5 Signs Your Pomegranates Are Ripe and Ready To Harvest

If you’ve never grown pomegranates, you may not know what signs to look out for or when they’re ready for harvest. If it’s your first time and you aren’t sure when to pick, join organic farmer Jenna Rich as she discusses five telltale signs that your pomegranates are ripe and ready to harvest.

Written by Jenna Rich Horticulture review by Sarah Jay Last updated: October 29, 2024 | 3 min read

A close-up of a woman's hands harvesting pomegranates and placing the round, deep red fruit with rough skin into a large wicker basket.

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Pomegranates (Punica granatum) originated in the Mediterranean, parts of modern-day Iran, and northern India. Classified as a berry, a pomegranate is a delicious and highly nutritious fruit grown for its juicy seeds.

You may guess by the color that they’re high in antioxidants and vitamins, which may protect us from ailments like osteoarthritis, inflammation, high blood pressure, and adverse free radical effects. Levels may vary by variety, with over 500 to choose from.

Pomegranates are relatively low maintenance and perform well in containers. If you are a patient gardener, I suggest growing these sweet, tart, and funky little fruits. However, if you’re not ready to grow your own, use these tips to check for pom ripeness at your local farmers’ market or grocery store.

Like other crops, use the days to maturity as your primary guide. Mark your calendars with the estimated first harvest date and take detailed notes throughout the growing year to understand how the tree performs in your region’s climate. Then, jump into five signs to look for to know your pomegranates are ripe and ready to harvest.

Weight

Female hands pluck a ripe fruit with thick, leathery skin of a rich pink-red hue from among glossy, narrow green leaves. — Larger fruits offer juicier, flavorful arils and seeds.

Heavier weight indicates mature innards and full, juicy arils. The bigger, the better when it comes to pomegranates. After all, it’s the juice you want, and large ones contain more.

Experienced pomegranate growers can rely heavily on weight as a ripeness indicator. With years of holding the fruits in hand at various stages of ripeness, you’ll know when they’re ready.

Let’s discuss the innards to understand what makes up this delicious fruit’s weight. Aril loosely refers to the seed, but pomegranate arils are the fleshy container that holds the seed. The name pomegranate translates to “apple of many seeds” in Latin, and pomegranates hold to this, containing an average of 600 to 800 seeds each.

Arils comprise about 40% of the fruit mass and encapsulate the seed, which makes up about 10% of the fruit. The remaining 50% consists of white flesh that holds the arils in place. While technically edible, most people discard and compost it, as the texture is odd and tastes slightly bitter.

The juice from the arils contains flavor, vitamins, and nutrients. Imagine how much work it takes to extract the juice from the fruit, and you’ll understand why it’s so expensive to buy at the grocery store!

Shape

This plant showcases elongated green leaves and produces distinctive, bright red fruits with a leathery rind. — Look for round, slightly firm fruits with flattened edges.

Pomegranates transition from a round ball shape to a more oddly shaped ball with flattened edges. They should have a slight give when you squeeze them, but they may be overripe if they’re mushy or soft.

Texture

The tree displays lush, glossy leaves and a globular fruit with a tough, reddish skin. — Check for thick, leathery skin with small cracks and firmness.

The outer skin becomes thicker and leathery with age and maturity. When the fruit is ripe, you may notice small cracks, and the skin is easy to scratch and puncture with a pin or fingernail. The fruit innards won’t likely be in the best shape if the outside is bruised or has large cracks.

Pro tip: Ignore suggestions to wait until the fruit has fully cracked open, as this invites pests, disease, and loss of flavor.

Sound

Close-up of a woman's hand reaching for a ripe, round fruit hanging from a thin branch with smooth, vibrant pink-red skin. — A ripe fruit sounds dull and heavy when tapped.

Like watermelons, a ripe pomegranate’s sound changes as it ripens. A dull, heavy thud will occur when the arils inside are juicy and ready for consumption. Some call the sound slightly metallic when it’s ready. Knock gently on one of the flattened edges and listen closely.

Pro tip: Record yourself knocking on the fruit throughout the maturity stages for future reference. This data will be instrumental in the coming seasons if this is your first time growing them.

Color

External color is not the most accurate indicator of ripeness due to variations in varieties in different regions. Fully ripened pomegranates range from yellow to pink to purple and red, indicating they are ready to harvest. However, some stay green. Consider the differences in these different cultivars:

‘Haku Botan’ skins remain a pale yellow when ripe
The mature skins of ‘Kara Gul’ are deep, rich burgundy
‘Wonderful’ turn bright, candy-apple red, and are extremely glossy
‘Gissarskii Rozovyi’ is a mottled yellow and pale pink

The exterior skin will be glossy, almost as if it has been shined with oil for display.

Getting Ready To Harvest Pomegranates

A woman uses red pruners to cut bright red ripe fruits from thin, arched branches covered with smooth, lance-shaped leaves. — The majority of varieties yield fruit after three to four years.

Most pomegranate varieties take three to four years to establish before getting a decent amount of fruit, while others will set fruit in year two. Allow the appropriate days to pass (180 to 215), then use these signs to confirm your pomegranates are ready to harvest.

Wait until the fruit is ripe for the sweetest, juiciest arils possible. Depending on your region and the variety, plan to harvest pomegranates sometime in late fall, September, or November.

Use clean, sharp shears and avoid pulling. Leaving the calyx intact will help the fruit stay hydrated and may increase its storage capabilities. Cut as close as possible to the branch, taking the stem with you.

Pro tip: While the fruits won’t ripen off the vine, the arils will sweeten, so hold onto any you accidentally harvested early. Keep them on your counter away from other ripening fruits and vegetables and out of direct sunlight.

Storage

Ripe pomegranates in black plastic boxes display their round, deep red skins, some with a glossy sheen. — Keep them in a cool, dark place for freshness.

Store fruits fresh for about a week in a dry, dark place. After a week or so, add unused fruits to your refrigerator crisper drawer for several months. A vented bag will allow the fruits to breathe and keep them from going soft, and a single layer will keep them from getting damaged.

If you want to freeze the arils for later use, remove them by doing the following:

Cut the fruit in half in no particular orientation.
Place a bowl underneath your working space to catch arils and juice.
Use the back of a wooden spoon to thump the exterior skin repeatedly, gently squeezing the fruit.
As arils release, you may need to pry out some of the white, fleshy membranes to loosen the innermost arils.
Continue until both halves are empty.
Store for up to one year in a freezer safe plastic bag or container.

Using Pomegranates in The Kitchen

The man breaks open a ripe red pomegranate, revealing its glistening, jewel-like seeds and juicy, ruby-red pulp spilling out. — Incorporate them into salads, glazes, or holiday desserts.

Now that you’ve learned how to harvest ripe pomegranates and get those juicy little arils out of the flesh, here are a few ways to pair them with other flavors in fall and winter dishes:

Add a small dish of them to a charcuterie board. They pair well with nuts and cheese.
Toss them into a baked apple or pear crisp recipe for a unique, tart burst of flavor.
Pair them with candied walnuts and feta cheese in your spinach salads for a twist.
Cook them down into a glaze to top roasted winter squash or short ribs.
Use them in a holiday dessert.

Tips For Pomegranate Growing Success

Pay attention to the days to maturity of the variety you’re growing.
Don’t rely solely on the exterior skin color for ripeness.
Avoid waiting until the fruit cracks.
Attract pollinators like butterflies, bees, wasps, and moths by planting plants they love. While the trees don’t require another tree for cross-pollination, yields may improve if you plant another nearby.
Only fertilize during the first few years when the shrubs are growing.
Provide lots of sunlight and well-draining soil. They’ll perform best in USDA Zones 8 to 11.
Prune regularly.