Gardening: Grow Beautiful Morning Glories
- Sylvia Rose
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
Morning glories are easy to grow and fairly low-maintenance. In balcony gardens they need a lot of water and at least a bucket-sized container with good drainage. They cover vertical areas with abundant bright blossoms.
Morning glories (Ipomoea) are native to tropical regions, but these annual vines are highly adaptable. They grow in temperate zones throughout the world.
Flowers are trumpet-shaped. They come in many colors, including blues, purples, pinks and whites.
Varieties
"Blue Morning Glory" changes color from blue to purple and pink as light alters during the day. Popular varieties also include "Heavenly Blue", a classic, which grows to about 10 ft.
"Grandpa Ott," with its rose-starred and pink-throated blooms, is a favorite. "Scarlet O'Hara" has red blooms and grows 6-8 feet, bringing vibrant color to a garden. It's a variant of the Japanese Morning Glory.
Moonflower is the only morning glory species to bloom at night, with large sweet-smalling white blossoms. Some morning glories are streaked or banded, with many specialty varieties developed.
Planting
Morning glories are best planted after the last frost in spring. They like a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0, or neutral. Soil temperatures for best germination outdoors are around 15°C (60°F).
Seeds can start indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost date. They don't always transplant well, so it's best to sow them in the place they'll grow.
Morning glories attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies with their fragrant nectar. However morning glory seeds are poisonous to humans and animals. Mice, squirrels and even birds avoid them.
Thus morning glories drop many seeds to the ground and can rapidly proliferate over a few seasons. For this reason some gardeners don't like them.
Toxins: Many species of morning glory produce ergoline alkaloids such as the psychoactive and/or psychedelic lysergamides ergine (lysergic acid amide; LSA) and isoergine (isolysergic acid amide; iso-LSA).
They're structurally related to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Symptoms of poisoning include nausea, diarrhea and hallucinations. Some people try to take the seeds recreationally but side effects can be severe.
Direct sowing is preferred. From personal experience, pre-growing indoors doesn't give them much advantage when they go outside, even if they survive the transplant.
Morning glories love full sun and need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. The more sun they get, the more they bloom.
They prefer well-draining, moderately fertile soil. If the soil is heavy clay it can be mixed with compost or other organic matter to improve drainage.
Sowing Seeds
Scarification: If desired the seed coat can be nicked with a knife or file, taking care not to damage the inner seed. The seeds may also be soaked in warm water for 24 hours. These steps are are not essential.
Sowing Depth: Plant seeds about 1.5 cm (½ in) deep and 15-30 cm (6-12 in) apart. Planting 2-3 seeds per hole yields a fuller vine.
Watering: Water well after planting. Keep soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged, until the seeds germinate. Most morning glory varieties will sprout within 7 to 14 days.
If young plants need transplanting for one reason or another, carefully cut a wide ring around the plant, dig beneath and take it up with soil in place, preferably not exposing the roots.
Replant in a large hole. Simply uprooting and replanting often ends with a dead plant.
Support
Morning glories love to climb. They might need guidance, otherwise they can twist together or tangle with other plants. Trellises, fences, arbors, rails, posts, rock walls or twine are quickly embraced by questing tendrils.
Care & Maintenance
Watering: Water regularly, especially during dry spells. Do not spritz plants or water foliage directly, as it can attract fungal disease.
Fertilizing: Morning glories don't need a lot of fertilizer. A light feeding with a balanced fertilizer in early spring can encourage healthy growth.
On balconies the plants may need more nourishment. Beware of over-fertilizing. It can cause excess foliage growth at the expense of blooms.
Deadheading: A standard for petunias, it's not strictly necessary for morning glories. Removing spent flowers can encourage the plant to produce more blooms. Let some go to seed and use the seeds next year.
Pest Control: Plants may be prone to common garden pests like aphids and spider mites. Treat infestations with insecticidal soap or neem oil. I've raised morning glories on the balcony for years and never had an infestation, but ground gardens are more vulnerable.
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