Pruning Passionfruit

Henry starts with ...
Could someone please explain what it means by 'major thinning should be carried out to encourage new fruiting wood.' How much of the old vine should I take off?

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Henry says...
Thanks Leah, much appreciated. As you can see from my picture, the growth is quite dense, hence my dilemma. Last year I only had two passionfruit while this year, there are 8 already. Thanks again.

amanda says...
Hi Reg, firstly - what's the pH of your soil?

amanda says...
Hi Reg... I'm sorry - but I don't 'do' clay...Maybe someone else?
(my soil sandy n quite different...although for what it's worth u may not get very sweet fruit at this time of the year...it's too cold! It sounds like the vine needs feeding - can u post a photo?)

Barry says...
Do you need to plant two passionfruit trees or will one do for getting a good crop? I have just one plant growing and I heard that you need two plants. Is this correct? Thank you for your reply.

Julie says...
Cathie, you are lucky to have had 8 years from your vine. Usually they don't go beyond 5 or 6,so I would say it has reached the end of its life.

Time to plant another one!

Vin says...
Hi all need some good tips on how to keep snails from eating my young Passion fruit vines?. They seem to leave the bate and go for the juicy leaves.

Vin

Vin says...
Thanks Jantina,I will do that and report back.

Vin

scottnkez says...
I put in a small Panama red passionfruit vine about 15 months ago but as of yet there is still no sign of flowers or fruit. It is at the back of my herb garden on my western wall. I think it really only gets the morning sun. Should I expect fruit any time soon. Thanks for any help!

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amanda says...
Yes u can Michael - but make sure your trellis is strong and wide enuf' for 2.

Brendan says...
Hi scottnkez,
Try giving your passionfruit vine some 'Sulphate of Potash'.

To speed things up, spray the vine with a very weak solution of Condys crystals plus a wetting agent, say twice a week for 4 weeks, then once a month.

You can now buy liquid potash, give that a go.

I'd give it a good dressing of gypsum and mulch well, keeping it clear of the stem. Remember not to overwater it.

willyno1 says...
When would passion fruit set fruit?? Mine are just the nelly kelly type.

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kellygirl says...
hi there, I am having problems with my passionfruit vine, it has flowered and fruited however the fruit is yellow and is falling off the vine, only 2 really small passionfruit went purple.

The yellow passionfruit is very bitter.

Any help would be appreciated

Brendan says...
Hi kellygirl & neilbal,
Try spraying the vine with 'liquid potash', that will harden up the tissue of the vine and also help it fruit.
Don't forget to add a wetting agent to the liquid potash.
To sweeten passionfruit, apply epsom salts around the root area, a handful per sq. metre and water in.
I'd apply some (extra) sulphate of potash fertilizer and mulch as well.
They like wood ash too :-)

snottiegobble says...
farmer pat, cut back in the winter when it is least active then feed well in the spring with blood n bone & old manure.

amanda says...
Depends where Bairnsdale is I guess...?and sometimes u have to sacrifice fruit when pruning :-(
I have a MONSTER passionfruit vine that has just put out at least 200 fruit in the last month...it's a heartache to think of pruning it now - but it really needs it - as it's taken over an area at least 3 times what it should have...

I had no idea it would get so incredibly huge - it's got to the point that I can't find the fruit any more - it falls down in amoung the branches and goes rotten - cos it can't fall to the ground now.
I have not been able to find a seasonal 'gap' in which to prune it.

Interstingly - I have/had 3 seedling vines and 4 grafted vines for the last 3 yrs.

3 of the 4 grafted vines (2 varieties) dropped dead this summer (and the other one has a virus and is useless)

3 out of 3 seedling vines (all different varieties) and powering along and loaded with fruit...

So much for Nellie Kellies..? ;-)

amanda says...
I think it was nematodes acutally Chris...either way I am not convinced (like many others) that there is an advantage with grafted passionfruit - and certainly my vines (all irrigated) bear that truth out at least..it wasn't drought that killed the grafted vines at all.

farmer pat says...
thanks to all replies on passionfruit. Amanda sounds like we have a pigeon pair in our vines as this is exactly what I am experiencing. Just for the records Bairnsdale is in East Gippsland between sale & lakes entrance. Beautiful part of victoria.

peter says...
hi amanda,
what variety of passionfruit is the
one that you have mentioned above.

peter says...
hi amanda,
no i didnt get seed from the panama red
just the sunshine special which is in
a large pot and doing ok.
i have a seedling panama red and gold
so hope they go ok in my climate.
couldnt say what is going on with the
grafted nk but i have planted about
30 of them about 4 months ago so
am hoping for the best.

farmer pat says...
hi to all. have bitten the bullet & cut back some growth, more than i thought until i started to pull out the long branches will see how i go. Amenda mine is a nelly kelly graft on a north facing wall. Recall growing one facing same way bewteen tank & wall grew enormous same way. Also some years a ago had a go at trying to grow some vines on side of hill to harvest commercially, had quite a wet season & lost all of them, so think it is luck of the draw.

kondoo says...
big

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Wazzbat says...
Fingers crossed I get some fruit this year. I planted a Nelly Kelly Black and a Sunshine Special Black lat year. They are growing well so far. Got a few flowers on the Sunshine Special last year but no fruit.

Also planted two Pink Cheek plants a few months back but they are competing with a bottlebrush from the neighbours so don't expect them to do so well.

Wazzbat says...
I was wondering that myself. I'd like to here the story behind it. He is obviously not growing them just for himself.

amanda says...
I am amazed kondoo - they are doing well in what looks like just sand!? What are feeding them?

What are your hottest summer temperatures? And - what type of passionfruit are they?

kondoo says...
no

kondoo says...
amanda these r purple passion fruit,and my question is,a friend of myn has 3 months old purple grafted and they have started flowering and some have small balls,are they doing fine?

amanda says...
Sure they are fine kondoo. It would be better if they didn't carry fruit at such a young age - then they could concentrate on growing a bigger vine (to support the next seasons fruit - as there will be much more then)

3 months is incredibly young for fruit! Your friend must be very happy :)

kondoo says...
the leaves of my passion fruit is turning yellow,r hey dying?

Melissa says...
Forgive my ignorance but what exactly are nemotodes?

Melissa

snottiegobble says...
Brendan, would the molasses work with tomatoes as well?

kerry says...
hello
do passion fruit benefit from foliar feeding?

snottiegobble says...
My previously sick N.kelly seedling is growing well & covered in flowers & young fruit, but the "big red' ( passiflora cinnabarina) next to it has nothing but tendrils. I think there is is an obvious temperature requirement difference, but nothing on the label mentions it except for "thrives in full sun & protect from frost"
Maybe someone like Amanda would know?

snottiegobble says...
Oh dear Amanda,( better expletive not allowed!) Do you make jam or anything with the fruit?
How`s this for stupidity? All the guava seedlings I told you about that germinated look very like either eggplants or capsicums & I suppose thats because they are! You see I made up my own seed raising mix using some of the worm farm soil! Go on say it, I can take it!!!

Peter says...
Hi everyone,

I need some advice and information as I'm stuck and disappointed with Pink cheeks passionfruit vine I planted last year or should say 2 years ago.

I live in Eagleby, it's halfway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast in Queensland.

I have planted pink cheeks variety of passionfruit in the front yard and has been growing well. The soil was nutrient deficiency but was built up and the profile was clay or claysih so I added Gypsum to break the clay down

I have fertlised the vine using various plant foods and trace elements.

The first year it produced 24 flowers and they all fell off. I assumed this was natural as all of its' energy was being used to grow.

This year, yes it has grown..resulting in 42 flowers, some flowering late. Problem is that they are not setting fruit, the flowers still drop off.

I have applied liquid potash and still seems to be not affective.

I have noticed a lot of black ants racing along the vine day in and day out. I also noticed a lot of red spider mites so I began spraying with wettable sulphur to control redmites.

Leaves look different to what they were and still get the occassional yellowing of the leaves.

Can anyone provide me with advice on how to get my vine to produce fruit. I don't want to pull the vine out of the ground unless really necessary. It will cause me great pain after all the nuturing it has been given.

Peter

Brendan says...
G'day Peter,
To help passionfruit vines bear fruit, give it extra Sulphate of Potash fertilizer.
To speed things up, mix a 'pinch' of Condys Crystals in 9 litres water with a 'good' wetting agent, spray the vine twice a week for 3 or 4 weeks.

Peter says...
Thanks for your information, I'll be doing just that tomorrow.

Problem is now, most, if not all of the flowers are starting to fall off.

I've also notice those pesky small black ants all over the flowers, I can only assume these buggers might be eating the pollen. Is there any spray I can use to deter these buggers.

Peter

Brendan says...
G'day Peter, the potash fert will help the flowers stay on the vine, but will take 10 to 15 days to 'kick in'.
If you must spray, use pyrethrum with a 'good' wetter.

amanda says...
Hi Peter, the red spider mites are a concern....I get them here but never, ever on my passionfruit vines. They like dry conditions. Are u sure your vine is getting enough water?
Passionfruit have shallow roots and I find they prefer a couple of shorter waterings rather than less frequent deep soaking.

Maybe you are giving it too much nitrogen - what fertilisers are u using on it?

Can u post a pic of some leaves at all?

Melissa says...
Misty Gem Vine
Lonely fruit; few and far between

Melissa says...
Grafted Nelly Kelly Black
Pic #10: Vine growing under pergola
Pic #9: Vine growing along brick wall to the left of the garden bed
Pic #8: Vine growing above main trunk and outside edge of pergola
Pic #1 - 7, : Various close up shots of maturing fruit

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Peter says...
Coastie,

I'm not sure about black ants being pollinators, I know they like milking the red spider mites that were on the vine, I sprayed the vine with a red mite treatment.

Peter says...
Hi Amanda,

Thanks for your comments. I give the vine a soaking of water in early morning and again in the evening.

I have used various fertilisers and trace elements, I'll check the garage and will write the names of those fertlisers I use.

I have also used liquid potash of late.

Still getting some leaves yellowing, some leaves seem to have shrunk instead of being large.

I'll take a few photos and will post them up here by Friday.

I may have over fertilised them or over watered. Where I plated the passionfruit vine the soil was clayish so I dug gypsum into it to help break the clay. Have been nuturing this vine for 2 years now.

Peter

Melissa says...
Hi Au0rey,

The Nelly Kelly (the second lot of photos is all one vine) I'll take some more photos and post later; I actually thought I'd killed it with kindness last year..... and removing too many leaves! but it's come back.

I've trained it along a north facing brick wall with timber battens, attached to the battens is plastic mesh (bought from Bunnings) I wouldn't go with mesh again if doing over as the vine grows in behind and gets tangled and is hard to prune. I've tried to stop the branches from growing behind the mesh and keep it in front to make yearly tidying easier.

I planted the Misty Gem - it only gets a small space on the garden wall; it is to the right of the kids swings A frame in the first lot of photos. It's runners got away from me over the autumn/winter period and had merged/migrated into the Nelly Kelly's domain, in Spring (late September) I took to it and pruned it back, and all its growth across the Nelly Kelly - their was no fruit; It doesn't like being hand pollinated; I can't work out how to get the Misty Gem to set fruit; as it has tonnes of flowers and still growing more buds to date. I've tried hand pollinating with the same paint brush I use on the Nelly Kelly; the flowers wither and die; I've tried removing the [things with pollen on them - can't remember the proper name] and wiping them on the other bits - can't remember that name either LOL and it doesn't seem to like that either; there is a couple of fruit on the vine, I don't know how they've set as we do not have any bees.

The section under the pergola is trained along fencing wire thread through "vine eyes" again bought from Bunnings. There is a couple of rows of wire and one on the outside edge of the pergola. It grows fine under the shaded roof - although the branches at the very top get a bit burnt from the heat of the roof, but most of them now hang down.

I'm not really sure how old the vine is, possibly 3-5 yrs old, last year was the first year I took over tending to it and was a bit to loving and thought I'd done too much! Though last year was also the first year we got a decent amount of fruit; hand pollinating help with that.

When we planted this vine, we planted 2 or 3 others and they never grew so they were removed last year. It is a grafted vine and this one has never put out any suckers; one of the others did but I just used to pull them out and I haven't had any since removed the other "dead" vines last spring.

Melissa

Brendan says...
Hi Peter,
Sorry 'bout that. The Condys spray/wetter is to help the vine produce fruit. The Pyrethrum spray/wetter was to get rid of the ants, if you wanted to :-)

There's heaps of good 'wetters' out there: Kenwet, Spreadmax, Agral, Activator (what I use).

By the look of your vine it has been getting too much Nitrogen, try giving it some extra Sulphate of Potash, old manure and mulch. Keep the mulch away from the vine.

Jason says...
You guys must be pro passionfruit growers, mines about the size of Peters after 10 years :S

amanda says...
Well I have to get in on the picture act too now! ;D here are my pride and joys...

Pic 1 is Panama Gold (3.7m high fence) - it has been a bit sick but coming good now it has an extra dripper added.

Pic 2 is Sunshine special - there are two grape vines in there somewhere (oops!) about 1.5m H but 10m long (maybe the birds won't find the grapes this year!?)

Pic 3 is Big Red on the 3.7m fence - she's off over the side now...

Pic 4 is my beloved Pan Red - all three sides (2m high wall) although she has covered up my water fountain, picture windows, honeysuckles et all and is threatening to take over the BBQ (so hubby is itching to hack into her..lol)

(ps - I pinch out the growing tips on the longer vines when the vine is young)

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amanda says...
PS : Just took a pic of the root system of a healthy P'fruit vine - this is only 1cm below the soil and about 1.5 m out from the trunk..! So very shallow and very spreading - that gives lots of clues as to how to feed and water them..?

Head in the sun, feet in the shade too..

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Wazzbat says...
Peter - Wetting agent is cheaper at your local supermarket. I have seen it in Coles and IGA stores. The brand is Earth Choice. It's a washing up liquid that is Grey Water safe and I have had good results (No plant damage). Get the small bottles which are the concentrate ones. I find they are better than the bigger (non concentrated) ones. I reckon it works better than the nursery/hardware stocked products and it works out cheaper!

Peter says...
BJ,

Sorry, but no can do placing anything on the otherside of the vine as its all cement. the old bloke does not want anything that creeps up walls as such.

I'll see how I go with bee attracting flowers.

Peter

amanda says...
So Peter - is the carport roof on the North or south side of the vine..?

Peter says...
Amanda,

The carport roof?

The vine is on the Northern side of the carport, cant shift it as it's permanent.

I found 3 flowers opened so I used a cotton bud to pollinate the stigma since there are no bees around.

I have already lost a lot of flowers, they have opened, closed and wilted and dropped of the vine.

I've dug the soil with a weeding fork to aerate and additional fertiliser as well as trace elements and watered it in.

Peter

Melissa says...
Hey Peter,

Don't disturb the root system too much; they don't like it....

Just clear a garden bed for your vine; I don't have anything planted in the garden bed my vines are growing in apart from a Gum Tree in the corner; which was there before I planted the second vine last year.

I've got a good inch or two of mulch; I put down Dynamic Lifter Fruit & Flower under the mulch & then just water in my soluble fertilisers (Seasol & Sulphate of Potash)

Don't be disheartened over the flowers you've lost; I recon I've lost over 100; and I'd say Ive got approx 100-150 fruit now on the vine, and its still setting.

When you are hand pollinating you won't get 100% success but you should start to see fruit setting, as early as the 2nd day.

If you don't get success with and pollinating maybe it's like my Misty Gem; it doesn't like being hand pollinated; atleast not with the paint brush I use on the Nelly Kelly Black.

Let us know how you go.

Melissa

Melissa says...
Hey Amanda,

I wasn't saying that growing anything was bad; I just don't so I can find the fruit and that when I fertilise it goes to the passionfruit vine and not weeds etc....

I was more trying to point out that disturbing the roots by forking in the fertiliser isn't a very good idea as they don't like that very much.

M

Peter says...
Hmmm, I hope I have not disturbed the roots too much

Brendan says...
Hi Peter, when you say 'penetrator', do you mean a 'wetter'? Please do not use any soap based product with Condys. Yes, best to spray in the evening :-)

Brendan says...
G'day Peter,
Doesn't look good, I'd say the wrong wetting agent caused it.
I can see tiny whitish spots on your leaves, they're not bugs are they?
Have a look at this site: http://www.annettemcfarlane.com/diseaseID.htm
Btw, too much Condys is not good either. It just has to colour the water.
I'd spray with Seasol now to help the vine, and give it some gypsum around the root system. That should help.
Another site to look at http://www.abc.net.au/local/videos/2010/06/30/2940831.htm
Amanda might have some ideas as well.
Just Googled Searles Penetraide, it's a soil wetter, not a wetting agent :-(
http://www.searle.com.au/Watermanagement.html

amanda says...
Now that the hot weather has arrived I am expecting my panama vines to commence their serious flowering. The sunshine special has been already at it for about 2 months now (it has cooler climate purple genes in it, I would guess)

Peter - your vine is going to become plethoric if you keep mucking about with it.. :-( Get some bags of good manure and get that onto the ground - it will go a long way to fixing/buffering any damage u have done.
There is no point adding gypsum to clay based soils if u aren't prepared to add organic matter also. Both are needed to improve clayish soils.

Clay based soils have better levels of potassium than sands - so maybe ease up on this for now - you have likely added enough for the time being.
Seasol would be good.

Can u bang in the star pickets like I mentioned above...?

If u spray Baygon on the ground u can expect to lose your good soil bugs too.

I am on sandy loam which retains potassium poorly and I only give my vines potash twice a year!
They get the rest from some rooster booster and manure - these are slow release fert's which suit the vine very well - and with less risk of burning.

I hope this helps - and the vine should recover from the burning provided u don't put anything more on it (as it's stressed now - so be gentle with it) :)

Julie says...
amanda, that looks very like magnesium deficiency. Then again, manganese def can look quite similiar.

Peter says...
Hi Brendan,

Yep, sure did make a big error, it's a learning curve which I wont repeat.

I've got Seasol, will be applying that tonight

Tiny white spots? I dont think they are bugs, might be residue from red spider mite I was treating with a mitecide at the time from a nursery, contains wettable sulphate.

I'll check uner a strong micrscope at uni tomorrow and see if I can get a clear picture and upload it here.

I'll spray it with seasol as well as give it a drink in seasol.

Also will be adding manure to the area during next few days. See how it goes,.

Thanks fo the links, I'll check it out. Peter

amanda says...
It looks like it wants to go to the roof Peter :-O That's not what u want tho. It will likey fry up there and any fruit will be hard to get to.

I tried to grow a vine over my corrugated iron shed twice - it fried and died every summer! So yea - it's a learning curve 4 sure..

No offence - but it's common problem with folk planting these vines in a less than ideal spot - have done it myself :) And they must have lots of room when they are on the boil - or be pruned to contain them.

Other than extending something out from the posts..? Maybe one of those wall clothes lines..??

I sympathise tho - it's hard when u are renting.

Brendan says...
Hi Peter,
Composted cow manure is hard to beat. Chicken manure contains too much nitrogen and makes your vine grow like mad, but can actually hinder it fruiting.

Peter says...
Thanks Brendan,

I've uploaded images taken via a camera microscope of the underside of my passionfruit leaf.

Ist images are of the red spider mite with eggs

The second set is of recent. The white dots that may have looked like eggs or bugs is residue from a bug wash I had applied some time ago.

Amanda, I have spoken to the old bloke and I'll be placing 3 star pickets about 5 ft out from the carport and will use a roll of thinwire from Bunnings it has large square mesh to allow the fruit to hang down from above.

The star pickets are long but will be about 7ft tall once firmly driven with additional support welded in position.

I dont know whether thin wire would be ok as I'm trying to reduce surface and radiant temperature spread. Maybe large square plastic might be appropriate.

Here are the photos.

Cheers, Peter

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Wazzbat says...
Fold out washing line? What a good idea. Just need to make sure the lines are nice and tight. Not sure how much they cost? Might be cheaper to buy some pipe and a welder? Will have to have a think about that?

amanda says...
Very close in names tho aren't they..? Personally I never use wetting agents in foliar feeding - only with glyphosate (round up) I just use a little bit of molasses as a sticking agent for foliar feeds...

Peter says...
Wazzbat,

Retractable Clothes line might not be viable for what I will be doing. Star picket posts ,light metal boxing for top support and possible side to secure wire.

Meal box will be welded in situ. I've got a portable Gas Mig Welder , only good for welding metal up to 5mm thick.

Cheers, Peter

amanda says...
Sounds good Peter! Lets hope this vine rewards u soon! :)

Wazzbat says...
Had a few flowers fall off already :-(

Haven't seen any signs of setting fruit yet. Fingers crossed still though. Looks like there are a heap more flowers on there way yet! Especially on the Sunshine Special.

Peter says...
Hi Brendan,

Good photo of the flower and leaf. Would that be a Nellie Kellie?

I was having thoughts between using Garden Lime or Dolomite. Garden Lime might act a bit quicker but will apply Dolomite on Mondsy.

I have not applied Sulfate of Potash (Liquid Potash) as yet but will doing so later this evening.

What frequency and dosage would you recommend?

I have the star pickets in the ground, will be placing top frame for wire support over the next few days and will then train or divert the vine to grow onto it instead of the carport roof.

Peter

amanda says...
It was a pretty healthy looking vine for pH 4.5 Peter. From earlier posts you say you have given it liquid potash, gypsum, fertilisers and trace elements. All of these things are acidic. Potassium permangenate is a strong oxidiser, in addition.

It would be interesting to see what the pH of some virgin soil nearby is - as all the amendments you have added has likely altered the pH of the soil around your vine now.

Now you are adding lime and dolomite to try and fix this. Your poor vine!?

My advice was to give it lots of manure and more sun. It still is :)

amanda says...
Yes lime will do this Peter - but with these kind of sudden pH changes it can be quite detrimental to the plant. It doesn't quite work that simplistically.

All the best with your vine :)

Phil@Tyalgum says...
Panama Gold is a fabulous cultivar - in its first year it clambered fifteen feet into a Paulownia tree and must have dropped a couple of hundred of the most delicious sweet fruit at our feet. There is so much juice you need to cut the top off like a boiled egg instead of cutting in half so as not to waste any. Interestingly the pulp drops straight out without adhering to the rind, just like an egg.

amanda says...
Hmnnn...I agree with Phil..panama gold is lovely! A proven variety too Peter :) No special care needed and should fruit well for u in Brisbane.

I also love my sunshine special - it's like a cross between a panama and a purple (to me) it still has a lot of that intense passionfruit flavour of a purple - but is sweeter (not as sweet as a pan gold though) They both bear really well for me over here too - so that's a good sign.

ps - sorry to see your latest pics :-( You could always cut the vine back, keep the water up to it, and see if recovers...? If the roots are not 'burnt' then it may be ok.

Phil@Tyalgum says...
And best of all, it is particularly self-fertile. I started hand pollinating the first few flowers but then it set huge crops without any help from me. Some of the branches drooped down out of the tree towards the ground laden with fruit, easily accessed and they drop at the perfect moment of ripeness. It is also easy to grow from cuttings, I have been amazed at how quickly some excess side shoots take root.

Phil@Tyalgum says...
OK don't forget to stand back - they'll take off before your eyes.

Peter says...
Hi Amanda,

I'm all for the challenge.

I just done a bounce test on the rod I was going to use for the roof (Top) and decided to upgrade it to a concrete Reo-bar 12mm thick, a few welds and then the wire. It should not fall with all that lovely fruit :)

I'll have the room to let it profuse :)

Still seem to get a few more yellow spotty leaves on the other vine. Hmmm, very disheartening.

How often do I need to reapply lime and sulfate of potash for?

Peter

Peter says...
Melissa,

That would be good to see.

Peter

Peter says...
Hi Amanda

Hmmm, the vine brings a bit of a tear to my eye.

There still appears to be some leaves that still have those burnt or see through spots on them.

It is still producing more flower like projectiles, leaves still seem a bit crinkly. I'm just giving it a bit of water on a daily basis.

I've welded some metal support frames over the star pickets , using 40mm x 40mm angle iron plus 12mm and 8mm rods at the sides.

I'll post a pic of it tomorrow when I get the chance. I purchased 5 rolls of plastic coated trellis wire to use for the top and sides. I left the ends open so you can walk through and allow the ride-on mower to cut the grass underneath.

I'll take another photo when the wire is placed and secured. another two holes to dig, this time I'll go a bit deeper and wider and ensure enough gypsum is used to assist in breaking up the clay based soil.

Peter

Melissa says...
Hey Peter; if I could do my passionfruit set up again :-) I would.

Google passionfruit trellis on the internet and have a look as some, better still on one of daley's forums there's a professional grower's pictures in (remind me Amanda) somewhere overseas.....

So if you can return the wire frames and get a roll of wire instead?

And you use posts on the ends in an A frame type set up but if the star pickets are well supported and one row of metal across the top, you train the vine up the the top bar and then nip out the growing tip and train two side laterals across the top wire, removing all other lower side laterals, this gives you a strong trunk and strong support at the top then you allow to grow from there: ie they grow and hang down by the weight of the fruit; much easier to prune when removing old growth.

I've had to put a wire at the top of my "plastic trellis" as it wasn't strong enough to support the weight of the vine, if I didn't have the trellis, my vine would grow behind it (as it is against a wall) - you wont' have that problem as yours is free standing.

I bought a roll of fencing wire from bunnings and used that - I went fairly heavy duty and my brother who I paid to do the "fix" for me - found it difficult to turn it back on itself at the ends but it is done.

I'll take some pictures this afternoon and post them.

Melissa

amanda says...
I can imagine Peter :-( make sure u check the pH of the soil B4 you plant the next ones....? Let us know what it is?

It's really hard to tell what's going on with it - it could be the mites (are they dead yet?) or it could be the sprays/fert's...

Maybe when some new leaves come thru when can re-visit it, if they don't look healthy?

(I have noticed that mine produce those "empty" flower stalks just before the vine starts to really flower. Don't know why they do that tho...)

Can't remember that pic Melissa..? These threads are so huge now!? :-O

Peter says...
Wazzbat,

I have purchased two cultivars but have not planted these into the ground as yet.

Melissa,

Yes, I hear what your'e saying but I'm on a shoe string budget these days, fence wire where I am costs a fortune.

5 metre plastic coasted wire will suffice at $10.00 per roll.

Frame is welded into place so I cant undo what's been done otherwise it's an expensive exercise.

Amanda,

The ground where I was going to plant the vine is hard as a rock, very dry underneath, as well as rocky and bit compacted type clay. I've already dug a whole.

I'll dig another hole tomorrow when there's more rain and check the soil's pH. I'll let you know what it will be.

Rain has prevented me from completing the frame. Wire needs to go on. I might build a wooden box 12" LxWxB and fill the bugger with good soil and cow manure.

Yes, this thread is getting big. Might have to start a new thread soon hey!!

Peter

amanda says...
I think it should Wazzbat? Really cold temps in Perth might make it look a little shabby in winter, if they persist, but I see no reason why it wouldn't fruit there...worth a try :) Sounds like a Panama Red from your description - it's all I have seen in the shops lately too...?

A friend planted some shop fruits and has two magnificent, prolific vines bearing a smallish, round yellow fruit - it's lovely and sweet and I have collected seed from that too :)
We have no idea if it's a 'variety' or not tho.

amanda says...
Hey wazzbat (and Peter - see last) - it was the silver speckle that made me think Pan red - it's quite distinctive isn't it?
In the threads on the other side of the main page there is a pic of my pan reds in the milk crates...if it helps.

Mine do vary a bit in colour - some are even a greyish pink/red..others a bit yellowy - depending on whether they ripened inside the canopy or not, maybe...?

Was just reading a comment Sabrina Hahn made - that some varieties can take 2yrs to produce fruit. (She also said feed well - as they live fast and die young!? lol...)

amanda says...
Great job Peter! If you vine doesn't appreciate that then it deserves the sack! :D
That dirt is not very attractive is it..? Very poor in organic matter - the manure should help it a lot. Maybe some acidic clay folk can help here?

Personally I wouldn't spray anything on the leaves now if u can avoid it - except seasol/seaweed solution (which will help deter those mites etc)
Sulphate of potash is just potash (muriate potash is KCl - best avoided) Remember the sulphate will be acidic. Gypsum is calcium sulphate.

U have already added a lot of K+ - if u get some slow release fert like dynamic lifter (which has mid-level N) this will give your vine all it needs for awhile - with much less risk of burning.

Straw has very good levels of K+ - and is a handy mulch....? As it breaks down it will add OM to your soil and encourage microflora. Get some worms if u can....

Passionfruit love a good mulch - take it out 2m from the trunk - water and work this area. Then u can start working on getting that pH up a bit...fine Ag lime will work fastest.

amanda says...
Hey Peter - sounds good :) Let us know how your Misty gem goes too? It's good to gather 'intelligence' on the varieties! :D
I can recommend a sunshine special - if your misty gem gives u no joy in the end.
Also this nice yellow my friend has - I will collect a heap of seeds from hers this season.

amanda says...
oops Peter - make that the Pink Cheeks! :)
Or a cupla house bricks dotted around the straw might be easier..? It should settle with a few waterings and a bit of rotting....

Fingers crossed for u! I am interesting in seeing how these new varieties go too...

Peter says...
Hi Amanda,

No probs. all house bricks went long time ago, not even a besablock.

I've got some old fine wire mesh so will cut that to size to fit.

Pink Cheeks is still powering up, I've trained some of their growth onto the top frame, some new leaves look a bit healthier and have noticed some pre flowers starting to show.

There are quite a few precursor flower pods emerging so will see what happens this time.

Wazzbat,

Give it a bit more time, I think pink cheeks is very new cultivar and not much is known about it. Maybe the developers should have tested it a bit more before its' release to the public.

Peter

Hurley says...
HI, I have a passion fruit vine which started from a seedling 3 years ago and has since taken over a bit. It went onto the fence first and i placed trelasses across my parking at 10ft up to the far fence. Last year it took over these and made a 15 foot shade area long 8 wide and we got about 300 hundred fruit, my problem is this year the vines have go so big they cross the trelasses and now have taken over a 15 year old tree flamboyant tree and a curry leaf tree next to it, fruit is coming out again (a lot) I wanted to know if i must kill the passion fruit vines now or wait for the fruit to finish and then cut it back 50% or more and make a new path for them onto new fences? Any ideas welcome. THanks all.

Peter says...
Looks like the pink cheeks have recovered alittle at this stage. Leaves have stopped yellowing or not as much as previously, Been some good soaking rain last few days and have noticed more flowers starting to emerge.

We will see this time if the buggers bear fruit.

Peter

peter says...
hi warren,
iv never seen grafted ones.
daleys have them in production so you
should put an order in now.
only one plant for 5 metres.
make sure you have very well drained
soil.

Peter says...
Ok, Ants are back, some ants are small black and some have a whitish bum.

Have a few flowers opened and blossoming above in gloris sunshine and couple in the shadows.

I might spray some seasol on these later but not on a hot day and will be done in the cooler evening.

I have heard from an agriculturalist that ants are not pollinators but do bring in aphids and scales and tend to milk those.

I'll check for any red spider mites soon and use appropriate spray / chemical.

Maybe I might yield some pink cheek passionfruit after all.

Peter

glenn says...
I have ants on the passionfruit atm also . I also let a heap of Blackberry nightshade grow and have an explosion of ladybugs . Hopefully they will keep the mites etc under control .

Hurley says...
Thanks Wazz i'll take that into account, will let you know how it goes after pruning for next season etc, my passion are bright yellow btw if that makes any difference to how you prune ..

Wazzbat says...
I'm no expert by the way so you might be better off not listening to my advice =-)

Kevin M says...
Hi, Just a newcomer. Could anyone out there tell me what the problem is with these two passion-fruit. There is a bunch just further along which are normal.

Pictures - Click to enlarge
Picture: 1	Picture: 2

amanda says...
I agree BJ.

Kevin M says...
Thanks for that, will attend to the problem.

amanda says...
Has anyone else had red spider mites on their passionfruit vine?

I still find it odd your vine has red spider mites Peter...they must be taking advantage of a plant in poor condition perhaps? I have only found them to like more soft leaf plants like tomatoes, for eg.

Best keep your panamas growing strong and healthy so they don't get them too :-( they can be hard to control without nasty chemicals.

I'd be tempted to chop the pink cheeks back severely and bin the prunings, treat what's left of the plant and the soil around it and see if u can get it going again.

amanda says...
Look at your lovely dirt Brendan! Im jealous! :D I have planted out a chance seedling that popped up in the old chook pen.
I have no idea what it will be - but thought I'd see - just for fun..?!

amanda says...
thats a lot of clay Brendan - will the passionfruit be ok with it?

(I should have planted out my whole orchard with passionfruit - they $2.50 each in the shops now!? crazy)

Brendan says...
Hi amanda & Peter, have you got this Panama Perfection variety growing?
http://www.birdwoodnursery.com.au/passionfruit/

Looks pretty good.

amanda says...
It's all your fault Brendan!! Have just come home with a pink cheeks (and some other suspects too)
Cant'. Stop. Buying. Plants.

Arggh! lol...

amanda says...
Yes Wazzbat - they had Big Boppa - but I passed based on the feedback on this forum. I should try it - it likely just needs a pollinator, from what I can tell.

I am curious about the Maxi Gold...do u think it may just be another name for a Panama Gold? I have dragged this one home too :D

It would be good if they gave an outline of the species name/breeding origin etc, at least. I might give the grower a call...they are usually really enthusiastic and helpful.

I honestly think/feel that the different types of passionfruit flower when they are good and ready (all other things being equal)

I have min 20oC+ overnight temps for awhile now, and hot days....still my panamas are dragging their heels Wazzbat. I am betting they will flower and fruit towards autumn (again!) making pruning a real pain cos they will be carrying a load of fruit - and it will kill me to chop it off...and as usual - I won't. Should have done them in spring.

Hence my pan red is out of control now. I will be ruthless and prune late winter this year - for the panama only tho.

New growth = fruit.

How old/in ground have your pink cheeks and maxi gold been in Wazzbat? I wouldn't expect any action until their 2nd summer for flowers...?

amanda says...
Peter - blood and bone for pots plus 10% potash (= 100grms potash/1 kg of B&B) Some seasol/seaweed solution sprayed all over the plant and some in the pot ( = trace elements, growth promoter and mild insect deterrent)

Passionfruit flower on any new growth. Don't expect any action from your newbies until next summer - and then not a huge amount - by 3rd summer they should go gang busters.

Prune back the Pink cheeks - or suffer the possible consequences re: mite transmission. Be brave! :)

Wazzbat says...
My Pink Cheeks are rapidly making their way up my nieghbour's trees. They are looking quite healthy but no signs of flowers yet. They are still a bit young though.

My Maxi Gold is starting to take off too but I only planted it about 6 months ago I think? My guess is that it's a cultivar of the standard Gold but is probably very similar to the Panama Gold. I have no idea really? I wouldn't think that one company would be able to label the same cultivar as a different name to the exact same plant from a different company? A bit like the Sunshine Special and the Tutti Frutti for example? It is very hard to know without proper labeling though - I agree. I also find it very frustrating. It should be mandatory to at least label the plant's Family, Species and Genus names. And then maybe sub species, variety or cultivar along with any common names.

Wazzbat says...
I also think it's up to the retailers to let their customers know of any requirements such as cross pollinators to get their plants to fruit before they buy them!

Peter says...
I concur with u Wazzbat and Amanda.

Lack of proper labelling is wrong in my view. I wonder if there is a way of bringing this attention to some relevant authority to ensure the labelling can be complied with.

Peter