Passion fruit

Passion fruit is an interesting plant that grows in hot tropical conditions. But he was also able to adapt in our latitudes, but of course not in the natural environment. This exotic fruit can be grown at home. But for this you have to be patient and work hard.

Passion fruit: growing at home

Passion fruit, aka passionflower of edible varieties, comes from the passionflower family. It is a fairly popular fruit and can be found in various desserts and drinks. Also, it can be grown just for decoration, because its inflorescences are unusually beautiful and unusual. There are three most favorable breeding methods.

Growing passionfruit from seeds at home

For this method, only the freshest seeds are suitable, because dry seeds have a minimum germination percentage. Based on this, you need to purchase the fruit in the store a couple of days before the planned planting. The fruit should be healthy and ripe. You need to cut it and get the seeds out of it. Then spread them out on a piece of cloth and rub gently until the juice bags open. Then the seeds must be washed and dried, then one more time. Do not dry in the sun.

The container for planting passionfruit should not be too deep. The soil mix should be composed of: universal garden soil, coarse sand and organic compost. Further, small grooves need to be made in the soil, observing a distance of five centimeters. Next, place the seeds a centimeter apart and sprinkle the whole thing with a thin layer of earth. After that, future seedlings must be watered and placed in a warm place. We must not forget to regularly moisten the soil. Once the seedlings reach a height of twenty centimeters, they can be planted.

Passion fruit: growing with cuttings at home

This is the simplest and most productive method for propagating passion fruit. First you need to prepare a fairly deep container and soil-mixture of: fine-grain sand and nutritious soil. Next, you need to mix it so that everything is evenly distributed.

You need to choose a stalk wisely - it should be a young shoot with at least three buds. The shoot needs to be planted right after you cut it. It is necessary to keep it at high humidity. To do this, you need to create greenhouse conditions using a transparent film or plastic cup. An improvised greenhouse should be in a well-lit place, and there should be a high percentage of humidity inside it.

Roots are formed about fourteen days after planting. As soon as the root system is formed, the plant can be transplanted into an individual pot and find a suitable place for it.

Passion fruit: seed-grown.

Growing passionfruit from a seed is the most laborious method, which, in addition to attention, will require diligence and patience. Peel the peel from the fruit, free the bone from the juice bag and dry it. It is necessary to plant it especially without deepening into the ground, then water it. Then place the container in a warm place and ensure high humidity. These are the optimal conditions for germination.

Characteristics in plant care

As this is an exotic and fastidious culture, then the care should be special.

Watering rules

Based on the fact that in its natural environment, passion fruit grows in a humid climate, then its watering should be abundant and regular. The soil in which this species grows should never be overdried. If the air humidity is not too high in the room in which the passionfruit grows, then the plant will have to be watered at least once every seven days.

How to feed and fertilize

Passion fruit loves, so to speak, to have a meal, so you need to fertilize and feed it steadily and without regret. It is necessary to start fertilizing the plant in the spring, then in the summer it is tedious to feed it only once, and then once more with the arrival of the autumn period. Organic fertilizers with a low content of nitrogen elements are best suited for these purposes.

Do I need support and what kind

Based on the fact that passionflower is a variety of lianas, it will need support anyway, so that young shoots can be directed. Basically, all shoots grow upward, and if you provide them with such an opportunity in development, then passion fruit will gladly present you with its ripe and juicy fruits. At the moment when the first whiskers are formed on the bush, they must be very carefully tied with a thin whip to a stable support. Lateral layering is recommended to be directed in the opposite direction from the main trunk.

Pruning rules

Pruning passionfruit is a prerequisite for keeping this plant. It does not need to be carried out so often, only once every two years, in the spring. Any damaged, weak, dry, old and painful appendages must be removed. But it is important to remember that you do not need to cut off the shoot right at its base. It is imperative to leave a certain number of dormant buds, because over time they can begin to develop and form new, young shoots.

Also, the procedure for pruning passion fruit should be carried out before flowering and bud formation. For if you start pruning at the time of flowering, the bush will become weakened, which will adversely affect the future yield of passion fruit.