Fruit cracking
Cracking follows uneven water supply — above all a heavy irrigation or rain after a dry spell late in fruit development. Steady moisture in the root zone is the first defence, and probes are how you keep it steady.
Pomegranates · Granate
Independent agronomy for pomegranate orchards.
Cracked and sunburnt fruit is where pomegranate profit goes. We measure the soil, the leaves and the water through the season, and advise independently of any supplier — with steady moisture and a strong post-harvest programme at the centre.
What we measure, and when
A pomegranate season, measured.
Each sample is timed to the crop stage where it tells you the most. We work across the Western Cape and the Karoo.
| Season, July to June | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budbreak | Aug | Sep | ||||||||||
| FloweringExtended, several waves | Oct | Nov | Dec | |||||||||
| Fruit development | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | ||||||||
| HarvestWonderful and later cultivars | Feb | Mar | Apr | |||||||||
| Leaf sampleMid-season, same stage every year | Dec | Jan | ||||||||||
| Soil samplingPost-harvest | Apr | May | Jun | |||||||||
| Soil moisture monitoringSteady supply through fruit fill | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr |
Crop stageLeaf samplingSoil samplingMoisture monitoringTiming is approximate and shifts with region, cultivar and season.
What we look for
Where pomegranates gain or lose quality.
The questions we put to every block's numbers — answered independently, with no product attached to the answer.
Calcium and boron
Both strengthen the rind and help it stretch as the fruit fills. We check them in the leaf and soil and supply them early enough to count.
Sunburn
A balanced, well-fed canopy shades the fruit; weak or over-thinned trees expose it. Nutrition is part of sunburn control, not separate from it.
Colour and sugar
Potassium supports colour and sugar, but too much of it pushes out calcium and magnesium. We manage the balance between them.
Post-harvest reserves
The reserves a tree builds after harvest carry next spring's flowering and set. A post-harvest programme is one of the cheapest returns in the orchard.
Norms still being written
Leaf norms for pomegranates are less established than for vines or citrus, so we read results against published ranges, your best-performing blocks and their own trend over seasons — and say so.
What you get back
Numbers you can act on, kept season after season.
We keep every result, so this season's numbers always sit beside last season's — and you get a written report after every visit.
- Soil maps per orchard block, including salinity where the water calls for it
- Leaf results tracked season on season against your best blocks
- A season and post-harvest programme by nutrient, from the supplier you choose
- Probe readings with refill and full points through fruit fill
- Crop passports and spray records per block, ready for audits
Other crops
The same independent approach, crop by crop.
Contact
Talk to an independent agronomist about your pomegranates.
Evert Bergh, agronomist. Based in Durbanville, serving farmers across the Western Cape and the Karoo, and nationally.