Another Passionflower problem!!

[Gardengirl]

I have had a passionflower growing in a trough for a few years now.  It has been doing very well but this year it is very sparse with only a few flower  buds and alot of bare branches.  

Will it be ok to cut it back hard or will this kill it off.  If ok, when would be the right time to prune it, autumn or spring?

[Gardengirl]

[William O]

If its still alive you could cut it back quite far. I prune mine in autumn. But passionflowers are not fully hardy, a combination of wind and low (freezing) temperatures could be fatal. Some varieties are even less hardy.

Last winter I gave our passionflower (along a wooden fence) extra protection around its "feet" and lower stems by packing it in the cuttings from our conifer hedge.

[Gardengirl]

Thanks William - I have had mine for about three years now, it is planted in a long trough in a very sunny but sheltered part of my garden. It is up against a wall of our bungalow.  I will try cutting it back this autumn and hopefully get a  bushier plant next year.  Good idea about the conifer cuttings - we have plenty around the edge of our front garden.

[Mimi]

Pat, I had the same problem with my passiflora.  Growth was fine, then suddenly all the leaves dropped off and just bare stems and no flowers left.  It looked decimated overnight.  Have given it a light haircut, a feed,a good water and it looks as though growth is restarting with a few little leaves.  Dont know what happened ??? Just overnight it went from healthy to devestated.  No sign of anything eating it .........nothing.  Hope that it is over the worst now.

[Gardengirl]

Mimi, my problem is slightly different to yours.  It was nice and healthy last year but this year only half of the branches are bearing leaves and flowers.  The others are still alive as I have done the thumb nail test on them, but no leaves or flowers....strange.

[William O]

Last winter I pruned my passionflower back quite hard, Leaving just a structure of main branches, sort of a frame. All new shoots seem to be doing well, but is only its second summer. Before next winter I intend to give it a decent trim again.

A couple of years ago when I lived somewhere else I had a passionflower in a large (unused) cement tub. It sometimes gave me quite a tough time. Some flowering in its firts jear and not in its second. (Others did) Some not surviving the winter. I do like them, but it certainly has not been easy going all the way.

[Gardengirl]

Maybe that's my problem William, the fact that my passionflower is not in the ground but in a trough.  Perhaps there is not enough room for the roots.

[William O]

It's notonly a problem of being spacey enough for the roots to develop, but they are also suffering more from the cold. (Its easier to freeze the soil in a trough, than the ground)

[Mimi]

HA HA William, our roots are more likely to drown than freeze.

[William O]

Splashion flowers like these conditions.  ;D