Passion vines are outta control again ....

Should I prune them? I was really hoping to see some flowers this year, but so far .... none! Or do they bloom later in the season?

My vines have taken over again and I really think I need to prune those bad boys! Should I cut them back or should I wait? I figured if I prune now, then it will be big again by Fall for the migrating butterflies and hopefully some GF and Zebra Longwings.

These vines are running out of places to go and the sheer weight bends my trellises on the fence. Need advice!!!!!

no not now Becky. The Gulf Frits will take care of it for you in justa little bit. I just saw my first one the other day. The butterflies have finally started coming in but we have been having bad TS all last week and then yesterday and today. Then next couple of days don't look much better but we really needed the rain. My poor pond was almost dried up. It is looking good now lol

Here in the UK they are flowering right now....................... I don't know when yours are suposed to flower, but it cant be far away, so i wouldnt cut them back yet!!!

Thanks, y'all! That photo above is just ONE fence panel section. I have 10 more just like it! Which is why I asked. I have enough passion vine to feed a LOT of GF and ZLW!!!

Do the flowers show up on new growth or old? And should I fertilize the vines with some Bloom Booster fertilizer to jump start them to produce flowers?

Hi Mark! When are ya gonna post some more photos here on DG! I know your garden is blooming right now and for the next few months! I'd sure love to see a U.K. garden thread here on this forum with some photos of your beautiful butterflies!!! :-)

Becky

The flowers come on the new growth................. and nooooooooooo dont feed them, they will go mad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh you want a photo, ok................. here is my new standard rose for you to look at. LOL

Will post some more soon..................... where should i post them for you????

~Mark~

This is the close up.................. soooooooooooooo pretty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oops .......!

Sorry to be drooling all over your photo, Mark. I love the rose tree!!! How do you get it to become a standard like that? Lots of bottom pruning or is it the cultivar of the rose that grows like that?

Just start a brand new thread here and label it something like "U.K. Garden". I would love to see more!!! :-) And don't forget to share some photos of your famous Crocosmia, too! :-)

I can almost smell those roses from your close-up photo! BEAUTIFUL!!!! :-)

The Rose is grafted to make it like that Becky!! Don't know what root stock is used but it sure makes a nice tree.................

Yes i think i will start a thread called UK Garden.................
Most Crocosmia won't be out in flower until a couple weeks time......... so i will post a few then!! Did you see the few new ones i posted on my site????? theres about 6 i think that are new on there!!

I will check them out, Mark! Your site is growing! :-)

Its gonna grow this year........................ have altered alsorts on it.
There are going to be LOTS of new photos as the crocosmia open...........

Mark that Rose tree is awesome

Thanks Donna.................. I love it and it flowers and flowers for ages.

Becky,
I just can't hardly believe you aren't getting the GFs yet. With all that beautiful passionvine.....

I am being inundated with them. I have at least 30 in cages. And found 4 more this morning when I wasn't even looking for them. I'm going to have to go out and tell the butterflies to head to your house before I run out of food for them.

Terrie

Terrie - It's certainly got me scratching my head as to why I have NO butterflies at all in my yard. I am home all day for the most part and have been in and out of the yard and NOT a one! This has been going on since about 2 weeks into June. I raised about 30 of them from my school about 5 miles away and released them all to my yard. Where they went? I have no idea! This just isn't natural or normal. Got me so totally stumped!

I don't think I have an over-abundance of predators either. The birds could care less about the butterflies. They are loving the seeds and nuts in the feeders too much. I do have wasps, but no more than usual. I just don't get it!

If ya run outta PV, I'll certainly take some of your GF cats! I have more than enough PV for them. I bet I could support .... easily .... a couple hundred GF cats! No lie! I was hoping that I would get lots of cats this year so I wouldn't have to consider pruning the PV in the middle of summer. My PV is huge and nothing is showing up to eat it.

Are your PV blooming right now? I was wondering if they scent of the flowers attracts the butterflies? I know on the Cassia is does. (Though the Sulphurs still find my plants even if they aren't in bloom.)

I'm at a total loss. If there was some kind of pesticide around, then the bees wouldn't be in my yard. Though ........ if other folks are spraying their yards and the butterflies go there first, they could be poisoned and not make it to my yard. Hmmmm .... that is a very strong possibility. I do see many lawns being sprayed in my neighborhood. :-(

Becky,

My passionvine in my yard isn't blooming. It's actually very small. I cut it back a few weeks ago because of spider mites. The ones that have popped up in the neighbor's yard (from my orginal plant) are in bloom. But I'm finding tons of eggs and cats on my unblooming vine. Several of my neighbors have their lawns sprayed, although one supposedly has a company that does organic lawn control.

The house next to me has been empty since the hurricanes a couple years ago. I noticed my Lavendar Lady PV is growing all over the back yard. I went over a pulled up some to re-root in my yard. And I also brought back a few more cats. If you want to come up this direction, we could go in their yard (I know them, so it's no problem), and look for cats, plus you can definitely take some of mine. Just let me know and I'll D-Mail you my address and phone number. If you want a few today, I'll be heading down there for supper at my son's and could drop some off.

Terrie

Becky,

I wish I had 1/4 of your passion vines. Mine are so puny it might be enough for one cat barely and then I would not have any more to give it. It is new but thought it might grow faster. I guess yours have been there awhile, huh? Please tell me mine will look like that one day.

Leslie