Yellowish leaves on black passion fruit plant (forum)

Doug Walley starts with ...
I have a black passion fruit in a narrow garden on the edge of my concrete driveway. The leaves have never been dark green and lush like my other black passion fruit in a garden on the side of my lawn. The leaves of the problem plant are light green to yellowish. I have fed it heaps of citrus fertiliser and epsom salts, but nil improvement. Even so,it fruits well. I have laid black polythene sheet under the plant and covered this with a crushed shell mulch, for tidy maintenance free gardening. I have perforated the polythene well to provide for watering. The problem plant is about 2-3 years old, and I provide it with a regular spray program.

Qu: Do you think the lime leaching from the concrete drive, and the crushed shell will be over liming the plant. Have you any ideas how I could enhance the look of this plant?



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Time: 22nd December 2011 5:46pm

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About the Author Doug Walley
Auckland NZ
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Tom says...
This is one I know a good deal about. Concrete leaches lime for many years, and the more porous the mix and abundant a water source, the more leaching. Driveways are seldom poured from especially hard mixes, so if your driveway is still young (in concrete terms that could mean less than ten years) and if you're regularly watering your adjacent passion fruit (and Auckland's not such a dry place either, eh?), you're in a battle you can't win inexpensively. The lime leaches constantly whereas you attend to fighting it when time and funds permit. You could dig out the crushed shell, which is only exasperating the condition, and replace it with something more acidic or consider moving the plant and putting in things which will appreciate the alkaline spot like rosemary or pomegranates.

Time: 27th December 2011 12:17am

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About the Author Tom
Orlando FL USA
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Doug says...
Tom, thanks for your info. I have lifted the edge of the polythene and added sulphate of iron, now I'm waiting to see if this helps combate the lime effect. I guess I will end up firstly removing the shells to eliminate that source of lime.
Thanks for your help, Doug.

Time: 28th December 2011 3:14pm

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amanda says...
Also Doug...are u happy with the polythene? It's not something that is very popular to put on the ground around plants as it can get quite hot underneath...? Passionfruit tend to have shallow roots - maybe they are getting cooked/suffocated, as well?

Just a thought to add to Toms good answer :)
Might be worth checking the pH and seeing how badly affected the soil is...

Time: 28th December 2011 7:49pm

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About the Author amanda19
Geraldton. WA
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Doug says...
Thanks Amanda. Could be too hot, though not too much sun in Auckland of late - but I'll check it out. My intention was a maintenance free garden, had nil weed mat at the time and just used the bits of polythene I had. Seems like polythene and also weed mat have gone out of fashion, apparently makes for unhappy soil when used on semi permanent basis.
I'll wait for the recently applied iron sulphate & citrus fert to be absorbed, then try a pH test - pretty sure it will show alkaline!
Thanks, Doug.

Time: 29th December 2011 2:30pm

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