it does well. It produces decent fruit. It took about four years for the fruit to fully ripen. In earlier years, the fruit would set and later drop off in August-September. I prefer salavatski poms to "wonderful" variety in supermarkets. It has a sweeter flavor, but the the fruit is smaller. Let me know if you'd like cuttings.

Where did you obtain your plant Bill?  Is it possible to get a few cuttings?

I bought it from Bass about 5 years ago. Sure, no problem for cuttings.

They are very small plants but you are right, thanks for the link.  I bought some at Lowe's that had the name tag Granada on them and said they were hardy to zone 7.

Granada is a sport of wonderfull...not so sure about its so good for zone 6/7. Green sea pomegranate nursery has many of the "Russian" varieties brought in by dr. Gregory Levin...

I am growing R19 aka Nikitskii Ranii aka Crimson Sky...got it from edible landscaping in VA. Best producer in humid zones, from the hardy "Russian" varieties also has the red appeal, and was one of the top rated for flavor... (poms often do poorly with humid summers like we have in the south and east coast.

See also: http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/figs-and-pomegranates-two-great-partners-7910870?&trail=50

Why woild you buy pomegranate from wellspring? You can buy them online easily, nurseries sell 1-3 year olds 15-25$ from what I've seen. I'd rather a bigger one for 15 than a TC for 10.

Thanks for the info Lewi!  Have you successfully grown any fruit from your pomegranate yet?  Shalom.

Check out Chestnut Hill nursery, they sell 15 or so varieties of pomegranate and give information on the ripening time. In cooler climates that's a must!

There are a number of sources on growing pommegranades in cooler climates.

http://www.ediblelandscaping.com and http://www.palmapalmetto.de are particulary relevant because they have pommes (and fig) supposedly suited for cooler climates and because they are willing to ship to non US customers.

The most interesting seems to be from russia. Salavatski, Parfianka, Kazake, Entekeh-Sabi...

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1520016/pomegranates-in-colder-climates
"Climates that do not allow pomegranate to ripen have cool and/or short summers. These are seldom the same climates that are too cold in winter for the plant. In other words, pomegranates do well in zone 7 Albuquerque, but probably not in zone 8 Seattle for example."

While my climate may allow for pommes to survive (I live in Norway), I doubt that my summers are sufficiently long and hot to mature fruit on plants that come from inland russia.

On a resent trip to China (Xi'an), I saw miles and miles of pommegranate fields. They seemed to wrap each individual fruit into some bag, possibly to avoid birds/insects?

Yes you are correct, those who live in areas with shorter summers need early bearing varieties. R 19 aka crimson sky is early, also Bass has posted about ripening Slavatski in Bethlahem Pennsylvania (zone 6).

I love that they post ripening times, Oct, Nov pomegranate will never ripen for me outside of a greenhouse!

Do pom cuttings root the same as fig cuttings?  In zone 8 how long from cutting to fruit, give or take?

I haven't rooted them myself but from.what I've read the technique is pretty much the same and it takes about 3 years. But that's just what I read.