Scott, That line about chemical fertilizers killing bacterial content of the soil is simply not true. It is a common misunderstanding among "organic" gardeners. Actually what happens is that chemical fertilizers increase microbial activity in the same way that "organic" ferts do, and as a result of that activity the organic matter in the soil gets depleted. Chemical ferts may or may not be your cup of tea, but they don't kill microbes when applied in the correct amounts. Here's a quote from Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott: "Nitrogen in ammonium sulfate is the same element as the nitrogen in cottonseed meal. The plant uses it for amino acids, chlorophyll, alkaloids, and many, many other compounds." BTW, why do you use Holly Tone rather than Plant Tone? Holly Tone is for acid loving plants like Rhodys, Azalea and Ilex. Hostas do better with a pH of around 6.5, not 5. Steve Here is a link that might be useful: The Evils of Chemicals

This year I had fruit plus a 2nd set of blossoms already on an Early Girl & it transplanted just fine last month even with our cool weather in WA state. Now have 2 more sets of blossoms and those fruits are growing nicely. Try trench planting it. Dig your hole at an angle big enough for the bucket to fit. Test it using another bucket. I usually do about 45 degrees, but do whatever angle works for fitting in another plant in your space. Amend the hole with what is recommended in your area. Here we add a handful of calcium carbonate and bonemeal and about 1/2 cup complete organic fertilizer & mix up. Use a scissor to remove the lower leaves up to the fruiting leaves. Be sure the fruiting leaves won't be touching the soil when planted. Water with warm water only for the 1st week or so. This has worked for me.

Yes, one normally has to do that with container grown camellias every few years. Of course, once you reach the "ultimate" size then you have to stop transplanting it and instead you give the roots a haircut and keep it in the large pot currently in use. The best time to do this is when the plant is not actively growing and dormant.

""planting shorter grown varieties..." Yeah, but what's the point? ;)" EBs are a novelty item. They were designed commercially for two determinate tomato plants and work well for that. That was the original purpose/point, to get more tomatoes and not fall down, and then to mass market this through a sales network. The point was not to grow indeterminates, but that won't stop us lol. Not sure I know the EB stakes (or CityGarden, which sounds like another EB "clone"). Is that the trellis EB stake to the sides with netting you want to stick on the CityGarden? Didn't think it was 5 feet tall. If you have that trellis design already and aren't buying new stuff, and it secures well, just use a combination by strapping a couple of bamboo poles to the horizontal support tube. Still 2D unless you bury them in opposite bottom edges making an X from a side view, but you'd have height and more stability. But JMO and I'm not really sure about the attachment of the EB stuff you mentioned to the CityGarden thing. Best PC