I really don't have room for MG in my flowerbeds and I heard they can be invasive. I forgot I had 2 sample pkt. that somebody sent me last year to help me get started with WS. A thought came to me yesterday afternoon, why not plant them into an empty large patio container? They need something to climb on. I have the short metal trellis I'd bought for the climbing sweet peas that got drowned out by the soaker hose. I think it's probably 3 or 4 ft. tall. Would that work? Heard that MG are fast growers, would I have blooms till frost if I planted them this late in the season. The planter would get both sun and shade throughout the day. I remembered something about soaking and nicking the seeds. Anything else I need to know?
Planting Morning Glories
They're pretty easy to grow from seeds. You could grow them in a pot, but you'll need a large trellis or create an oblesk or teepee using some bamboo canes. Once they get to growing, they grow fast and can be quite large, depending on variety.
The more unusual varieties are not as invasive as the common varieties. And of course if you gather all the seeds when they ripen, you won't have an invasiveness issue. I grow Hatsu Arashi and Rose Silk and have never had them popping up unless I plant them each year. But then I gather all the seeds each year. I did have an issue with Grandpa Ott's and Milky Way. They are very prolific and produce tons of seeds. I just couldn't collect them all. Even if growing these in a pot, some seeds may spill onto the ground and pop up next year. However, they would actually be pretty entertwined together, as one is white and one is purple.
The seeds germinate rather quickly. Once they start blooming, they won't quit until a good frost. So this late in the season, you probably won't have an invasive issue; any seed pods probably wouldn't have time to ripen.
Okay, I just pulled out the two sample pkt. of MG and here's what I have. Morning glory annual vine purple to blue flowers grows up to 20 ft. tall and another one has a label on it Morning Glory Crimson Rambler. Well, right away I recognize Crimson so assumed it would be a dark red. Didn't know MG came in but purple/blue colors. So I leaned something new right away. Pulled up some pictures and which do you suggest for the large patio container with 3-4 ft. trellis? It looks as if the Crimson Rambler has large leaves and larger flower from the pictures. Any experience with either of these? Have no idea who they came from; I should have recorded them so I could get back to them if I had any questions. Receiving all those generous seeds and the first try at Wintersowing was a bit overwhelming, on top of 55 in. snowfall in one week, plus dealing with husband having knee replacement surgery during all the same time. This year, I plan to share seeds with any newbies to repay back what generous gardeners did for me last year.
Since it's late in the season, I don't think it will get too awfully big. You could perhaps plant one seed of each vine and let them braid together. Both are probably pretty prolific, but again, this late in the season you probably won't get many, if any, seeds, so neither should be invasive for you when planted so late.
I planted Crimson Rambler one year on a telephone pole and by the end of fall, it had climbed to the top of the pole. But of course, I planted in spring. By Nov. it was that big and beautiful, loaded in red blooms. Below is a picture of mine. They're more pinkish red really.
MGs come in so many colors! Japanese MGs are less invasive than the old, heirloom varieties. They usually produce bigger, showier flowers too.
One you might want to add to your collection sometime is Rose Silk. There's also a similar one called Chocolate MG. Both look like pink milk chocolate, but Rose Silk has a white edge. Rose Silk also has variegated foliage but Chocolate doesn't.
Here's a picture of mine. The blooms are much bigger than those on Crimson Rambler.
There's also a beautiful blue Jap MG called Hatsu Arashi with glowing blue blooms and variegated foliage. The neat thing is the bloom fades to fuschia as it ages.
There are Mt Fuji MGs which have a pinwheel look--really incredible!
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/49146/
There are also candy-striped MGs that can be pink & white, blue & white or purple & white striped. I can't find a picture of my beautiful pink and white one, but here's a link to the blue & white Flying Saucers MG.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/51630/
Walmart often sells seeds for them in the spring. They produce huge blooms like the Mt. Fuji and Rose Silk. I haven't had any trouble with any of them being invasive here in Zone 7.
Also another tip, if you want blooms, do NOT fertilize. Fertilizing increases leaf growth, not blooms I've been told. As rambunctious as MGs are, you really don't need to fertilize them anyway.
Enjoy your new vines.
I want to plant these so bad but am feeling reluctant now that you don't think I'll get many blooms so late in the season. I live in a gated, senior citizens community where I can't let things get out of hand or become invasive. There are no poles for it to climb, with the exception of house gutters and I can't allow that to climb it. I'd be hung at sunrise! Maybe I need to think a little more about this and get a taller trellis or obelisk and wintersow them in January. Where do I buy the dwarf or smaller varieties that you mentioned? Any particular mail order catalog?
I don't know about any dwarf varieties. Most morning glories are ramblers, climbers and can grow tall. But some have bigger blooms than others. I'd go for the bigger, bolder blooms myself.
Now if you're not wanting them to be invasive, just don't let them go to seed, or gather all the seeds. For the most part, the seeds will just fall around the plant, so you can pluck out what you don't want in the spring or transplant them. And since you don't want them to be invasive, now is the perfect time for you try out the ones you have. You can see how they do in your area without worrying about getting too many seeds to deal with. You only need one or two seeds to germinate to give you a nice vine, so you can plant a couple this year and save the rest of your seeds for next year. This year, you'll get a chance to see how you like them and if you want to grow that variety again.
I don't know where you buy the seeds. You can just google them or check ebay. There are 100's of new varieties out there. People are continually creating bigger, showier, more colorful blooms. And they're so easy from seeds. If I remember correctly, they germinate in days.
Try Sunsmile Lavender or Sunsmile Blue,
They grow 18 - 24 ins. tall and can even be grown in a hanging basket.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/175543/
http://summerhillseeds.com/morning-glory-sun-smile-blue-p-175.html?cPath=30&zenid=9c831bdec4845f2f5c50c76907ff0da3
Wow, I had no idea there were dwarf morning glories! How cool is that?! It's amazing what I continue to learn around here.