Tropaeolum brachyceras

Seed - sow early spring in a greenhouse. Prick the seedlings out into individual pots once they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

Division of the tubers in late summer. Harvest the tubers once the plant has died down and plant them straight out into their permanent positions. It is probably best to pot up the smaller tubers and grow them on in the greenhouse for a year before planting them out in late summer.

Cuttings of basal stems in the spring^[2]. Pot them up into individual pots and place them in light shade in a frame until they are established. Plant out in early summer.

Prefers a sunny position in a well-drained humus-rich neutral or slightly acidic loam^[2].

This species is not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to about -5°c and is usually best grown in a cold greenhouse or conservatory^[2]. Alternatively, the tubers can be lifted in the autumn after the plant has been cut back by frost, stored in a cool but frost-free place over the winter and planted out in April^[2]. This species comes from a dry Mediterranean-type climate and commences growth in early autumn, growing through the winter then flowering in early summer before having a short dormancy in late summer^[3]. Consequently, it is only going to succeed outdoors in the very mildest parts of the country and is generally best grown in a greenhouse[247, K]. The plant comes from an area with intermittent and unreliable rainfall. It is therefore adapted to remaining dormant for a number of years if the growing conditions are unsuitable and this habit sometimes manifests itself in cultivation, especially if the plants have been potted up recently^[3]. A climbing plant, it supports itself by twisting its leaf stalks around other plants etc^[4].

The caterpillars of the cabbage white butterfly can be a nuisance and often cause considerable damage to the leaves^[4].