Mo(u)rning Glory

[Sweepster]

My first attempt at growing morning glory from seed was a miserable failure last year. I probably brought them outside too early, and they either died as small plants, or climbed a couple of feet on the most spindly stems imaginable, then stopped, and just sulked in the rain. Got one flower from about eight plants!

So, apart from sowing and hardening off a bit later than before, are there any other tips I should know?

*Anyone who chooses to comment on the fact that I have used the terms 'morning glory' AND 'hardening off' in this post will find themselves visited in the middle of the night and a bat inserted up their nightdress*

[kirsty b]

*Anyone who chooses to comment on the fact that I have used the terms 'morning glory' AND 'hardening off' in this post will find themselves visited in the middle of the night and a bat inserted up their nightdress*

Spoilsport!!!!!

Seriously, I've never yet attempted them, so I'll be paying attention to any replies.

[kethry]

Assuming you mean the Ipomea range of plants (cos i think the name "morning glory" can be applied to a couple different plants) - sort of beautiful trumpet shaped flowers, that look somewhat related to the white bindweed flowers (which they are)? (shot of one here)

i sowed these a couple of years ago and they grew just fine. I have a garden planner and last year i scrawled across the top of the page for these, "do not transplant well" but i just checked through my blog post for 2 years ago to find that i transplanted these not once, but several times. LOL. But anyway, that may be the reason yours struggled. Have you thought about either direct sow, or if you can't for some reason (i.e. bloomin slugs), planting in paper pots/loo roll tubes?

and yup. harden off properly, and you may want to protect for the first week or so with a lil sort of mini cloche made of a pop bottle.. might also have been all that rain we got last year, esp if you don't have fantastic drainage...

*fervently hopes she doesn't get a bat up her nightie tonight*

hope that helps!!!

keth
xx

[kernowyon]

erm, i must confess that I have had morning glory problems for two years now. (snigger all you want!!) the first year i started them off to early and the grew far too spindly to plant out, then last year they just didn't grow at all. I am trying again this year for the final time, if they don't grow I will give up for good. I am not starting them off for a three or four more weeks just to see if that makes any difference.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Ignoring all innuendo, but being massively impressed with what is surely best thead title ever...

Morning glory is an annual and a relative of bindweed - as such I think that it is quite happy in poor soil, however, I don'y think that it's frost hardy though, so you can quite happily sow indoors now and plant out in a month or so, depending on your last frost date.

[Two_Sheds]

Definitely sow them in April, not before. Once they get going, they race away, so you have plenty of time. I sowed them with my French beans last year, and they were terrific, despite all the rain and gloom.

I have found they grow much better (and earlier) if self-sown. Typical.

[RedThorn]

lol Sweepster

All joking aside, Once you finally get then going, they're like a weed! you cannot get rid of them! Even if you de-flower them(just for the inuendo freaks ), like bind weed, even short pieces of stem in the soil sprouts and grows back as vigourously as ever!

lol pop around here in a few months and you can have as much as you want

[Naga]

Good thread lol. I Have Heavenly Blue/Black Knight/Purple Haze I am gonna grow, the Black Knight look so good. I cannot wait to start them but I will wait till April I think. Hopefully more tips will come.

[Sweepster]

Cheers all
Think mine are 'Heavenly Blue'. OK, so the plan is to wait a bit longer before sowing them, then to sow them in loo roll tubes whilst thinking suitably vigorous thoughts, harden them off sloooowly, ensure they get decent drainage and give them little rainhats to wear til they get going.

Just have to think about creating some sort of erection now (for them to climb up)

*sniggers... then hangs head in shame*

[Eyren]

Dearie me - I go off the allotment AGM for an hour or two and I come back to - smut!

Loose smut - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



I haven't had much success with Ipomea either, but one day I will try again. Concentrating on sweet peas this year...

[Alice]

Last year my Morning Glory were as successful as yours Sweepster and Kernowyon. Spidly plants and not a flower. I wasn't going to bother with them any more - but maybe I'll give them one more go.

[Bazza]

I grew heavenly blue and purple haze last year. Started off the heavenly blue way too early, indoors, and despite hardening them off they still struggled when planted out in the last week of May. They eventually put on a show but it would have been better had I had more patience. The purple haze did better but I didn't plant them till much later on. This year I shall start off my MG's inside but not sow until mid April. Plant them out early June, weather permitting. I shall also sow some direct at the same time to see if these fare any better. Also trying Moonflowers this year, an unusual white MG, the blooms come out in the evening and fade in the daytime!!