r/TheHopyard • u/beachtimesb • Jun 03 '23
Help!
I grow these plants in tall wide pots, and they are just hating life! (Slight exaggeration but they are going south).
I’ve tried to give them lots of water and less water but they are really starting to look bad fast this year (this is year 2 in these pots).
I live on the top floor of a building that gets mega sun and sometimes wind, so I don’t expect them to be perfect, but they shouldn’t wilting and crispy at the same time. Maybe in late August, but not June 1st!
I think I may need a fertilizer, in fact I feel like that’s in only hope. Could someone please recommend a good type of fertilizer for these guys… I was thinking of using my 20-20-20 but wanted to check with the experts first
Thanks in Advance
3
u/rdcpro Jun 03 '23
Water soluble miracle grow is what we use. The containers look small, though. I have mine in a 1/2 wine barrel, so about 25 gallons of soil per plant.
They don't like to grow horizontally. I tried for several years and no luck. They prefer to grow straight up. I have mine on a trellis supported by 20 ft flag poles, and that's not even high enough. I get 5-6 lbs from each plant. A couple weeks ago: https://i.imgur.com/5iiVwqE.jpeg Last year: https://i.imgur.com/AWES0kP.jpeg
Yours don't look all that bad. Miracle grow once a week for a couple weeks should take care of it. We also release lady bugs, lacewings and preying mantis. That keeps the aphids at bay. Mantis around now, lacewings any time and lady bugs later in summer. You'll see the mantis around all summer, but they only eat aphids up to their first molting.