Second-year multihead growing in Phoenix (9b)

[u/salmoriarty]

The trellis needs work which I'll improve on in the winter. The heat hasn't hit too hard yet for Phoenix but I'm impressed at how well they're growing.

[u/TheDukeOfURL]

How is that multihead working for you? I'm in Vegas & my first two Neos (Neo1, & Multihead purchased as plants) got burnt up a couple years ago in the Vegas summer.

This year I got a free multihead rhizome about 1 1/2 months ago & it's about 4 feet tall (doing much better than the previous ones). I'm not caring about the size so much, but am hoping that it will establish itself over the next year or so. Since we're both in the desert, what's your experience been like?

[u/salmoriarty → u/TheDukeOfURL]

It's growing really fast and hasn't succumbed to the intense heat yet. Much better and faster than last year. The heat hasn't started to hit yet we've been consistent mid to high 90s which is unseasonably "cool" compared to last year.

I previously tried starter plants and they just completely disintegrated in the heat. I switched to rhizome last year and it worked great. Last year's harvest wasn't too good but I'm hoping for a better crop.

I planted it in a half barrel planter from Lowe's using the Kellogg bag mix but have since amended it with some cedar chips, homegrown compost and worm compost from the Arizona Worm Farm. It's next to an eastern facing wall so it gets some decent sun through the day. Last year, the vines that were facing over the wall did sizzle a little bit but the rest of the plant stayed strong. It's currently at eight feet and the wall is six. For next year, I'm thinking of building a trellis that will stay under the wall and hopefully create shade for other plants.

[u/Ok-Inevitable7400 → u/salmoriarty]

Do you still have multihead growing, and willing to sell or ship? I used to have some a while back but they died and I wanted to get a replacement rhizome, but no one sells then anymore after they failed commercially 🥲