Master Gardener: When to pick pomegranates and how to stop them from cracking

Q: I have a pomegranate tree that produces lots of fruit, but I never know exactly when to pick it. Sometimes it cracks before I get a chance to harvest it.
Also, is there any special care the tree needs, like fertilization or pruning? It seems to be pretty healthy without any care, but most trees need some kind of attention.
A: Pomegranates (Punica granatum) have been around a very long time. They were frequently mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman literature. Remember the story of Persephone,