Can passion fruit be grown in the north? A clear explanation of whether the seeds can be eaten
Passion fruit generally refers to the egg fruit, also known as foreign pomegranate, purple passionflower, passion fruit, vine pomegranate. It is a plant widely grown in tropical and subtropical regions.So can passion fruit be grown in the north? Can its seeds be eaten?
Can passion fruit be grown in the north?
Because passion fruit is a tropical and subtropical fruit, due to environmental constraints it is not suitable for open-field cultivation in the north, but with the help of greenhouses it is possible to grow a southern fruit in the north. At present, many greenhouses in the north are still mainly used for traditional crops; if some passion fruit could be introduced appropriately, it would also be a good choice. However, when growing passion fruit in a greenhouse, there are several points to pay attention to:
1. Temperature
Passion fruit likes light and a warm, humid environment. The most suitable growth temperature is 20-30°C; below 15°C it basically stops growing, below 8°C the young buds suffer cold damage, below 5°C the leaves and tender vine tips dry up, and below 0°C the canopy dies. Therefore, when the outside temperature is below 15°C, it needs to be covered with film for insulation and appropriately heated; during high summer temperatures, pay attention to ventilation and heat dissipation, and cool it down by measures such as spraying water and opening skylights.
2. Planting
April to May is suitable, and transplanting from late April to early May gives a high survival rate. It can be planted in the same year, flower and set fruit in the same year, and be harvested in the same year. When planting, the roots should be spread out and the seedling upright, the lower soil should be pressed slightly firm, then covered with loose soil, watered thoroughly, and the soil kept moist; when the sunlight is relatively strong, pay attention to shading and moisture retention.
3. Trellising
Passion fruit is a climbing plant, so a trellis is essential. Generally, two types can be used, the flat-top type and the fence type; just choose according to your own actual situation.
Other aspects, including fertilization such as seedling-stage fertilizer, flower-promoting fertilizer, fruit-sizing fertilizer and foliar fertilizer, as well as pruning and pest and disease control, are much the same as for general passion fruit cultivation; just pay attention to doing the field management work well.
Can the seeds of passion fruit be eaten?
Of course the seeds of passion fruit can be eaten. However, passion fruit seeds are very hard and not easy to digest, so they must be chewed thoroughly when eaten. For children eating passion fruit, it is best to first crush the seeds with a juicer, so that the burden on the child's stomach and intestines will be smaller. Usually, passion fruit can be eaten in the following ways:
1. Soak in water and drink: Cut the fruit in half, put it into a cup, add rock sugar if you find it too sour, and steep in boiling water for 6 minutes.
2. Cut open and eat directly: Cut it open with a knife, scoop out the pulp and seeds with a spoon and eat directly; the seeds can also be eaten. Or scrape out the flesh and seeds, mix well with white sugar or honey, and then eat directly.
3. Make juice: Take one passion fruit, cut it open and scoop out the juice in the middle (including the seeds), put it into a cup, add 200ml of water, add an appropriate amount of white sugar syrup to adjust the sweetness, and stir to get a cup of juice with excellent color, aroma, taste and nutrition.
Although passion fruit is good, note that people with poor stomach and intestines, those allergic to passion fruit, and those with qi stagnation constitution or phlegm-dampness constitution are not suitable to eat it, and others should not eat too much at one time either.