Passies

Hi! Is it possible to plant a passie in too heated sun? I had five passies but the one in the afternoon sun just died. It had been doing poorly and never passed eighteen inches in a year (despite daily watering and regular fertilizing). I am thinking of replacing it with another passie but I don't know if it will work.

If I have the wrong forum to ask this, please let me know.

Thanks,

Chuck

Yes

Yes, this is the wrong forum or yes, it is possible to kill a passie with too much sunlight?

Thanks for answering so quick.

Have a Good Day!!!

Chuck

Yes you can kill it with to much sun or water

Blue Boquet can take full arizona sun. This one would work for you too.

Thanks, I will see about Blue Boquet. I have been overwatering I guess. I was once told to give passies lots of water and fertilizer so they will grow. Maybe I overdid it.

Thanks again,


Chuck

I have blue boquet covering a chain link fence. It receives irrigation water from the neighbors and when I remember to turn on the drip it gets water from it. It survived a couple of days of 16-19 degree weather along with 115. I love this one for that reason.

if youre sure the plant is dead, dig around the roots and if you find black-stringy roots, it died from root-rot (overwatering or poor drainage). If the roots are white the plant will likely re-sprout.

WAter when the soil is dry 1 - 1 1/2 inches below the surface. Poke a finger in, in time you'll get a good enough sense of the soil that you won't need to check as often.

~Chills

I'm going to try posting a pic of one of my passionflowers that overwintered here in Mi!

Hello Chuck.

I find it unlikely that your Passiflora died simply because it was getting too much sun. I grow many different kinds and nearly all - a possible exception in P. citrina comes to mind - THRIVE in full sun. Do you recall which species/hybrid you had that died? It's entirely possible that it was just a weak plant. I had a P. coccinea for several years that I started from seed and, despite heavy pampering, it never grew more than a foot and always looked like it was near death. It has joined the compost pile.

Go right ahead and plant another Passiflora in your spot. Just, of course, make sure to introduce it to full sun slowly if it came from a greenhouse or otherwise protected spot.

Please post pictures of your flowers in the future!

Erick

P.S. There is no way you could overwater a Passiflora that is actively growing, provided you have decent drainage. During the heat of summer, watering them every day can be a great idea. The jury is out on fertilizing - some people fertilize their Passies alot, some barely....everyone has their own opinion. I personally tend to fertilize mine only occasionally.

This message was edited Aug 10, 2007 9:12 AM

Erick i grow many diff Types to and i belive your wrong any plant can die from to much sun or over Watering

Paul,

I can only share my experience, and don't claim it to be any more than that!

In my opinion, the vast majority of Passifloras available on the market are true sun-loving tropicals. Much like Brugmansias, palms, heliconias, sunflowers, hibiscus's, Cannas, and a vast array of other plants, there is no such thing as giving them "too much sun" - provided, once again, that the plants are otherwise healthy and actively growing. There are exceptions, of course, but most of us casual hobbyists don't grow those cooler-loving Passiflora types.

The only way you could overwater a growing tropical plant is if the drainage is poor and it sits in water. That is nearly always bad. Otherwise, they are happy to be watered every day if you have the time and the inclination.

Regards,

Erick

Hi everyone ....I like to make sure my passionfruit is very well mulched over it's roots ....we can go over 40 degrees cels...in Summer and just by my own experience have never found the sun to kill passionfruit .....I get the best results from sheltered roots either mulch or low sheltering plants.....they love water but ...not sitting in it....they love food . I often put say the left over ham bone or a couple of fish well down in the hole before planting ...throw a nice stinky manure on top of that (to keep the critters away...and to feed the plant.) then a few inches of soil...by the time the roots get down there the worms have done their thing and and the passionfruit will jump up out of the soil. I always have hundreds of fruit! Good luck :)

The soil temp here can get to 110 in the summer

Hi phicks....yes our temps are in celcious ...yours in farenheit (sic)...I grew up with your type of temps.....but they changed it to cel...I can't really figure out what that is exactly but .....110 F is almost everyday....in Summer and at 45C you have people dying of the heat.This is why I keep the roots very heavily mulched.....I can't remember if the leaves scorch off in that heat or not ...but the passionfruit still goes on ...the ones growing through the tress don't even blink.

chrissy100,

Your observations and recommendations on Passiflora culture "down under" are a real treat! Thank you for sharing them. I've never really given much thought to mulching Passifloras to keep their roots cooler but you make some very compelling points for doing so. I appreciate your thought-provoking commentary.

I'm not quite as sure about the ham bone, fish and stinky manure....that would not only keep the "critters" away, but me as well! But who am I to argue with your success? I just may give them a try.

Thanks again for the fun posts, and please do so more often. We'd love to hear more of your Aussie plant wisdom and see lots of your pictures!

Erick


This message was edited Aug 10, 2007 8:06 PM

Passionflowers here in south central Texas get full sun and very little attention, yet put forth amazing growth as though the intent is to take over the entire landscape. They cover fences and climb trees and pop up everywhere. I have to clear some of them out periodically with the weedwhacker.

ha ha ha thank you for that ...but about the smell? no smell to us because by the time you have put the passionfruit in the ground... the stuff is at least 1 ft + under the ground.....look if you don't believe it just try one....just one and then you will be amazed I promise!
Oh and the very biggest and best passionfruit grow in the overflow of a septic tank ask any Australian farmer.

Would fruit the size of tennis balls impress?