If you reside in a warm climate area that doesn’t go through extremely harsh winters, then you can easily learn how to grow passion fruit in your garden. The plant itself is tricky and needs ample space for growing, but it will bloom and thrive when given proper attention.
Let’s look at how to grow your passion fruit at home.
What Is Passion Fruit?
When it comes to the passion fruit plant, it is an extremely quick-growing climbing vine with large three-lobed leaves. The tiny tendrils of passion fruit tree start wrapping themselves around whatever they get in touch with, and its flowers are exceptionally beautiful. The passion fruit vine can climb as high as the support allows them to.
Depending upon the variety, the fruit’s color is either purple or yellow and is round in shape. When cut, it has a thick and smooth rind loaded with juice, pulp, and seeds.
Now, that we know much about the yummy fruit, it’s time to know how to grow passion fruit?
What Do Passion Fruit Vines Need For Growing?
The passion fruit plant starts vining when the sun is full, whereas partial shade is preferred in very hot climates. The vines thrive in several types of soil; however, the most suitable type is the one that varies from light to heavy sandy loams and has a PH of 6.5-7.5.
Also, the soil should be loaded with organic matter, and the drainage should be excellent. You can always add organic matter to the soil before you start planting. Charlie’s Compost can also be added to ensure that your plant has a sufficient soil environment.
If you opt for growing purple passion fruit, you need to remember that it is sub-tropical and grows well in a frost-free environment. During the cold winter months, passion fruit vine may end up losing some leaves. You can always grow the vines in a container, but they will need a supportive structure to climb on.
Which Variety Is Best For You?
So how do you determine which variety is the best for you to grow? There are namely two main types of passionfruit; one is the golden passion fruit, which is also known as the tropical passion fruit. The other type is called a purple passionfruit.
The purple passion fruit is the sweeter one and is native to Brazil. On the other hand, the golden passion fruit is a bit more acidic and larger in size. If you live in an area where the climate is tropical, your go-to choice would be the golden passionfruit. If you are in a cooler climate, purple passion fruit should be your preference.
Growing the Passion Fruit from Seeds:
First step: It is best to use freshly harvested seeds as they germinate faster. Older seeds may take many months to germinate, or they might not germinate at all. Keep the following points in mind:
- Before you plan on planting the seeds, make sure you purchase some ripe passionfruit. Cut it and collect 6 seeds.
- Spread on burlap and rub them to burst the juice sacs open.
- Then wash the seeds with water and let them dry for 4 days. Next, wash them again and let them dry in the shade.
- Plant the seeds immediately so that they germinate within ten to twenty days.
Second step: It is best to start with a separate and well-protected container and then transplant the vines to your chosen garden area. The initial planting container should not be bigger than 3 feet. Fill it with a soil mixture that has equal parts of coarse sand, topsoil, and compost. The container should be filled up to 4 inches with this soil mixture.
Third step: Once done, use a stick to scrape through the soil and make furrows that are two inches apart. These will act as shadow drains that will avoid any damage done to the seeds or roots due to moisture.
Fourth step: Now, place the seeds in the furrows and protect them by covering them with a very thin soil mixture layer. Once done planting, water them immediately, but make sure you only moisten the soil. Once done, you will need to occasionally sprinkle water on the soil’s surface whenever it dries up.
Fifth step: Once the seedlings grow to around eight inches in height, you can transplant them to their forever spot in your garden.
Things and Tips to Remember:
- When the risk of frost has finished during spring, make sure you remove dead or weak growth. Also, reduce the fast-growing shoots to about one third and cut out the vines growing in unwanted places.
- Pruning is key, and it will ensure that the vine produces fruit and grows vigorously.
- The fruit of the vines starts to ripen during the middle of summer and autumn. The fruit usually takes anywhere between two to three months to become fully ripe. Once it’s dark purple, you can tell it’s ripe. You can also gently shake the tree to make the fruit fall off.
- Bad weather can largely affect the passionfruit’s pollination. It is best to plant different varieties of flowers to attract and welcome pollinating insects. You can also pollinate the flowers by hand.
- Remember that watering the passion fruit vine regularly will keep it fruiting well. Once the fruits start becoming mature, the need for water increases. During the summer, you need to water deeply. The fruit may fall off early and shrivel up if the soil is too dry.
- Keep these handy tips in mind and watch your passionfruit vines thrive and flourish.
So, now you know how to grow passion fruit. Make use of the provided information and enjoy home-grown passion fruit like never before.