I think I need to transplant my vasconcellea species, as they’re in 6 inch pots and doing worse and worse. I’m thinking that either they have root rot, in which case they’re doomed, or are suffering because of some scale, or simply because the pots are too small. I didn’t want to transplant them during the winter, but now as temperatures are getting warmer they should go in bigger pots.
So, first, what size pot? Should I be going in increments, or just go for the biggest pot I have (7 gallon deep root nursery containers)? The plants are on average over a foot tall and have a trunk between a centimeter and an inch in thickness (mixing units is fun!). What do you recommend? I hear papayas have big roots which are better undisturbed, so I’m leaning towards the bigger pot. But is 7 gallon too big? Can also do 5 gallons and smaller.
My biggest problem is with soil. I really really don’t want to give them any root rot, and my past experiences with papayas all ended in rot. These are in someone else’s soil, and I don’t want to screw this up. What do you recommend? I have plenty of perlite, and some miracle grow-and-equivalents (the cheap stuff from Home Depot). Should I buy better soil, or can I do something with what I have? If I do need to buy something, the cheapest (and therefore best) option for me is a 5kg block of coconut coir. I really don’t know though, so please give me some recommendations.
Thanks,
Tomek