[Pescalune]

Having been successful with some seeds of Vigna caracalla, we have now three young plants which after vegetating for almost 4 months in a pot are now beginning to send up long, slender and frail-looking stalks (the longest is about 90 cm today).
We are now thinking of re-potting them together in a bigger pot, and we intend to take them inside our heated veranda later in the autumn. Will it grow inside during the winter?
Could anyone familiar with that plant give us some advice, please?
Thanks,
Jean
PS There is an interesting article about Vigna caracalla on this page of the MGS website:
http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/42-garcia.html

[ezeiza]

In our mild climate, it behaves like an annual. The warm season is so long that it grows fast and flowers for months. It is however a very large climber.

near Buenos Aires, Argentina, South America

[Pescalune]

Thank you, Ezeiza.
Could you tell me a bit more about growing that plant please? How often should I give it water (it is in a 25x25 cm terracotta pot for the moment) Does it like direct sunshine, or semi-shade? Will it develop new side branches if I prune the main stalk?

I see you are gardening near Buenos Aires, in Argentina! My garden is near Montpellier, in France, a few miles from the Mediterrean sea. Isn't it extraordinary that we should be discussing this plant via this MGS Forum? Are you an MGS member, by any chance?
Jean

[ezeiza]

It is fantastic indeed.

Here it grows in zone 10 as an annual in the ground, sown each year in spring. It is one of the "metre a day" vines once it is warm enough. It grows in full sun. Soils are black with a certain clay content, very rich. As for water we have dew every night besides the rainfall. A clay pot will extract moisture from the mix and therefore suitable for bulbs, cacti and succulents but in a dry air Mediterranean climate a plastic pot will be a better option for a vigorous climber like this one.

Of course others' experience might be different.