I winter passies over inside and in the greenhouse. If keeping them inside, especially several plants, you are going to need some type of grow light. I keep them under lighta about 14 hrs per day. A sunny window isn't sufficient. Not only don't you have the proper light spectrum but there's not enough hours of daylight during the winter months.

As for pot size I don't see why you'd need to be in anything bigger then a 4" pot if they are just seedlings now. You have to be careful about over-watering while they are inside but you do want to keep up the humidity around them. Misting daily will help. Plants that are kept inside are a bug magnet and the humidity will help keep them in check. You'll still have to carefully inspect your plants often and if you see an outbreak nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand. Spider mites, mealy bugs and scale are the worst and most likely to show up. I also decrease the amount of fertilizer while inside, less frequent and diluted feedings.

If your incarnata is big enough you can allow it to go dormant over the winter. I keep my container incarnatas in an unheated greenhouse or the garage over the winter. The plants die back to the soil and return in the spring. I water dormant plants very infrequently, just enough to keep the roots hydrated.

Have a great time studying abroad. Good luck with your passifloras.

Wow Karyn... you certainly didn't break the news to him softly. It is indeed difficult to grow indoors, and I try to do it as infrequently as I can, though every winter we have 2-1/2 to 3 months we have to. I don't disagree with anything you said, but if his sister is taking care of the plants for him, that may be a lot to ask, especially the grow light and daily misting!

I think you gave him great instructions if he were doing it himself, or if his sister is very dedicated to helping him. However, we don't want the poor guy to give up if his sister can't do all that...

So I'll add to your advice my "slacker's method" of taking care of Passiflora indoors. Given the worst case scenario of time and money restraints, here is my additional advice:

- Only water when the plants show the first signs of wilt, and even then very sparingly. Just be sure you at least look at them daily to be sure, as all will not dry at the same time. You might be able to get away with once a week or less. Another great easy cheap option is to buy a water meter that you shove into the soil. It works great!
- Make sure your plants are not in too large of planters. I agree with Karyn again that 4" is probably right if you just germinated them recently. If they are 3 feet tall and sturdy with many branches, I might move them up to 6" (gallon) at the most.
- South facing windowsill, or the one with the MOST light is best.
- Keep space between the plants. Separate them as far as you can from one another, while still giving ample light.
- Don't fertilize as all.

The main goal here is not to get your plants to grow well and flourish and flower and fruit. The goal is simply to keep them alive until you come back and can slowly acclimate them to outdoor living, which is far far much less work if the weather permits.

Good luck, and bon voyage!
Eric

The info I gave was just for keeping them alive, not thriving or blooming. lol I want the least amount of growth as possible when I overwinter them.

You don't have that long a period that you need to protect them in your zone. Mine need protection for 6 months in zone 7 and in zone 5 they're probably going to need an additional month or two of protection from the cold. Without the additional light and humidity the decline can be so severe that they won't rebound in the spring and an infestation of some sort of sucking insect is almost a guarantee.

Dedicated grow lights aren't a necessity, a couple shop light will do. It sounds like he's planning on having his sister look after a number of plants and the more crowded the more chance of problems, especially bugs. If I was going to cut out anything I just wouldn't fertilize at all. Any way he's going to owe his sister something nice from his trip abroad. lol

True that our overwintering season is so short in comparison that I have a different perspective. Very good call, Karyn. I would not want to try it for 6 months... ugh, that would be rough. Too much work!! I can't imagine how much work you must have to go through, though a greenhouse certainly helps!

The promise of a case of Chateauneuf du Pape will help to butter her up... unless you are going to Spain. Then a nice case of Ribera del Duero should suffice. Germany? Can't help you there...

Now you understand all my whining emails to Crystal during the winter. lol I need to keep my plants under glass for half the year.

Speaking of wine I'm so excited. We are finally going to be able to buy wine online in MD WooHoo!!!!!!!! There's so many small vinyards, especially in CA that I enjoy, but the wines can't be found around here. I thought we were going to be able to buy online beginning in July but not yet. Soon I hope.

Thank you both so much for all of your advice. Luckily me and all my siblings are all on good terms, so I'm sure they will just love helping to try and keep my little passies alive :P But of course, they will be getting their gifts whether they succeed or not. Besides if they don't make through this winter without me, I am always willing to start fresh next season!

And speaking of gifts, thank you also Crystal, for the gift idea's! I'll be traveling all over Europe, so any gift advice wold also be greatly appreciated ;)

Congratulations on being able to being able to "soon" buy your wines online Karyn! I am not yet of drinking age, so I don't quite know you're excitement... But I can tell you are VERY ecited about this! :D