Beginner Gardening: Problem w/Black eyed Susan vine, 0 by DaleTheGardener

DaleTheGardener wrote:
Liz is right, looks like too much moisture in the soil. Sometimes potting soil gets dense and loses it's ability to hold air, which is just as important as water, for the roots.

Also we grow your vine in the ground here. It stops flowering during the heat, humidity and long days of summer. That may be a factor for you also.

Take a close look at the soil, press on it with your fingers, lightly. Does it seem like the soil is still in good shape? Or is it dense & wet like a old sponge? If not in good shape you will need someone help you to add some lighter soil mix to the pot it is in. Takes two people.

Tip the pot on it's side, slide it out of the pot, with both hands keeping the rootball intact. You might have to smack the pot with an open hand or shake it a little. Have an extra pair of hands hold the pot while you work the rootball. Add some fine bark, vermiculite or something to the bottom of the pot to improve drainage. Take the rootball and crumble/remove a small amount of soil from the bottom of the rootball, about a inch or so. Then remove about 1/2 inch of soil from the sides. Place back in the pot and add fresh, high quaility potting mix, poking it in along the sides of the rootball. Look at the stem where it meets the 'ground' if it looks 'exposed' a mulch of fine bark on the top of the potting soil would be a good idea. Adding a generous amount of time release fertilizer to the pot will help too.

Hope this helps.