The King of Vitamins: When Is the Best Time to Fertilize Passion Fruit? What Fertilizer to Use? How Often? What Is Ripening and Going to Market? (With Planting Tips)
Passion fruit, also known as egg fruit, foreign pomegranate, and vine pomegranate, is a common fruit in Yunnan, Fujian, Hainan, Guangdong and other parts of China. Because it is rich in vitamins, it is called the king of vitamins, so many people like to eat it. So when is the best time to fertilize passion fruit? What fertilizer to use? How often? What is ripening and going to market?
Fertilization time:
1. In the early stage, nitrogen fertilizer should be the main fertilizer, applied together with peanut bran water. For each plant, drench with 0.2% urea and 15% peanut bran water, or 15 kg of human feces and urine, twice per plant per month. The amount of fertilizer should increase as the seedlings grow, and foliar fertilizer should also be sprayed.
2. During the flowering period, use phosphorus fertilizer, but nitrogen fertilizer must not be excessive. Passion fruit is very sensitive to nitrogen fertilizer, and excessive nitrogen fertilizer often causes the “flower drop” phenomenon, that is, the flower buds fall off when they are slightly larger and before they can bloom, so naturally there will be no fruit to harvest. Generally, after the initial stage, too much nitrogen fertilizer should not be applied.
3. The juice of passion fruit is entirely contained in the aril of the seeds. Therefore, if the seeds do not develop fully, the juice content will naturally be lower. To ensure that the juice content can reach a certain level, phosphorus fertilizer that promotes seed development is indispensable. Using drip irrigation with liquid fertilizer to supply phosphorus fertilizer continuously during irrigation is the best method. Of course, using foliar fertilization to reduce soil interference is also one of the effective ways to supplement phosphorus fertilizer.
4. Although potassium fertilizer has no great relationship with yield, it has a great relationship with whether the passion fruit plants are strong and healthy. Therefore, potassium fertilizer application should be strengthened within 15 days after flowering. Because this period is the rapid fruit growth period, ensuring an appropriate amount of potassium fertilizer can ensure the growth of the fruit.
How often should fertilizer be applied?
During the seedling stage of passion fruit, more nitrogen fertilizer can be applied to promote the growth of branches and leaves. Generally, fertilizer can be applied 1-2 times a month. During the flowering stage, nitrogen fertilizer should be reduced accordingly, and the amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer should be increased accordingly. Usually, a single fertilizer should not be used alone; attention should be paid to the rational use of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers.
Furthermore, due to differences in terrain, soil, climate and other factors among regions, soil fertility also varies greatly. Therefore, during the planting period, whether each nutrient element needs adjustment and what fertilizer should be applied should be judged according to the actual growth of passion fruit. To do a good job in fertilization management for passion fruit, relying on a single step is not enough. Results can only be achieved through coordination in many aspects, so that passion fruit can grow healthily and achieve the goal of high yield.
Ripening and going-to-market time:
Passion fruit is an autumn fruit. The flowering period is from May to July, and the fruiting period is from July to September.
The best season to eat passion fruit
Because its pulp can give off the rich aroma of more than a dozen fruits such as banana, pineapple, strawberry, lychee, lemon, mango, and sour plum. In foreign countries, passion fruit also has laudatory names such as “king of juices” and “money tree”. Passion fruit can be eaten raw or used as a vegetable or feed. As medicine, it has stimulating and strengthening effects. The pulp is juicy, and when calcium bicarbonate and sugar are added, it can be made into an aromatic and delicious beverage.
Passion fruit matures after the end of July, and is best to eat from August to October.
Planting techniques:
1. Scientific seed selection
Passion fruit is mainly divided into two types: yellow fruit and purple fruit. The sweetness and taste of purple fruit are higher than those of yellow fruit, and under the same environment, its yield is also higher. Purple fruit plants have poor disease resistance, and later orchard management requires more time and energy; yellow fruit has stronger disease resistance, and the fruit is golden yellow with a beautiful appearance, but yellow fruit has poor natural pollination ability and a relatively low fruit-setting rate. At present, purple fruit is mainly planted in Guangxi, China. When actually carrying out large-scale planting in various regions, passion fruit varieties can also be reasonably selected according to market demand and actual conditions, thereby maximizing profits.
2. Reasonable site selection
Passion fruit has relatively strict requirements for the cultivation environment. It likes moisture, is averse to waterlogging, and is afraid of drought. When selecting a site, the following factors should be emphatically considered: First, the cultivation plot should have good ventilation conditions, and a sunny, wind-sheltered plot is preferable; second, a plot rich in organic matter, with deep and loose soil is preferable, with a soil pH value of 5.5-7.0 and convenient drainage and irrigation; third, the plot should be far away from paper mills or chemical plants to prevent the fruit from being polluted and affecting quality. After site selection is completed, the plot should be prepared. The impurities in the soil can be cleared through deep plowing, improving soil permeability and creating good conditions for the normal growth of passion fruit.
3. Support frame construction
Passion fruit is a vine plant, so a certain number of support frames must be built during cultivation to facilitate the climbing and growth of the vines. The height of the support frame should be controlled at 1.5-2.0 m, and the depth into the ground should be about 20 cm. Trellises, sheds, bamboo pole supports, etc. can be used. The materials for the shed frame can be obtained locally, and bamboo poles can be chosen to build the support. Dig holes according to the plant-row spacing of (2-3) m × (3-4) m, and planting 70-75 plants per 667 sq m is appropriate.
4. Planting and pruning
Planting needs to be determined according to seedling height and local temperature. When the seedling height is above 20 cm and the daily average temperature is stably above 15°C, planting can be carried out. It is advisable to plant in the evening or on cloudy days. When planting, spread out the roots of the seedlings and straighten them. An appropriate amount of decomposed organic fertilizer mixed with sandy loam soil can be used as planting soil or covering soil. After planting, water with root-setting water and cover with plastic film or rice straw. If the weather is dry after planting and there is no rain, the amount and frequency of watering need to be determined according to soil moisture. Usually, water once a week to keep the soil moist. And according to the growth of passion fruit vines, prune appropriately to avoid branches tangling with each other.
5. Field management
After the planted seedlings resume growth, remove side buds in time to promote thickening of the main vine. When the main vine grows to 50-80 cm high, it should be guided onto the frame. Drain water in time when waterlogged on rainy days, and irrigate in time when drought occurs, so as to ensure the normal growth of passion fruit. In the early growth stage, passion fruit mainly uses nitrogen fertilizer. Before going onto the frame, apply 50 g of Ouyamei water-soluble fertilizer per plant diluted with water, two or three times per plant per month. The amount of fertilizer should increase as the seedlings grow, and foliar fertilizer should also be sprayed. After entering the production period, increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to promote flower bud differentiation. Within 15 d after flowering is the rapid fruit expansion period, so fertilizer and water management should be strengthened and potassium fertilizer application increased to promote rapid fruit expansion. Apply 100 g of Ouyamei fertilizer per plant diluted with water, once every 7 d. After fruit harvest, apply winter fertilizer, with 20 kg of farmyard manure and 0.5 kg of calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer per plant.
6 Pest and disease control
The common diseases in passion fruit cultivation are mainly phytophthora blight, mosaic virus disease, and stem base rot. For such diseases, on the one hand, field management should be strengthened. For example, during the interval between cultivation periods, the soil should be turned and sun-dried, which can not only improve soil permeability but also effectively kill pests and bacteria in the soil; on the other hand, chemical spraying should be carried out for control. A 1000-fold dilution of 30% Kanguling can be selected for spray control, and it will take effect after two or three consecutive applications. Pests are mainly leafminers, fruit flies, etc. Such pests can occur at all stages of passion fruit cultivation. If they occur during the flowering period or fruit growth period, a 1000-fold dilution of trichlorfon can be selected for control; during the fruit ripening period, biological control should be mainly used, or new low-toxicity and high-efficiency pesticides should be used. Pesticides are prohibited within 30 d before fruit harvest to ensure product safety.
.7 Timely harvesting
Passion fruit takes 70 d from flowering to harvest. The best time to pick is 10 d before the fruit drops, when the fruit begins to change color and gives off fragrance. When picking, some ripe fruits will fall off on their own, and the fallen fruits at this time can also be collected. If the fruit has already rotted, then the fruit cannot be collected and sold as commercial fruit.