How to Start Morning Glory Seeds Indoors

Fast-growing morning glories add color to the landscape.

Starting seeds indoors allows you to get a jump on the gardening season. The quick-growing vines of morning glories, with their large-heart shaped leaves and colorful bell-like flowers, will camouflage an unsightly corner or adorn a fence or trellis. You can start the seeds indoors approximately five to six weeks before the last frost date and transplant them into a sunny spot in the garden after all danger of frost has passed.

Things You'll Need

• Nail file
• Cup or bowl
• Warm water
• Planting trays or pots
• Soil for seedlings
• Water
• Grow light or fluorescent bulbs

Instructions

1. Nick the seeds by raking a metal nail file back and forth across the hard surface a few times. Morning glories have very hard seeds and scarifying them this way helps water penetrate to start germination.

2. Soak the scarified seeds overnight in water in a cup or bowl. Place the seeds in the bowl and cover with warm tap water. This soaking further softens the hard shell of the seed and speeds germination.

3. Fill pots or trays with a good quality soil designed for seedlings. Lightly spoon soil to the top of the tray or pot and level off.

4. Remove the morning glory seeds from the water and plant approximately ½ inch deep, one seed per pot or planting cell.

5. Water the soil until it is wet all the way through. Keep the soil moist to encourage germination. Check the soil and water daily if needed. Use a small watering can or a mister to apply water to the soil.

6. Set the pots or trays in a warm place -- 60 degrees F or warmer -- with good light. A grow light or fluorescent bulbs suspended approximately 4 inches above the surface of the pot will provide the best light. Raise the light as the plants grow to keep the light about 4 inches away from the plants.

7. Keep the plants watered until danger of frost has passed, then transplant to a sunny spot in the garden.

References

• University of Minnesota Extension: Starting Seeds Indoors
• University of Illinois Extension: Morning Glories Still a Favorite