Goodbye Grenadilla

Six years ago, I planted a grenadilla on a modest Spanish reed trellis. Apart from providing a welcome fruit, the further purpose was to conceal compost bins at the bottom of the vegetable garden. I soon discovered the power in the growth of this vine. It soon vaulted from the trellis into the neighbour’s trees on the opposite side of the fence.

It wasn’t long before the vines were stretching 10 metres high. Harvesting the grenadillas, was on the terms of the vine deciding when to drop its ripe fruit. It is a miracle that none of us was ever hit by a falling grenadilla. One could sometimes hear the thud of one dropping from inside the kitchen, many metres distant.

This year we decided to take out the vine. Our patient neighbour was pleased to hear that she will at last have her trees free and cleaned of the grenadilla.

A commercial grenadilla vine is deemed to be productive for a three-year lifespan. After three years, it will produce less fruit and will no longer be considered commercially viable. Typically, the vine will produce for 5 to 7 years after which time it will start dying back naturally. Our grenadilla vine was still producing prolifically after six years. However, while removing it, we noted that the main root had started rotting.

Just as well we had decided on its removal. It might not have lasted much longer. Clearing the bramble-like growth of the old vine, also provided me an opportunity to clean up the garden behind the cottage and generally neaten the herbaceous border.

I decided to build a stronger trellis frame for the new granadilla plants. The intention is to keep them away from the fence and trees. After Fungai and myself built the new trellis, we could plant two of the young grenadillas that had come up in the vegetable garden about a year ago.

In the end, the grenadilla vine gave us new plants with which it could be replaced. It is now the second-generation grenadillas growing where the old vine used to grow. Hopefully the new vines will follow in their mother plant’s footsteps and produce prolifically for the next six years.

The fruit of the grenadilla provided for a feast. With the prolific, and almost continuous harvest, we could create cordials, liqueurs, desserts, sorbets and cocktails to our hearts desire. It provided a basis to celebrate the garden in so many meals.  As we say goodbye to a great plant that gave us so much pleasure through its fruit, we say hello to the offspring of the vine. Only time will tell what they will bring to the garden.

My other grenadilla blog posts about the same vine:

It’s raining grenadillas

Guavadillas, grenadillas and passion fruit

Grenadilla liqueur

Grenadilla sorbet memories of summer

The generous grenadilla

A passion for Grenadillas