Last Updated on June 29, 2022 by Real Men Sow
Morning Glory (Ipomoea tricolor) is an annual climber that’s frost tender, but it bears exotic-looking and colorful flowers with heart-shaped green leaves. They’re usually grown from seed because the ready-grown plants are rare in the market. The saucer-shaped blooms open early for a day and fade by mid-afternoon once it’s hot, hence the name ‘Morning Glory’. They’re known to flower through summer to early autumn, which means you’ll have a lovely display for months.
How To Grow Morning Glory Plant
Sow its seeds in early spring in a warm, well-lit spot indoors or in a heated greenhouse. Harden them off before you plant them outside in early summer, make sure you have suitable support for them to climb on. Keep the soil moist evenly and feed them when they’re flowering. Deadhead them to encourage more blooms, then pull them up for compost at the end of the season.
Where To Grow Morning Glory
Grow Morning Glory with plenty of sun but under a sheltered site to grow well. They’re great for containers, either outside the garden, indoors, or on your porch. Make sure you have suitable support for them to climb on.
How To Propagate Morning Glory
Soaking the seed overnight in tepid water is an important task to do before sowing, this is because you’ll need to soften the hard seed coat. Sow them 1cm deep in pots with moist seed compost, and place them in a warm spot (it’s best to use a propagator) to help it germinate.
Moving Morning Glory Seedlings After Germination
Move them to a warm, well-lit windowsill or greenhouse as soon as seedlings appear. Transplant them to individual pots to let them grow indoors until late May or early June. Harden off for two weeks before planting them outside
How To Plant Morning Glories
- Plant three to five-morning glory plants in a large pot that is at least 30-40cm wide and deep, evenly spaced.
- Fill the pot halfway with a good, peat-free multi-purpose potting soil, then carefully turn each plant upside down with fingers distributed across the surface of the compost, keeping the root ball as intact as possible.
- Fill the crevices between the root balls with dirt and gently firm the young morning plants in the huge container. Water in to settle the compost around the roots, then top up if any gaps appear.
- Place free-standing support over the plants. Remove the individual canes gently and weave the stems onto their respective canes.
How To Care For Morning Glory Plants
- Water as needed to keep the compost uniformly moist, but don’t overdo it.
- Check the stems once or twice a week to make sure they’re still twining up their supports. They may require some training from time to time in order to progress in the appropriate way.
- Once the first flowers appear, begin feeding every 10-14 days with a liquid fertilizer heavy in potash.
- To stimulate more blooming, remove fading and dead flower heads.
Morning Glory Turns Yellow
Young leaves that are yellowing or white-tinged suggest cold temperatures, especially when the plants are little. Make sure their growth environment is warm and free of cold draughts, and if they’re on a window sill, bring them into the room when you close the curtains at night.
Aphids are known to harm young leaves and shoots. Regularly inspect plants and gently hand-squash tiny infestations to keep numbers under control.
Advice On Buying Morning Glory
- Morning glory is rarely accessible as ready-grown plants and is usually only available as seed.
- Garden centers sell seed, although it’s usually only in one or two varieties. Specialist seed vendors offer a greater variety of cultivars by mail order.
