Was it raining recently? Pomegranate fruits tend to crack open when watered. I tried to water the base of the plant only. Mine aren't ripe yet. Mine usually start to ripe in October, and by Thanksgiving, they are all gone.

Next to my house is an abandon lot. Last week I notice there is a mature pomegranate growing, I have lived in that house for 3 years and I thought it was some type of mistreated bush. Usually nothing but bare branches and few leaves. It has very small and cracked fruit. It has been raining alot this summer. So that would explain the cracking, i thought it would be the lack of fertilizer.

I have a mini dwarf Pomegranite. Such a cute little tree/bush. I was so excited to see there was a little mini Pom on it a few weeks ago. Today when I went out to water, I noticed the fruit was gone. :((( It wasn't anywhere near being ripe. I can't imagine it tasted very good.

I know that rind and aril color varies from one variety to the next, but it doesn't look fully-ripe in your photos - or at least not like I expect to see in a good one - and I'm accustomed to the poms back home in AL on the z7-8 interface coming in in late Sept/early Oct. - but, once they start splitting, due to fall rain, etc., you've pretty much gotta pick 'em, regardless, or they start rotting on the bush.

Yeah, I'd say you're harvesting a bit early. But if they are splitting you don't have much choice. Poms can still be pretty sweet when harvested early, but it's better to wait to get the full flavor profile.