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It is very important that you up-pot your plant to a larger container as soon as possible when it arrives. Your plant's new container should have a couple of drainage holes, and should be at least a couple gallons larger than the nursery pot. Check out our up-potting video for detailed instructions on how to ensure a happy healthy new home for your plant.
All our varieties of passion-fruit are self-fertile, meaning that they don't need a partner plant to produce fruit. That being said, all fruit-bearing plants have more abundant harvests when they have a friend blooming at the same time.
Passion fruit plants need a minimum of 8 hours of direct sunlight per day for good growth and fruit production. This is important throughout spring, summer, and autumn, as the sun and it's heat even help the fruit ripen.
While passion fruit do like the heat, they don't like extreme changes in temperature. Like most fruit-producing plants, their fruit production slows over 85° F, but they also won't be happy with big drops in nighttime temps. Make sure it is kept in a ventilated area and has enough water.
Passion fruit plants should be watered deeply once to twice a week. Water until the soil is saturated and water comes out of the drainage holes. Let the container dry until the soil is dry to the touch 1 inche down. They also thrive in humid environment, so consider misting your plant if your area is experiencing a dry spell.
Passiflora typically benefit from fertilization every two weeks during the growing season (from early spring until fall). Your plant should have come with a soluable fast-acting plant food, which you can mix in to the water you give your plant.
Passiflora are vine-like plants, and do very well trained along a trellis or fence. If you chose to do this, make sure it will get sufficient sun, and has pleanty of space to grow up, not just out. Use soft ties or twine at the start to get your plant comfortable in it's new arrangement.
The general rule of thumb with passiflora is to gradually prune over time, as removing too much at once can stress the plant. Remove any suckers that are shooting up at the base, and pinch off flowers once they are dead - this will promote more flowering in the future.
In the winter, passion fruit plants go into dormancy. They can stay outside, unprotected from the cold down to 32°F. Because the roots of potted plants are more susceptible the cold than their ground-planted counterparts, consider insulating your pot in winter if your local temps are nearing freezing.
Below freezing temperatures, your plant should be brought into a cool, dry, dark place for the duration of it's dormancy. An unheated garage is perfect. When temperature get above freezing in spring, it is ready to come back outside.
Don't pick your fruit! Passion fruit must drop on it's own, on the vine. Once it has dropped, you can collect and eat it then, but it will be much tastier if you wait until the fruit has become slightly softer when squeezed, and the skin has wrinkled just slightly. Keeping it in a warmish place, or with other fruit will speed up the ripening process.
Your fruit isn't just delicious for you, lots of other critters would be happy to get their hands on your hard work. Pests and diseases vary greatly depending on region, so we suggest you take advantage of your local resources. If you can't determine what is ailing your plant by googling the symptoms, give a call to your local county agricultural extension office.
