How to Grow Morning Glories from Seed
Quick-growing morning glories cover a trellis in flowers and foliage by midsummer. The trumpet-shaped flowers, which can be red, blue, purple, white or pink, attract hummingbirds and open in the morning but close in the afternoon. Heart-shaped medium to dark green leaves cover twining vines that can grow to 10 feet long. Directly sowing seeds is the preferred method of propagation for these low-maintenance annuals.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
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Nick the hard coating on the seeds with a knife or rub with a file or sandpaper.
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Place the seeds into a bowl and cover with warm water. Let them soak overnight to soften the seed coat.
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Choose a planting location with full sun and good drainage. A suitable site must be large enough for a trellis to support the morning glory's long vines. The soil needs enough organic material to aid in retaining moisture, but morning glory plants grow well in poorly fertilized soil.
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Plant seeds 1/2 inch deep and 12 inches apart. Cover gently with soil and water until moist. Keep the soil moist but be careful not to overwater. Seeds germinate in four to seven days.
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Install a trellis, stakes or a fence for the new plants to climb. Morning glory vines attach themselves by twining or wrapping their stems around the trellis supports; a morning glory cannot climb a solid surface like a brick or stone wall.
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Water the morning glory during dry spells.
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Fertilize annually with an all-purpose fertilizer. Do not overfertilize. Too much fertilizer, especially nitrogen, produces an abundance of foliage but very few blooms.
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Clear away old vines to make room for the emerging ones. Although the plant is an annual, morning glory is self-seeding and the new seeds germinate the following season after the last frost and when temperatures reach 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Tips & Warnings
Plant morning glory seeds after all danger of frost has passed. Morning glory seeds germinate best when soil temperatures are between 65 and 85 F.
Don't leave the seeds soaking for too long. This will kill them.
Related Searches
References
- Cornell University Growing Guide: Morning Glory
- University of Illinois Extension: Morning Glory
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension; Morning Glories and Moonflowers; Cynthia W. Mueller; April 2007
- University of Arkansas Extension; Vines: Morning Glory; Janet Carson
- Iowa State University; Annual Vines; Cindy Haynes, et al.; April 2004
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Comments
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Can I just plant the seeds in the spring, and not soak them? A Friend gave me some seeds in a clear bag (no instructions)do I put 1 seed in a 1/2 inch hole or more then then 1 seed per hole? Can I start them inside for the winter and transplant them outside in the spring?
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i agree with michael, we also have ours on a fence and then they drop their seeds, (zone 6/7) and we've been lucky enough to have them come back year after year!
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i think it would be better in the ground. they dont like to dry out. in a pot they will need to be watered 2 times a day in the summer heat. also when we grow them they can spread along our fence about 10 feet. plant them at the base of something they can latch on to.
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Can you put morning glories in containers and grow them? or do you need to put them in the ground?
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Once I have my materials I will be soaking my seeds and potting them right away. This will be a fruitful summer like no other for me, my brethren and many others. I can't wait to see these beauties blossom and to benefit from their fruits.
