New Pomegranate tree turning yellow, dropping leaves..??

Hello everyone! I am new to the forums, and relatively new to Florida (formerly from PA) so, everything I knew about gardening has changed ;)
I recently purchased a Pomegranate tree from a local, reputable nursery, and planted it about two weeks ago. I put the proper fertilizer on it, and have been watering it twice per week with the hose, and it gets the additional water twice per week with the irrigation system. Yet, the leaves are yellowing and falling off. At this point, it looks like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree!! I am in central Florida, and it is still in the high 80's here. It gets full sun all day, and is planted near, but not touching a mostly south facing brick wall. I do also spray it weekly with a natural pesticide to prevent bugs. (the same that I use on the citrus tree, it was treated one time only) I went back to the nursery and they gave me some root stimulator to try and save it. I think the one thing I did incorrectly was not to dig the hole twice as big as the root ball....

About three months ago we planted a fruit cocktail tree and that is thriving and even has lemons on it right now! What could I be doing wrong and how can I save my Pomegranate tree?!

Thanks!!

Don't most trees lose their leaves in the fall? I think you are expecting too much from that little tree. Give it some time.

If it's getting watered four times a week, it could very possibly be getting over-watered. Too much water can cause a plant's leaves to turn yellow and fall off just like if the plant doesn't get enough water. Also, I never put fertilizer on newly planted trees or shrubs--only root stimulator. The fertilizer can burn the roots if it's applied at planting. I don't begin fertilizing until the plant is about 1 year old.

Thank you for the replies...I figured any deciduous trees would not be losing leaves just yet....it's still 88 plus here in Orlando, but ,..hey, the trees know better than me I suppose. :)

I did slow down on the watering this week with that suspicion...I will keep it to once a week with the hose if that. I will hope for the best. If it completely defoliates, does that mean it is dead? Is there a way I could tell for sure?

thanks so much!!

Naturelover1950 has the right of it. You are over-watering your pom, most likely. Pomegranates actually prefer dryer soils compared to other fruits. My three get watered once a week by the sprinklers and about twice a month by hand from the rain barrels. They thrive with that little water. Now, come the colder weather the leaves will turn a cheery yellow and drop off about three weeks before the oak trees. Most poms don't do well when the mercury dips below 17F either so you may need to burlap them should that ever happen, but looking at your zone it is unlikely.

Hit it with growth hormone or root stimulator no more frequently than once a week with it's deep watering. If you feel like you have to fertilize, stick to something like manure or compost. Mulch is awesome stuff for a slow fertilizing compost and a moisture retaining medium to keep the water where it belongs. Mostly, you should be able to ignore it and have it do well.

To check to see if your tree is still alive (which I suspect it will be), just use your fingernail or a regular kitchen knife and gently rub through part of the bark (just a very small area) to see if it's still green underneath. Don't worry about the small rub you make--the tree will heal itself. Good luck.

Thank you all....update...after I stopped overwatering the poor little thing, it has had a glorious outpouring of new growth! AND I actually think I see two little flower buds this morning!!! Hooray!! :o) I am so amazed at how much growth has sprung forth in just under two weeks! Thanks so much for the advice...I will keep lurking here and gathering great advice!

In your weather, you may not need to water it hardly at all. Mine is in the ground for the first year - last year it was in a pot. Both years leaves started to yellow and drop in Oct. Yes they are dessert plants, so not too much cold, but here we only get a few mornings with frost and n ever a hard freeze. I see the neighbor's full size tree does well with little to no care.

Pomegranates hold their leaves much longer than oak trees do, and only loose their leaves if they get drought stressed, the ants cut them off, or they freeze. Pomegranates in my zone 8b garden won't be loosing their leaves until the end of November, and I suspect in your area they may keep them much later. Some varieties of pomegranate are evergreen in tropical areas.

Oh Yay! Flowers! I thought I would share a photo with you all! Thanks so very much for your help!!

Hey! So my pomegranate was getting watered multiple times a week as well, causing many leaves to turn yellow and die. I have now fixed that so my sprinkler will go off once a week in that area.
I have an additional question - even the healthier leaves on the plant are a lighter green than when I got the plant (see pictures) i read somewhere that it could be a nitrogen deficiency. I'm not sure if I should apply some right now or wait till spring. Any thoughts?

It was planted around late August 2020 and it gets full sun all day. Since my yard only has about 5 inches of top soil before I hit clay, I planted it in this raised mound to give it more room and hopefully better drainage.