  Aims: We provide new insights into the gamma-ray emission from HESS
J1912+101, a TeV supernova remnant candidate probably associated with the radio
pulsar PSR J1913+1011. Methods: We obtained new observations at 1.5 GHz using
the VLA in the D configuration, with the purpose of detecting the radio shell
of the putative remnant. In addition, we observed a single pointing at 6.0 GHz
toward PSR J1913+1011 to look for a radio pulsar wind nebula. We also studied
the properties of the surrounding interstellar medium using data of the 13CO,
HI, and infrared emissions, obtained from public surveys. Results: We did not
find evidence of a radio shell down to the sensitivity of the new image at 1.5
GHz. We detect faint diffuse emission around PSR J1913+1011 at 6.0 GHz, which
could represent a radio pulsar wind nebula powered by the pulsar. We find dense
ambient gas at 60 km/s, which shows a good spatial correspondence with the TeV
emission only in the western and eastern directions. There is also dense gas
near the center of HESS J1912+101, where the TeV emission is weak. Using
infrared data, we identify an active star-forming region in the western part of
the shell. Conclusions: Based on the poor spatial match between the ambient gas
and the TeV emission (which shows a good correlation in the western and eastern
directions and an anticorrelation in the other directions), we conclude that
the hadronic mechanism alone does not give a satisfactory explanation of the
gamma rays from HESS J1912+101. Additional contributions may come from leptonic
processes in the shell of the supernova remnant, together with contributions
from PSR J1913$+$1011 and its pulsar wind nebula and/or from the star-forming
region. A confident determination of the distance to the putative remnant is
necessary to determine whether these sources are associated or just appear
superimposed in the line of sight.
