No fruit from passionfruit grown in pots

[STAAReynolds]

I have two large passionfruit vines I have planted in large pots running across wires screening a water tank. One is a yellow fruit, the other purple. They have thrived for two years and I have only had one single fruit for my efforts (see pic below). The vines themselves are lush and green but don’t flower. I’m in Brisbane, vines are in full sun position best part of the day. Part Shading in the morning and seem to like their location but I would love to see them flower and produce fruit. I’ve read a number of forums saying passionfruit won’t fruit in pots but have friends who have had success.I replicate their care routines, which is nothing special......soil has good drainage, water once a week, dynamic lifter scattered around the top of the pot every 8 weeks and a bit of potash. Any advice would be welcome. 

 

 

 

 

[Jason]

Hi @STAAReynolds,

Many thanks for joining in the discussion on Workshop. We're thrilled to have you join this wonderful community.

Have you seen this previous discussion on the site? - Tips for growing passionfruit. It contains loads of helpful information from one of our resident horticulturalists in @Adam_W.

If you are super fortunate you might also get some individual advice from the wonderful @Noelle - I have tagged her to alert her to your post.  

Welcome aboard, we are looking forward to seeing your passionfruit thrive thanks to some help from our members. Feel free to post anytime you need a hand around the house or garden, or have something to share with our members. 

Jason

[Noelle]

Hi @STAAReynolds 

In addition to the pelletised chicken manure, I'd be looking at a controlled release fertiliser twice a year (Osmocote Fruit, Citrus, Trees & Shrubs would be ideal) to provide more of the minor and trace elements that Dynamic Lifter doesn't provide. It seems your vines are getting plenty of nitrogen which has resulted in lush growth but it's the other elements that will assist in flowering and fruiting.

Growing in pots is fine but it's important to keep the roots cool by mulching the surface of the potting mix with sugarcane or lucerne straw - this 'blanket' acts as an insulator to maintain a more even temperature and also to prevent rapid evaporation of moisture from the pots. Passionfruit are surface-rooting, so keeping them cool is vital. The plants love the full sun but, if possible, try to give the pots some shade.

Watering once a week may not be often enough. While passionfruit definitely don't like soggy roots, they don't like to be dry either. Finding that happy balance where there is adequate moisture in the potting mix at all times may take some time to achieve but over the warmer weather in particular, I'd be looking at watering every 3 to 4 days, depending on the temperature and also wind strength.

Good luck!

[STAAReynolds]

Thanks @Noelle . Thanks for the great advice. Yes, am using a slow release osmocote fertiliser and have increased watering during the heat. Vines a part shade morning and again late afternoon. They seem to like their current care, now to encourage flowers. 

[woodenwookie]

I did a little trick on our one but it's not for every one. First it took about two years for ours to start to produce so don't fret too much. That being said my trick is to pee on it.

It sounds gross but I got the idea from my nana when I was a kid. She had a MASSIVE lemon tree which got the way it did because my nana and grandad had bedpans which she then emptied onto the base of the tree. The trunk was as thick as an oak and some of the branches an adult wouldn't get their arms around.

I did it on our passionfruit and we had no issues with fruit.

However I would say the number one thing you need to do is replant it in either a bigger pot or in the ground. It could very well be root bound which will stop any development of fruit. Ours was a little like that when we first got them.

Incidentally we planted them into clay so it doesn't seem like soil matters much to them.

[BallaratBill]

We are in Ballarat, Victoria, very cold area. We are on our second "Nellie Kelly" Passion Fruit and it's been in the ground at one end of a veggie patch facing North on a tin fence. Over time it got to over 8 feet high and 30 feet long and like all P/Fruits died at about 9 years old, which I consider Rosies problem. They are replaced regularly at commercial growers properties for this reason. Our current one gets plenty of water and just the same fertiliser as the veggie patch and after two years heaps of flowers and fruit. It's over 20 feet wide and 0ver the fence and very thick and lush. Best of luck!

[Aussie-Garden]

I have a young passion fruit in a pot that has been looking a little average and just wanted to say thanks to all of you who replied, as I'll be out there tomorrow to give it some love and a better spot in the garden.

Nice one!

[STAAReynolds]

@woodenwookie  I have been told about pee for a number of fruit trees. Perhaps it is the nitrates in pee that give the plants the burst it needs 🙃

I am hesitant to ground plant the vines, I was hoping to control/contain them in the pots, but this may very well be the reason for no fruit. They are planted in pots at our water tank which is sitting on road base with clay underneath so not sure if this would be a good growth environment if I took them out of the pots. 

[Jason]

Many thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience @BallaratBill. Great to have you join in the discussion on Workshop. We are looking forward to reading more of your posts soon. Please feel free to post anytime you need a hand with a project around the house and garden or have something to share. We have amazing members sharing helpful advice and inspiring projects on the site every day, so we're sure you'll fit right in!

Jason

[woodenwookie]

If you don't want to plant in the ground then just plant in a larger pot. Also, something that many people don't think about is the need for some plants to have two. Feijoas for instance need two trees within distance of each other to grow fruit and from memory we had two passionfruit plants as well. Also passionfruit are climbers so you need to have a trellis or something that they can be trained to grow on.