How to propigate morning glories?

I'm sure this has been answered many times but since the search feature is still disabled and I can't do a search on it, can someone tell me how to germinate morning glory seeds. My husband does not like my plants and it was suggested to me on another forum to find something that he might like, and he seems to be interested in morning glories. In fact, he picked out several different seeds packets in Walmart the other night. So I thought I would sow some for him but not sure exactly what to do. This is very important to me since it is something that I want to do for him and I want to make sure I do it right. He is legally blind but because the morning glories come in such vibrant colors, he can see them much better. Any information that you could give me would be most appreciated. Thank you.

JesseK

1. Take a big nail clipper and then clip a very small part of each seed coat of the morning glory seeds. Just enough so you can see the white material inside.

2. Run your tap water until it gets very warm to the touch, then fill a small container like a yogurt cup with the water. Drop the seeds into the water. Let soak for up to 24 hours. I have had some morning glories germinate during the soak step.

3. There are at least 2 schools of thought on starting seed, one that advocates starting them indoors and growing them out for a few weeks then transplanting, and the other which supports direct sowing of the soaked MG seeds into the ground at the base of a trellis. I have started mine indoors a couple weeks before it was safe to plant them out with no harmful effects to the plants. Just take care not to mess with the root systems that develop in the containers before you transplant the young vines. In any event, it is very important that you do NOT plant the seeds or young transplants into soil that is less than say 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit, otherwise the plants will not be happy and the seeds may rot on you.

4. Stand back and watch them grow! Harvest the seeds when the seed capsules turn papery brown, if you want material for trading. Let the seeds dry in open air for a week or two or more before storing in a plastic baggie.

Heavenly Blue and also Scarlett O'Hara are a couple vivid colored MGs that are easy and readily available. What did you buy at the store?

Joseph

I just started a few scarlet o'hara seeds... I've never grown morning glories before, but picked up some seeds and moonvine seeds. I soaked them for about 12 hours in part water/part hydrogen peroxide mixture after nicking them, and about 24 hours after planting them, I already have 2 sprouts!!! I'm amazed, and hoping that I can keep them alive now!
-Mara

Just did the nick'ing and soaking w/a packet of Milky Way morning glories myself, and after 24 hours of soaking, they were already beginning to germinate....NEXT DAY had sprouts! I put them in a disposable GLAD container filled w/peat & put the clear lid on. Stuck the container under a little lamp w/a Gro Bulb in it, and voila! Also put some variegated blue morning glory seeds that I harvested from my vines last year into a Jiffy container, and they already have a bunch of leaves!

I'm a lousy seed sower, but MG's are easy! Now, I've just got to wait for the warm temp'd soil you're talking about, Gerris2. =0

So impatient,
MKJ =)

Mara, what kind of soil did you use to start them in? And how much peroxide to water did you use?

JesseK

I used the jiffy -7 things - the ones you soak in water. But usually i just use soilless potting mix. I didn't measure the peroxide, just took a little bowl, poured a splash of peroxide, and maybe a 1/2 cup of water...
Does anyone know about transplanting... do morning glories and moonvine do ok if their roots get disturbed?
-Mara