| I am having trouble keeping alive vines grown in pots. The location is sunny/partial shade. The climate is coastal so never hot. I have been looking at Trumpet Vines which thrive in the ground. |
| Nearly every vine I'm familiar with will adapt to growing in a container, providing they receive adequate water and you shade the container during the hottest summer months. Since plant roots are restricted in a container, the vines won't be quite so vigorous as they would be in the ground, but the plants should still grow adequately. Containerized plants need to be watered more frequently than those in the ground and because of this they also need to be fed more frequently. As you can imagine, the roots can cook if summer sunshine falls directly on the container so grouping containers or placing decorative rocks in front of the containers to to deflect the rays from the sun. For a trumpet vine, use a large container (15-20 gallon) and fill it with potting soil or a 30/70 mixture of garden loam and potting soil. The potting soil will allow the medium to drain quickly yet hold just the right amount of moisture to satisfy the roots. In really warm weather you may need to water daily, or even twice a day. To provide a constant source of nutrients, use a half-strength dilution of liquid fertilizer, and feed your plants every 2-3 weeks during the growing season. Finally, remember that once potting soil gets too dry, it can be hard to thoroughly re-wet. This can result in air pockets which will shed water rather than absorb it. So, even if you think you're watering thoroughly, the water may just be running out the bottom of the pot without being absorbed. Hope this information helps you keep your new vine remain healthy for many years. |
