I started a plant of passiflora incarnata by seed last summer. It has grown
to 3' in a pot in a very sunny window (South facing). It puts out shoots
regularly, I water it once per week and fertilize it 1x/month.
The problem is the leaves are literally speckled with white- pretty much
half green, half white. Plus, the lower leaves curl and drop off
occasionally in clumps.

Any ideas how I can make this plant healthier?

Thanks!!
Erin

In article jhVNa.117225$R73.13346@sccrnsc04, "Steve & Erin"
wrote:

I started a plant of passiflora incarnata by seed last summer. It has grown
to 3' in a pot in a very sunny window (South facing). It puts out shoots
regularly, I water it once per week and fertilize it 1x/month.
The problem is the leaves are literally speckled with white- pretty much
half green, half white. Plus, the lower leaves curl and drop off
occasionally in clumps.

Any ideas how I can make this plant healthier?

Thanks!!
Erin

It is easy to overwater passionflower vine which as it matures needs less
& less water. It also requires a sandy poor soil & your fertilizing it
once a month is almost certainly doing more harm than good. It's one of
the few plants for which doing less is more.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

Okay- I will stop fertilizing it. I did plant it in a standard potting soil
mix with a handful of sand thrown in. Sounds like I should repot with more
sand? When is the best time to repot?

Thanks
Erin

Paghat has it right. Around here, it's a weed that grows in extremely sandy
soil where not much else will do. It will take advantage of better soil if
offered but still must be very well drained. They like to put down roots to
the subsoil which is probably their main source of water (until this year's
washout). I've seen them grown in pots in the countryside, usually a double
pot. They top one with the plants is sandy potting soil. It's set a few
inches into a larger one. Roots emerge from the top pot into the lower one
which is kept more moist by setting in a pan of water. Most passiflora I've
seen seem to respond to pot culture better this way.

"paghat" wrote in message
news
In article jhVNa.117225$R73.13346@sccrnsc04, "Steve & Erin"
wrote:

I started a plant of passiflora incarnata by seed last summer. It has
grown
to 3' in a pot in a very sunny window (South facing). It puts out shoots
regularly, I water it once per week and fertilize it 1x/month.
The problem is the leaves are literally speckled with white- pretty much
half green, half white. Plus, the lower leaves curl and drop off
occasionally in clumps.

Any ideas how I can make this plant healthier?

Thanks!!
Erin

It is easy to overwater passionflower vine which as it matures needs less
& less water. It also requires a sandy poor soil & your fertilizing it
once a month is almost certainly doing more harm than good. It's one of
the few plants for which doing less is more.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/

Steve & Erin wrote:


Okay- I will stop fertilizing it. I did plant it in a standard potting soil
mix with a handful of sand thrown in. Sounds like I should repot with more
sand? When is the best time to repot?

Thanks
Erin

Repot now.. When it is growing activly.. Allow the top of the pot to
dry out between watering..

Here in the UK the holder of our national collection recommends planting
the frost hardy types 'on builders rubble' so you can see the type of
well drained soil they will cope with;-))

//
Jim
North London, England, UK