Growing over container edge

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plantkiller_sc Camden, SC(Zone 7b) Oct 12, 2007

Hi,

I know this is silly, but I'm having a problem. For example, I have a wandering jew plant (Tradescantia zebrina). Fortunately it's growing very well & hanging over the side of the container. Which brings me to my problem - the stem starts to get weak at the place where it goes over the pot. I've tried planting them closer to the center of the pot so it's not as stressed towards the edge, but I don't have any other ideas. Yes, I suppose I could trim it.....

Any ideas?? Many thanks!!

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Anaid San Antonio, TX Oct 12, 2007

I had a similar problem once with a plant that would grow over the edge of the pot. I had some short (about 6") wire boarder edging (dont know the formal name) so I bent it a little to form a somewhat rounded edging and stuck it into the pot forming a smoother arch that the plant could still hang over but not have the pressure of the pot's edge. It looked like a floppy hat then the plant would cascade over it. I hope I explained it to where you can invision it. I dont have that pot any more so I cant send a pic but I hope you get the idea and that it helps.......

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planolinda Plano, TX Oct 13, 2007

my wandering jew is in the garden and would get long, leggy and weak--a neighbor showed me to cut it WAY back-( keep the cut branches for new starts)-- at first i was not happy with my cut plant but it came back much healthier and looked so much better that i just cut it back as soon as it starts hanging--it is nice to have that cascading look in a hanging basket but it does look nice, thick and healthy when cut way back too--just a thought!

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WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland, United Kingdom Oct 25, 2007

The very name of the plant is the clue as to why it is growing over the pot edges, it is trying to wander, they do get very leggy and if hung up from a hanging basket hook to allow it to grow the way is is designed to grow, the weakness on the stems that grow over the pot edge is probably due to the edge of the pot being too sharp and the foliage gets heavy therefore causes bruising to the stems, pot it into a container with a wider rim edged pot and it will trail over the way it grows in it's natural habitat, if you want to grow the off cuts to start new plants, just pop them into a jar of water, remove the lower leaves so none of them sit in the water and the clean leafless stems will root on about 2/3 weeks, then put them into a pot with compost. good luck. Weenel.

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marvilene Deer Park, TX Nov 06, 2007

I FEEL LIKE THE JEW DOES BETTER IF THE SOIL IS AS MUCH ABOVE THE TOP OF THE POT. I HAVE HAD SOME I FELT LIKE GETS TOO MUCH SUN AND THE HEAT CAUSES IT TO BREAK AT THE POT RIM.

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