In the current season, his garden has surprised with an abundance of fruits, with individual pomegranates weighing between 1-1.5 kilograms.
In an interview with a Turmush correspondent, Abduvaitjan shared that he received his engineering education in Russia and holds diplomas from two higher educational institutions. However, due to health issues, he had to leave his career in his specialty and switch to gardening. On his plot, he grows figs and pomegranates, having planted 60 pomegranate seedlings 25 years ago. The trees began to bear fruit 22 years ago, and in the last 4-5 years, the harvest has become particularly generous. Now he does not plant new trees but offers seedlings to others interested.
According to his wife, Ra'nohan Mamitova, Abduvaitjan constantly seeks new knowledge about proper plant care: he communicates with other gardeners and actively studies information online.
“Growing pomegranates is a labor-intensive task, and not everyone will take it on. In the autumn, the trees are buried in the ground to a depth of about two meters, and in the spring, they are dug up again. Only in this way can they bear fruit every year. Some gardeners are too lazy to perform these tasks, and the trees stop bearing fruit. Considering the cold winters in our region, it is best to hide pomegranates underground. We always advise this to those who buy seedlings from us. It is also important to weed the grass around the roots to avoid the appearance of pests,” noted Khankeldiev.
From one tree, up to 35 kilograms of fruit can be harvested, and this year some pomegranates even exceeded one kilogram. Abduvaitjan grows the “Kuva” variety, which he brought from an Uzbek village known for its pomegranates. This variety has a slightly sour taste, and there is also a local variety called “Kara qayın,” which has a neutral taste. Additionally, he has also planted a sweet variety.
“Sour pomegranate is the true taste of pomegranate. It has powerful healing properties. In our family, we prefer this taste. Sweet pomegranates are rarer, and those who understand their medicinal qualities prefer the sour ones,” added the gardener.
