Uprooting fruit trees: Pomegranate with poor-quality fruit
Question
Our rimon tree is about 5-6 years old. It's never really given its edible fruit. We're considering getting another non-fruit tree in its place. Are we allowed to uproot the rimon?
Answer
Here's the deal. If your pomegranate tree is really is from a strain that produces very poor-quality fruit, you can treat it like a non-fruit-bearing tree (eitz seraq) and uproot it. HOWEVER, it is possible that there is some underlying issue that is preventing the tree from producing good fruit.
Due to the prohibition of uprooting fruit trees, unless it's a poor fruit-quality variety (find out with your local gardener), it's important to make reasonable effort to get it to produce (if you haven't already). It is possible that with the correct treatment - fertilizer, proper water, or other things, your fruit will actually produce well.
What qualifies as "reasonable effort"? Having a gardener look at it and getting a professional guidance (if you .haven't already) on how to rehabilitate the tree.