My brother suggested flushing the plant, just in case I've over-fertilized, since I know that is easy to do in containers. I'm dumping the Miracle Grow for now and starting compost in my apartment shed ... we'll see how it goes. Thank you!

Compost doesn't provide enough nutrition. You're going to have trouble keeping that plant happy in a pot, and that to me says some sort of toxicity, so cut down on the fert but don't cut it out.

Thanks for that, Dan! Actually, this is a dwarf raspberry. They are made to thrive in containers and she has plenty of space. If I can just keep her healthy, we will be golden! I will cut back on the fertilizer, flush well just in case, and keep an eye on her.

I don't grow raspberries myself, but I'm gonna chime in anyway! I'm assuming they're planted in a good quality store bought potting soil/mix (containing a substantial amount of Canadian sphagnum peat--NOT Hyponex brand!), and if that's true I recommend watering less--even in hot weather--and especially now with the high humidity we've had with all the rain. Determine when to water by sticking your fingers down several inches into the soil, and wait till it's at least 50% dry before you water, and then saturate it COMPLETELY when you do water. With hot weather and sun the surface of the soil will dry out way before the lower soil dries, so you can't determine just by the surface moisture when to water. If in doubt, wait! If a plant is too dry it'll grumble and moan and look very unhappy, but it won't die--unless it's ALL the way dry! But if a plant is kept too wet all the time, the roots will start to rot and not be able to take up water anymore, and by the time you can tell there's a serious problem it's often too late and it can die. The roots need water AND oxygen, and when the soil's too wet there's no real useable oxygen in it.

To feed or not to feed--I'm not sure about that, but with it in a container I tend to side with Dan and say that it will need some fertilizer--but probably not so often. But I do have another suggestion, and every time I say this folks jump in with the opposite opinion--and that's just fine! I recommend you get some fertilizer besides Miracle Grow! I have a problem with all the Miracle Grow products--including their bagged potting soils! From what I've been able to figure out they have a problem with their "quality control" for all their products! I recommend just about any other brand, but my own personal recommendation is Jack's Classic! (It used to be called "Peters" until Scotts bought the name and the product, and then the quality went way down, and I don't know if they even make it anymore!) Jack's Classic (the original owner--Jack Peters--of Peters fertilizer started producing their original product under the new name!) is pretty commonly used by commercial growing operations, and the quality is good, and consistent. There are different formulations, but (for simplicity!) I use 20-20-20 for everything--rarely feed outside stuff that's in the ground!--and I adjust the amount I mix in the water depending on what I'm feeding! Whatever brand you decide to go with, I definitely recommend trying something besides Miracle Grow! It may not make a difference--but it may!

Keep us up to date on how they're doing.

Welcome to RMG,
Skybird

Thank you, Skybird! My brother has also had some spectacular failures with Miracle Grow that have made me dubious of it. He suggests Plant Tone and compost. Also, it certainly has been a tricky time to know when to water -- there's been rain and humidity, but my porch gets full-on sun for most of the day, and I find if I water less than about 2-3 times a week, my plants start drooping. The raspberry in particular seems to need a lot of water. I've also been advised to mulch around the plant, and I'm investigating mulching options this weekend. I usually make a (slightly gross) "quick compost" in the blender with fruit peels, eggshells, coffee grounds, the contents of my used tea bags for the day, etc. and use this to supplement my tomatoes; I may give it a try for the raspberry as well. I live in an apartment complex and have been leery about starting compost, since it's smelly and just ... not apartment friendly. But I have a great little shady outdoor shed I endeavor to use for this purpose. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm just getting started with my container garden -- I love it so, but a certain amount of failure is built into the process. I appreciate your advice!

In such a large container I recommend a mulch to help conserve moisture too. My recommendation would be a wood mulch--I use small bark mulch on my two whiskey barrels, and my in-ground gardens. And, for now at least, I recommend staying away from any "non-composted" compost. Once you get the "leaf problem" corrected you can decide if you want to go back to doing that, but in a containers "things" can "build up" pretty quickly, so I'd be a little bit careful about adding very much undecomposed stuff.

Even with a little bit of wilting, as long as they're perking back up quickly when they get back out of the sun, I'd recommend watering a little less often, and still deciding when to water by the soil moisture a ways down in the soil. And definitely be sure you're saturating ALL the soil when you water. That way you're sure it's wet all the way down on the bottom where most of the roots are. The soil on the bottom will stay wet longer, and that "should" help keep them from wilting. Interestingly (I think!) with all the cloudy weather we've had, the last couple times it's suddenly gotten sunny and hot, I've had things wilting some that don't "normally" wilt! It surprised me, but I think the plants just weren't acclimated to the sun anymore after being "without" it for so many days (weeks!) in a row! Don't know if that has anything to do with your wilting--and I do know that things that fruit need more water--but I'd still, for right now, try watering very thoroughly and less often.

Compost that's "working right" shouldn't have much smell at all to it--unless you just added some rotten potatoes or onions or something! If it consistently smells bad, something is wrong--possibly too wet.

Some day you need a house with your own Real Dirt!

Skybird

Provided I can ever afford Colorado real estate, Skybird. I'll let her dry out and knock off the fertilizer/compost, and look into your mulching suggestions. Thanks again.