I also questioned size of pot in my original post, but didn't say that you should use smaller one. Karen is right. If you find that plan is tipping pt over, you can place a larger rock or 2 on top of the mix. I use large rocks to support newly repotted plants, but they can be good counterweights too. Or use pot that is not so deep but wider at the base, so it is more stable. Terracotta/clay pots are also more stable, because they are heavy. I use mostly plastic for that reason. I also mentioned that I would cut of leaves that are mushy - didn't say that you should since I really can't see the mushines in your photo. I keep succulents in smaller pots. Not because "they like it" as some ppl suggest, but for lack of space. If plant gets too big, I rather divide it and give away some. The reason I do not grow Aloe vera - it's leaves grow quite long... I know that pp used put some rocks or pieces of broken terracotta pots over drainage hole to prevent mix from falling out. Use piece of window screen or any other mesh with small openings. Or even piece of landscape fabric (it lets water thru), or coffee filter. Even piece of newspaper will work, but it will decompose.

If somebody can tell me what I’m doing wrong that would be great. One of my cayenne pepper plants, pepper ends, are shriveling. The other plants are fine and are not doing this. The entire plant looks healthy, the leaves are perfect the stocks look good, there are no signs of wilting or discoloring. I am a beginning gardener. SOS

You always need to be more careful with moisture retaining soils. Large Mangos are quite tough plants and will often come back from severe reversals. Smaller trees are more sensitive. They've evolved in a monsoonal climate where they often get flooded out during the wet season and are completely dry in the dry season. The dry season coincides with the coolest night time temperatures. A wooden skewer or chop stick pushed into the soil to see if there's moisture below is a common method for checking. The surface soil will often look dry when below it isn't. The leaves in your second photo are okay, but don't let them get to the stage of those in the first photo. And keep them away from cold night temperatures.

Aaarrrgggg. That’s what I was afraid of. I’m actually in San Antonio, Texas and this is the first time I’ve ever tried to grow anything. My parents live a bit south of me and have been very helpful with suggestions. (I come from a long line of Aggies, so I’ve got lots of advice!) I think if we plant them in mid-September, as long as we can get some “good growth,” we should be able to have some cucumbers before the first frost. Not sure if that’s true, though. So I should probably dig this plant up? It’s growing next to two tomato plants that seem to be doing quite well, with no signs of Aphids.