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dying passion flower

FireFire Posts: 19,096
in Problem solving
Another neighbour has a dying passion flower vine. It was planted in May and has done very well through the season. The lady waters deeply and assiduously. The plant was going great guns until a point last week when it suddenly seemed to turn up its toes. She says she grew another last year and exactly the same thing happened.

As the plant was a) thriving through the year b) very well looked after and c) suddenly hit a wall we can assume there was nothing wrong with the soil, the watering regime, the sun exposure or the bought plant itself.  I can see no sign of disease. The trunk is strong, the roots deep.The growing tips were thriving, with new leaves, but now wilted and flaccid.

I wondered if maybe something had peed on it - possibly a cat or a fox. I haven't heard of the urine of either animal killing plants outright in a week. I think the cause of demise would have to be something sudden and untoward like that. Odd that it's happened twice. Neighbours spraying weed killer is another possibility.

The weather here has been around 21oC daytime, 12 degrees night time.





Posts

  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    I don't believe a bit of wee could do that! Weed killer could. Is it possible to ask around about spraying - domestic or council? Did she leave the previous plant to see if it recovered?
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited October 2022
    I'm not sure about the previous plant, but yes, she is checking with the neighbour about weed killer.

    ----
    I have a small Lemon Pie salvia in the next street on a community pavement plot that has made it through two years. It was trodden on many times, but survived. It was fine last week, small but ok, but today it looked dead. I suspect that might be due to a dog peeing right on it. It's been so battered and abused that I will take it out and plant more further away from the pavement. It's disappointing though that people are so careless.
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    I have a very lovely neighbour who has been so kind to me but she pops over to chat when I'm gardening and will actually STAND ON plants, shuffling about and scuffing her feet as she talks!!! She just doesn't seem to see them. It has me between fury and hysterics.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    will actually STAND ON plants, shuffling about and scuffing her feet as she talks!!! She just doesn't seem to see them


    God, I know that one. It drives me nuts.

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I would have treated the plant as I would clematis,  take off that tight green tape, and cut the top growth off at the time of planting,  I wouldn’t expect it to make a good root system while it’s making lots of spindly top growth. 
    If your friend treats it like a clematis and prunes it down it Spring, it will probably recover,  they’re tough plants.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    It was a small plant when it was it was put in a few months ago.
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