I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message ...


I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

================================================== ====


Nick all you have to take into consideration is that we are in for along
baking hot Summer. I did remark that I hope everybody was storing the excess
of water we have had because we will need it later.

Mike



---------------------------------------------------------------
www.friendsofshanklintheatre.co.uk
www.hmscollingwoodassociation.com
www.rneba.org.uk
www.nsrafa.org

On 09/03/2014 11:19, Nick Maclaren wrote:
I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?

They are strange plants. When happy, you almost need a machete to keep
them under control. But they are very rarely happy. :-(

After many years of trying, I got one to grow well against a
north-facing wall, in clay next to concrete foundations, ie on the
alkaline side. That's against what most sources say - moist but
well-drained soil, acid to neutral. It flowered well for a couple of
years, and then that was that.

If you can afford it, and really want one, I would get three and try
them in different soils (but all on the damp side), and grow them in a
way usually advised for clematis - roots cool, but tops in sun. But
always keep them damp during dry spells - I doubt that you could
overwater them on your soil. And, although I've never tried it, I
wonder if spraying the whole plant with water in hot, dry, weather would
be of benefit

--

Jeff

In article ,
says...

I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?

I've grown it in cool wet Scotland. Just not in the places I planted
/wanted it. IME, if it graciously deigns not to die, it spends at least
a year lurking underground and burrowing to some more acceptable
location of its own choosing. Sods Law requires this is never where you
wanted it.

Having chosen a new abode it spends the rest of its life sending its
rebel teenage children on secret underground missions to find new places
and ways to annoy the gardener. They have all signed a suicide pact
should anyone try to tactfully relocate them.

Janet

On 2014-03-09 11:19:30 +0000, Nick Maclaren said:

I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

We've found it to be temperamental. We grew it towards the bottom of a
run of yew hedge, so it may have been too dry but it's a dampish part
of the garden. We found that it would disappear for a year or so, then
suddenly reappear without apparently having suffered. Now you remind
me, I don't think we've seen it for three years!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

In article ,
Janet wrote:
In article ,
says...

I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?

I've grown it in cool wet Scotland. Just not in the places I planted
/wanted it. IME, if it graciously deigns not to die, it spends at least
a year lurking underground and burrowing to some more acceptable
location of its own choosing. Sods Law requires this is never where you
wanted it.

Having chosen a new abode it spends the rest of its life sending its
rebel teenage children on secret underground missions to find new places
and ways to annoy the gardener. They have all signed a suicide pact
should anyone try to tactfully relocate them.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I am not into daily watering,
so will skip it.

I have had similar experiences to the above with Romneya and,
to a lesser extent, Passiflora incarnata. The former is not
actually thriving in its current position, but I am not going
to give it the opportunity to destroy the patio again! So it
seems to be sulking - and it's a second purchase because none
of the roots of the first survived forcible relocation.

I am, however, going to try Passiflora incarnata in a few other
places and see if I can get it going there. But it HATES winter
wet, so needs somewhere dry to hibernate yet where it can grow
out of when the weather warms up.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 09/03/2014 13:58, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
Janet wrote:
In article ,
says...

I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?

I've grown it in cool wet Scotland. Just not in the places I planted
/wanted it. IME, if it graciously deigns not to die, it spends at least
a year lurking underground and burrowing to some more acceptable
location of its own choosing. Sods Law requires this is never where you
wanted it.

Having chosen a new abode it spends the rest of its life sending its
rebel teenage children on secret underground missions to find new places
and ways to annoy the gardener. They have all signed a suicide pact
should anyone try to tactfully relocate them.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I am not into daily watering,
so will skip it.

I have had similar experiences to the above with Romneya and,
to a lesser extent, Passiflora incarnata. The former is not
actually thriving in its current position, but I am not going
to give it the opportunity to destroy the patio again! So it
seems to be sulking - and it's a second purchase because none
of the roots of the first survived forcible relocation.

I am, however, going to try Passiflora incarnata in a few other
places and see if I can get it going there. But it HATES winter
wet, so needs somewhere dry to hibernate yet where it can grow
out of when the weather warms up.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I'd have thought that this was a case for using a water retaining gel in
the soil when planting.

In article ,
David Hill wrote:

I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?

I'd have thought that this was a case for using a water retaining gel in
the soil when planting.

That would help a bit, but not for a dry spell lasting longer
than a week or so.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
David Hill wrote:

I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?

I'd have thought that this was a case for using a water retaining gel in
the soil when planting.

That would help a bit, but not for a dry spell lasting longer
than a week or so.

Oops. Or did you mean to avoid daily watering? Yes, it would
help there, if I used enough.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Sun, 9 Mar 2014 11:19:30 +0000 (GMT),
(Nick Maclaren) wrote:


I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I have tried it, got it going one year, nothing showed the next but
the next it came up again with only a little growth, then no more.
The places I have seen it growing best a
1. At Longstock, Hants, the John Lewis water garden, growing over
bushes by the waterside, so enjoying a moist root run.
2. At Misarden in Glos, growing up through a yew hedge at least 15
feet high, and in pretty dry soil.
So take your pick. There must be other factors!

Pam in Bristol

On Sun, 09 Mar 2014 21:36:18 +0000, Pam Moore
wrote:

On Sun, 9 Mar 2014 11:19:30 +0000 (GMT),
(Nick Maclaren) wrote:


I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I have tried it, got it going one year, nothing showed the next but
the next it came up again with only a little growth, then no more.
The places I have seen it growing best a
1. At Longstock, Hants, the John Lewis water garden, growing over
bushes by the waterside, so enjoying a moist root run.
2. At Misarden in Glos, growing up through a yew hedge at least 15
feet high, and in pretty dry soil.
So take your pick. There must be other factors!

Pam in Bristol

Oh, and;3
Over bushes by the drive of The Garden House, Buckland Monachorum,
Devon. Haven't been there since Wildside opened but it grew very well
there and that was on a slope, so not wet.

Pam in Bristol

On 09/03/2014 21:36, Pam Moore wrote:
On Sun, 9 Mar 2014 11:19:30 +0000 (GMT),
(Nick Maclaren) wrote:


I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I have tried it, got it going one year, nothing showed the next but
the next it came up again with only a little growth, then no more.
The places I have seen it growing best a
1. At Longstock, Hants, the John Lewis water garden, growing over
bushes by the waterside, so enjoying a moist root run.
2. At Misarden in Glos, growing up through a yew hedge at least 15
feet high, and in pretty dry soil.
So take your pick. There must be other factors!

Pam in Bristol


That makes me think of Houtinia chordata, said to like damp soil but I
found a lovely clump of Houtinia chordata floraplena growing in a raised
bed of Cotoneaster under trees at the top of a steep drive.
David @the subtropical side of Swansea Bay where we reached 66f in the
shade today

On 2014-03-09 21:41:37 +0000, Pam Moore said:

On Sun, 09 Mar 2014 21:36:18 +0000, Pam Moore
wrote:

On Sun, 9 Mar 2014 11:19:30 +0000 (GMT),
(Nick Maclaren) wrote:


I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I have tried it, got it going one year, nothing showed the next but
the next it came up again with only a little growth, then no more.
The places I have seen it growing best a
1. At Longstock, Hants, the John Lewis water garden, growing over
bushes by the waterside, so enjoying a moist root run.
2. At Misarden in Glos, growing up through a yew hedge at least 15
feet high, and in pretty dry soil.
So take your pick. There must be other factors!

Pam in Bristol

Oh, and;3
Over bushes by the drive of The Garden House, Buckland Monachorum,
Devon. Haven't been there since Wildside opened but it grew very well
there and that was on a slope, so not wet.

Pam in Bristol

It is said to be the wetter side of the moor, however!
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 09/03/2014 16:10, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
David Hill wrote:

I have tried twice in the past to get Tropaeolum speciosum
established, and failed dismally both times due to warm to hot,
dry periods during much of the summer. The recent cool, wet
ones (this is Cambridge) have made me think.

If I tried again, what chance would I have? Fat, slim, or
what?

I'd have thought that this was a case for using a water retaining gel in
the soil when planting.

That would help a bit, but not for a dry spell lasting longer
than a week or so.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.




Well, it might do. It lasts surprisingly well. I'd be more worried that
it would remain too wet during the winter cold.

--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay