Passion fruit

[Issy]

Was wondering if anyone has tried growing passion fruit - yes I do know they grow in very warm weather climates - but you can buy passion fruit plants on the net - has anyone tried or am I being optimistic!!

[veggiechicken]

Try this thread http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ies_89330.html
............ and I still haven't sown my seeds

[hamamelis]

You can grow Passiflora caerulea, commonly sold as an ornamental, in some parts of England without any protection or effort, I have one at my allotment that I completely ignore, and it fruits every year (it can get killed in harsh winters, we lost them repeatedly when I lived in Cumbria). It is edible, but nothing like as tasty as Passiflora edulis, which unfortunately is not hardy at all.

You can try edulis in a greenhouse, but passionflowers can get pretty huge, and take up a lot of space for the crop. Pretty though

[DannyK]

I have a pot full of edulis seedlings overwintered in kitchen, which are 6" high and will be pricking them out soon. They were grown from seed from a fruit in mpc and perlite with heat (24C). They were slow to germinate. I nearly gave up on them.

I believe they need 10C. Some I potted up and kept in green house, which I tried to keep at 5C , are looking very sorry.

[ecudc]

My edulis (home grown from supermarket fruit seed) survived this winter outside. I kept it very sheltered though. I'm going to plant out against a south facing wall in a well drained soil this year and probably prune hard and cover with fleece for the winter. They were pretty easy to grow from seed so if I loose it then it's not too painful to start again

[DannyK]

Forgot to mention I've a couple of Incarnata (Maypop), which I raised from seed years ago. They live in pots in green house. They're supposed to be hardy but I've not risked them outside. They die back every year.
Despite hand pollinating never had any fruit. Flowers pretty.

[Snadger]

My plant grown from a shop bought Passion Fruit seed has overwintered well in my summerhouse. At present its in a 7 inch pot, and is one metre high with nice shiny green leaves.
I think I will plant it into a large pot rather than into the soil. I fancy growing it on the solid section of the front of the summerhouse. I'm hoping that because the seed came from an edible Passion Fruit, the fruit I get, if any, will be edible?

[Teabag]

ooh, how long from seed to flower do shop bought ones take? Might give this a go in the poly tunnel!

[Snadger]

ooh, how long from seed to flower do shop bought ones take? Might give this a go in the poly tunnel!

I've read it takes about nine month from seed, so hopefully mine will flower and fruit this year.

[Teabag]

Ah fab, something to do in Autumn for my itchy fingers! Fingers crossed yours fruits and good luck with it!

[BUFFS]

I grew one that survived outside for 5yrs until we had a bad 5/6 weeks of up to -16deg in the winter of 2010/11, that was just too much for it, and we found that squirrels have a taste for them. Our plant was in the ground,sheltered from the worst of the winds, on a south facing wall, we would have replaced it but some jersey lillies that had been planted years previously decided to surface and flower, so we never did replant the passion flower, sadly...

[burnie]

I grew Passiflora caerulea outside on a sheltered wall in Leicestershire that lasted about 5 years, a hard winter killed it off, doubt it would grow up here outside though. I remember seeing cottages in Swanage covered in them, some with bright orange fruits, no idea what species they were though.

[DannyK]

Just potted up 18 edulis which were overwintered in kitchen.

Will try some in garden but will bring some in house in winter.

Maypops in greenhouse yet to surface.