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Surely everyone has seen how pomegranate grows - a tree that loves warmth and ripens in warm regions by mid-autumn. This important royal fruit, used from plant roots to fruit seeds, is used in cooking, cosmetics, medicine, industry, etc. The history of the pomegranate goes back more than two millennia. In the culture of many peoples, it is considered a symbol of abundance and prosperity.

Any gardener dreams of growing such a fruit in his own garden. This is an unpretentious tree in natural conditions: if there is a warm sun, then the pomegranate grows and develops well with proper care. Guncha Ismailova, a resident of Dashoguz, has been growing pomegranates for several years as an amateur gardener.

- This is a small tree up to 6 meters high. It has thin twiglets with thorns. Depending on the species and variety, as well as the region where it grows, pomegranate berries can be sour or sweet. Many people grow sweet varieties in our region, she says.

The pomegranate can be fruit-bearing and fruitless. It is identified by its flower. It is heat that is the key to large and good pomegranate fruits. It is undemanding to the soil; any type of soil can be used for it.

• Planting a pomegranate in the garden is similar to planting other trees, but has its own specifics. You need to know how to properly plant seedlings and prepare cuttings for this. If it is planned to grow several trees on the site, then a certain distance should be maintained between them, the amateur gardener continues.

By the way, growing a pomegranate using a ready seedling is the easiest and most reliable way that gives a quick result. The pomegranate fruits have a number of advantages: ease of spraying and picking, the stability of the fruit to storage and transportation, and the possibility of marketing them in the long term. Pomegranate grows in almost all regions of Turkmenistan.

- When choosing pomegranates, attention should be paid to its husk - the drier it is, the riper it is. A rich red skin may have orange spots and scuffs, but should not have soft areas that indicate that the fruit has already rotted. In addition, the husk should be thin, and its crown should be dark and dry. The juiciest pomegranates are those that are heavier, says Guncha Ismailova.

Different peoples have beliefs and legends associated with the pomegranate. If in the cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean, Mesopotamia, Iran and the Aegean Sea, pomegranate is often mentioned in literary sources and symbolizes birth, death, life, fertility and abundance, then in Ancient Egypt the dead were buried with the pomegranate in the hope of reincarnation. There is even an opinion that the bright-red crown decorating the top of this wonderful fruit became a clue for the shape of the royal crown.

In the Quran there are comparisons of pomegranate fruits with many seeds and the color of precious stones, rubies, a symbol of abundance, peace of mind. The Great Prophet Muhammad also called for using pomegranate for food to cleanse the soul from envy and hatred, and the ancient Greeks considered this fruit the source of immortality. Avicenna wrote that pomegranate of all varieties is an excellent diuretic, astringent, anti-inflammatory and anti-febrile remedy.

By the way, pomegranate juice is considered a “rejuvenating drink”. It enhances nerve cells and the immune system, intensifies mental activity, and gives a feeling of buoyancy. And its regular consumption as a food helps in the prevention of oncology, heart and autoimmune diseases.

Myahri YAGMUROVA