Passion Fruit Vine

I purchased a passion fruit vine, planted it out in April but there is no growth on it. I've checked the roots and they seem to be ok. Am I doing something wrong?

Passion fruit is tropical/sub-tropical and needs seriously warm weather and full sun to prosper. What sort of temps are you getting?

Sorry for the late reply. I think I failed with this one....... A couple of days after my post I saw the leaves had bite marks and a couple of snails nearby. I put slug/snails pellets down and the day after there were quite a few slugs and snails dead. I kept on putting more pellets down and seemed to be OK. About two weeks later all the leaves fall off and it's now just a brown stick.

It's probably unlikely that the slugs and snails killed the plant. If you haven't already disposed of the brown stick, pull it up and have a look at the roots.

Is/was it a passion fruit vine or passion flower vine?

I got it from J Parkers: http://www.jparkers.co.uk/plant-0004207-bc-1/passiflora-edulis/

I've disposed of the brown stick, there was no roots when I lifted it.

About two weeks ago I went to my local garden centre and I found one so bought it, planted it in the same position and OMG! It was about 3ft tall when I bought it, it's now covering a 5ft by 5ft trellis. 

Ah well, the roots had rooted. Passionfruit are notorious for root problems. Better luck with this one.

I have grown some passion fruit from seed in my conservatory and they were doing well until recently. The foilage has started getting paler and weaker looking and the odd leaf has started falling off. Any idea what the problem is and how I can solve it ? 

Presumably they're in containers? How often have they been fed and what with?

I have fed them once since planting. They are around 5cm high and have 4 - 5 true leaves althought that is decreasing quickly.

Can you advise what and when to feed them ?

Ah, they're babies. Providing they're in a decent potting mix I wouldn't feed them at all yet. The roots are still vulnerable and you could burn them. I wouldn't overwater them either. Like any seedling they just need as much light and warmth as they can get.

Here's the latest pic of my passion fruit. I don't think they are going to last much longer. Any tips ?

They don't look too bad to me apart from a couple of yellow-ish leaves. Bear in mind they're a tropical/sub-tropical plant and need serious warmth. They're always a challenge in a cooler climate. What's the variety?

Their deterioration is a bit more obvious as I know what they used to look like and also I've seen a similar thing happen to my tomatoe plants. They start off really healthy, sturdy and vibrant green and after a few months they become withered, pale in colour foliage starts to fall off and then they die.

They are the passion fruit sold at M&S. Edifloris ?

Would you recommend a lid of some sort ?

M&S? Did you buy seed or save seed from fresh passion fruit?

The same thing happens to your tom plants? The symptoms sound like a lack of warmth and bright light. Anything you can do to boost both will help. Get hold of some lightweight plastic and erect a canopy over them. Tuck the sides under the tray and use empty bottles - or whatever - to tent the plastic clear of the plants.

What mix are you using in the pots?

I saved the seed from fresh passion fruit.

I keep them in my Conservatory so thought they would be ok temperature / light wise but I will follow your advice.

They were planted in multi purpose compost with a little added grit.

Hi just noticed your post about the passion fruit vine. Do you mean passion flower? if you do then perhaps it's not the end of the world for your vine.  My mother in law gave me a plant a few years ago.  I planted it and for almost two years after there was very little growth and I never thought it would come to much.  Then the third year I went away on holiday and on our return it was huge and in full flower.  Very much depends on the weather I think as it was a good summer that year.  It hasn't liked it much this year, plenty of growth, but fewer flowers.

No, quirkyboy has a passion fruit. Passion flower is a lovely flowering vine. I had to dig mine out in the end because it was invasive, taking over the entire property.

quirkyboy, they're growable from saved seed but if the parent fruit is a hybrid variety the result might not be true to type. I think all you can do is give them as much warmth and light as possible and hope for the best.

Thanks for the advice Italophile.

i think it is the weather, mine that is in the GH is doing very well, but the ones up the pergola have made lots of leaves and growth but no flowers.(Bit late now). Also, the seedlings (picture) look OK Quirkyboy. They should put on growth next spring and start climbing. They die down in winter and pop up again in the spring. Being tropical plants they react badly to lack of sunshine and WARMTH which was non existant this year! Every thing has been affected except.........our favourite topic, SLUGS. Lets hope next spring will be a scotcher.

Is it ok to spray them with seaweed extract every now and then ?