Product Review

The passion fruit can be propagated from cuttings but is best grown from seed. It should be planted in full sun (at least six hours a day) in a spot with no trees or competitive roots. Provide a strong structure for the vine to climb on and prepare light, fine, deep, well-dug soil with organic matter. Add straw to retain warmth and scatter a meter of crook manure pellets around the hole. Water well and repeat this again a few months later. Passion fruit vines are heavy feeders and need plenty of water and well-drained soil. Add mulch around the root system, to reduce evaporation and protect it from the hot sun. Leave the vine to climb in its first year, then pinch out the top bud to encourage lots of side shoots. The passion fruit vine grows up to 10 meters a year. You can expect fruit about 18 months after planting. Passion fruit have a high water requirement when fruits are approaching maturity - if the soil is dry, fruits may shrivel and fall prematurely, so water frequently for short periods during dry times. Pick the fruit when the skins start to wrinkle. After the second year, prune lateral branches once a year in late winter. Note that a fertilizer high in nitrogen promotes plenty of leaf growth at the expense of fruit and flowers. Therefore, well rotted cow manure and compost are better choices. Also note that the growth should be from the graft section of the vine, rather than the root stock, as this won't produce fruit. Tip: Put used teabags at the base of established vines, leaving them to seep into the soil as fertilizer.