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I have obtained the depicted trumpet creeper (campsis radicans; currently approx. 35 cm in height) and I would like to encourage it to grow and climb. However, so far (after about 2 weeks) it does not seem to be impressed with the frame I have provided.

Is there anything wrong with the frame (its bars are approx. 4 mm in diameter and approx. 2 cm from the wall) or do I just need to remain patient?

enter image description here

Drux
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    Patience, the plant needs to get an established root system first – kevinskio Aug 09 '18 at 09:51
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    @Drux As Bamboo said: larger pot, larger and stronger frame and I just want to add you can encourage it to climb by simply helping the branches. Physically move the branch's onto the frame. – Rob Aug 09 '18 at 15:33

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The standard advice when potting plants into larger containers is almost always to move up by one pot size. There are, though, exceptions, and Campsis is one of them, primarily because, planted in spring, they grow rapidly and once it clings to a support, its then impossible to provide a larger pot later on. This plant should really be planted into at least a 15 gallon container, and the support you provide for it to cling to should be very strong, and firmly affixed to a wall, with a small gap between the trellis and the wall to enable the plant to twine round it.

It's true that two weeks is not long enough for your new vine to do anything much at all, other than putting out more roots. You don't say where you are, so it's difficult to say whether you should leave it as it is for now (because it might not do much before Fall/winter arrives) or, if its somewhere with mild and later onset winters, when it should be immediately placed into a larger container now, and the support for it to climb replaced immediately with something more suitable for a vine that is likely to grow 15 x 15 feet. There are smaller varieties more suitable for container growing, but you have said it is Campsis radicans - it will not achieve its full height and spread of over 30 feet in a container, but might well make 10-15 feet as described, although an even larger pot will mean larger topgrowth. May need protection if your winters are particularly cold. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/vines/trumpet-vine/trumpet-vines-in-containers.htm

Bamboo
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  • +1 I'm in central Europe and obtained this plant (offshoot) only relatively late in our season. The current container is its transport container, really. Giving it a larger one is not a problem, but so far I thought I might better do that only next year. This is/was a misjudgment perhaps. – Drux Aug 10 '18 at 04:57
  • Do you mean it was a cutting, and its now growing in that pot? If so, because of where you live, protect during winter (only because its in a pot, in the ground its much hardier) and DON'T move to a larger pot this year, the year has already turned and autumn approaches - wait till spring next year, then pot into something much larger and put up a very, very strong support for it. If it started as a single shoot or cutting, it will take off next year in terms of growth, if you get it through the winter okay. If it starts to grow a lot, put into a bigger pot, but not a huge one till next year – Bamboo Aug 10 '18 at 10:29
  • Sorry, my internet dropped out for a moment - you may need to move it somewhere sheltered for the winter, so if you need to move it to a bigger pot because it starts growing wildly, then make it a slightly bigger pot so you can move it easily this winter, then transfer to a very large container in spring. You can prune it back in midwinter anyway, that's the time for pruning of these, preferably before mid February. – Bamboo Aug 10 '18 at 10:38
  • Yes, it's a cutting. If you have any extra advice on how I should care for it also while it will be inside inside (until next season) please elaborate further. Thanks & I'll accept your answer in any case. – Drux Aug 10 '18 at 18:08
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    Its better not to keep it indoors - you just need to stop the pot from freezing solid, and that only happens if temperatures are below zero day AND night for a week or more. That might mean moving it indoors to an unheated room just while the temperatures are that low, or to a garage, cool greenhouse or outbuilding that doesn't get quite so cold as outdoors. Frost and snow aren't the issue - its just below freezing temperatures for a time , as said already. You can insulate the pot maybe - bubblewrap, fleece, a box filled with hay and the plant inside, anything like that you can think of. – Bamboo Aug 10 '18 at 19:35
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    Thinking about it, if you have space in the ground outdoors, you can 'sink' the pot for the winter, in late autumn, meaning you bury it in the soil, with just the rim of the pot showing above soil level. That will keep the roots protected. But remember to remove it asap when winter's done before it spreads roots out the hole in the bottom of the pot. – Bamboo Aug 10 '18 at 19:36