Pomegranates- Blooming

Q: My co-worker tells me that every year his pomegranates look healthy but always drop their blooms before they can set fruit. Do you have any ideas why?

A: Very likely the problem is caused by failure of the flowers to be pollinated. Small insects, moths and hummingbirds normally do the job. But if he’s spraying insecticides nearby, that could be the problem. A solution is to plant flowers that attract pollinators close by. Catnip, mint, parsley, marigold, phlox, zinnia, cosmos, salvia, bee balm, Shasta daisy, iris, and coneflower are full of the nectar that pollinators search for.