Passionflower not flowering!

Hiya, I need a bit of advice! Firstly, hello, this is my first post here so go easy with me.

I moved into a house with a garden about 6 months ago, and cut back ivy from one wall which had grown over a metre thick! We put a nice passionflower there instead hoping it would grow quickly (it has!) and cover the wall with something a little nicer than just plain old ivy.
Thing is, it's just not flowering. The buds (lots of them) emerge and just when we think they're going to open and reveal a flower, they drop off!
The wall faces East, and gets direct sun until about midday, but it's against another wall facing it so I'm sure it must get some light reflected back off that one.
Can anyone throw any light on this? Does the plant need more light? Or will it do better next year when it's more settled in? Is there a specific thing we could feed it? We're quite new to gardening so we'd really appreciate any help we get!

 

Hi Orby welcome I have a passion flower on an east facing wall and it flowers its socks off so I don't think the siting of it is a problem,they are prone to root problems due to wet soil they must have well drained soil around their roots, it is possible with all the rain we have had the run off from both walls has caused problems, a little article here worth a read.
http://www.passiflora-uk.co.uk/passion-flower-growing.htm

 

Thanks Walnut! Would you advise very carefully adding some sharp sand into the soil around the plant to help draninage?

I'll keep you all posted!
Thanks again.

 

Hiya Orby welcome to the forums I'm sure you will enjoy your time here.

Walnut always has some great advice and has helped me out before and just like him there are plenty more wonderful people on here to aid you.

I have a couple of passion flowers although they were brought just this year (the normal coloured one and the white one) both are doing pretty well, had a couple of flowers and still more to come.
I'm sure yours will turn out well in the end if not this year then next year!
Helen.xxx.

 

hiya orby, I have 3 passion flowers although on a balcony, bought my first last year its still growing no buds on mine and my new 2 bought this year they too are growing mad no sign of buds yet, think they need to establish themselves like any climber, so lets hope we both have them hopefully this year or should next year, shall we say good luck to both of us :D

 

The position doesn't sound great to me, but I think youneed to leave it alone and get on with it.
As long as its growing and looking reasonably healthy, i wouldn't worry.
It should flower next year if all is OK.
Most climbers seem to be able to cope with sunless positions for a while, then they grow up to the light, or around corners, in order to find it.

 

Regarding what you said Pete mine grew under the dividing wall and my neighbour is delighted has she shares the benefit also, it's growing well facing east and west.
Orby if you think it looks to be over wet in its present position you could try aerating the soil with a garden fork.

 

Hi Orby, just noticed your post.
Mr Mac & I really like our Passifloras, I have mentioned them on other topics. Now, this might sound a bit far fetched, but could they be flowering while you're not looking?! I know it sounds a bit mad, lol.
Earlier on in the year we were delighted to see the first buds on our big passion flower covering the back fence. We'd notice the buds one day but then by the time we'd both got home from work the following day the buds had opened and the flower had closed up and finished again, so we never got to see them! For some reason the flowers only seem to remain open for a very short period of time. Perhaps it's our soil? or weather? I dunno. Just a thought. x

 

Dont just add sand if your soil is clay based. Otherwise if its wet you will end up with concrete. You will need some organic matter to add to your soil.

 

Thanks everyone for your help! At the moment we have 3 beautiful flowers open at the same time which is a record, and about 30 buds waiting to come out. I think the plant is ok, it's growing voraciously and looking very healthy, I just think as it's a brand new plant it may just need to settle in a bit - next year will be better.
Two of the the three flowers are along the very top of the wall where they try and peep over the top to the sky, so I think it is probably a light issue.
BekiMac, the flowers that we do actually get seem to last us a few days, so we do get to see them! We watch most buds develop, reach a certain size, then drop off dead.
Anyway, thank you again everyone. We have a landscaper coming Monday to lay our turf, so no doubt I'll be bending your ears again before long asking more advice.