Tropaeolum Speciosum advice

[robg]

I'll start off from the premise that I know what I might be getting into with this plant !!  Both the garden and the gardeners can cope with it !!

A neighbour (from a mile or so away!) has a prolific growth of TS in a large beech hedge and turned up a month ago with a large pot of roots just as we were going on holiday.   These were turfed out into a bucket, covered with soil and forgotten about.

Over this weekend the 'unknown contents' bucket got to the point of annoying me and I threw it all onto the veg patch - oooops - TS roots    It's an age thing, you know. 

So what do I do with them now?  They are back in a large flower pot with soil and I would rather they stayed outside that way till the spring for one reason or another - will that be OK?

And then the planting out - I gather this plant loves you or quietly dies away - there are enough roots that I could plant it in many places, but what are the best and what soil type, please ?

Rob

[Maggi Young]

If you could be bothered to plant them now, it would be easier in the long run, I think.
It will be fine in the pot, in a sheltered spot under a hedge, or instance, for the winter, Rob.

When planting, they are not very  fussy as to soil.  You should dig them into the ground, in an open, sunny spot, about one to two feet ( 30 to 60 cms) away from whatever you want the Trop. to scramble up. Planting  them too close to the foot of your intended host plant or fence etc does not seem too successful - it is better to have them our in the sun and able to get  some rain and they will soon find their upward route.