Hi Tui, my passionfruit has been growing well and has a good crop. However many of the leaves are dying, is this normal?

Hi Jacquie, shriveling leaves could be as simple as not enough water in hot weather, or it could be something more serious such as a root rot disorder. Passionfruit require regular deep watering, especially in hot, dry weather, it could be every day. It is a balancing act though, because overwatering can lead to root rot problems. Irregular watering, letting the plant dry out and then applying water can also lead to root disorders as they are susceptible to soil borne fungal diseases which are a bit more difficult to control. Another cause could be sap sucking insects such as Passionvine Hopper, which is prevalent in summer. They cause leaves to yellow and turn brown. Ask at your local garden centre for a suitable control. Remove the brown leaves and dispose of in the rubbish, keep the water up to your plant in hot weather, adjust watering if the weather turns cold.