How to grow a passion fruit analog at home in the garden: instructions

Today, you can find many exotic fruits in stores, such as passion fruit. However, not everyone knows that it can be grown in their garden.

The tropical fruit requires special climatic conditions and care, but it is quite possible to get good fruits even in Ukraine. Serhii Avramenko, Doctor of Science, Chief Researcher at the V.Y. Yuriev Institute of Plant Industry of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, told us how to plant and care for passion fruit.

The fruits of Passiflora edulis, originating from Brazil, are called passion fruit. There is also Passiflora ligularis or granadilla. However, Passiflora incarnata, or passion fruit is the most suitable for growing in Ukraine. It is distinguished by its green color and its taste is not inferior to other passion flowers.

How to grow passion flower

Avramenko notes that the most reliable way to propagate passionflower is to divide the rhizomes. They should be stored in moss in the refrigerator or cellar. It is also better to germinate the seed in moss because it can rot in the soil. He also recommends planting plants of different varieties for better pollination.

To grow an exotic fruit, you first need to provide a warm substrate with a temperature of at least 22 degrees, such as peat, earth, and moss. The rhizomes are planted at the end of February, but before that, they should be disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate, hydrogen peroxide, or a disinfectant.

Root germination and planting

Spread the roots on a substrate and sprinkle moss on top. Put it all in a greenhouse or on a window sill heated from 22 to 30 degrees. When the sprout appears, cut off a 3-4 cm long piece of the root with it and place it in a pot with a nutritious substrate.

The pot for passion flowers should be shallow. To maintain the temperature, they can be placed on a warm mat.

The air temperature should be over 20 degrees. If everything goes well, the buds will appear in a month.

Planting in the open ground

Passion fruit can be planted in the open ground when the risk of frost has passed, the air temperature is above 20 degrees, and the plants reach a height of up to 0.5 m. This is usually the end of May or the beginning of June. Avramenko advises to focus on the timing of planting pepper seedlings.

Passionflowers should be planted at a distance of 0.5 meters from each other. Choose a sunny spot, but with at least partial shade during the day, and loosened soil that is clay-free. If some plants are too small, they should not be planted.

Caring for passion flowers

Once planted outdoors, the plants should be watered as often as possible to keep the soil moist. Also, depending on the fertility of the soil, you need to fertilize once, namely, watering through cow manure or adding ammonium nitrate or urea.

Also, since passion fruit is a vine, it is worth installing trellises and supports so that it can weave freely. It is best to direct the shoots so that they are 20 to 100 cm apart and receive even sunlight.

Passionflower ripens from 2 to 3 months, depending on the temperature of cultivation. Harvest can be obtained in the first year.

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