Cat or someone with some experience growing Morning Glory vines in your yard .....
I need to know have invasive they are. And any other info. I am seriously thinking of starting some from seeds.
Morning Glory Plant
I grow some every year, Becky. They usually don't last the full year here, it gets too hot. I've got some of my winter morning glory pics over in the Morning Glories forum.
Beautiful! I just planted some on my arbor. Hopefully it will share space with the kiwi fruit vine.
Becky if you pinch the dead bloom it won't make seed. Just leave a few at the end of summer so you have some seed for next year
Thanks everyone! Gardenpom - Your morning glories are gorgeous! Which is why I want to grow some! Thanks so much to everyone for the info!
Becky;,
Why not take a section of you're bog garden and grow a few different varieties.....Maybe in the corner section..... I don't think their to invasive..... At least the ones I ever grew wern't..... If you think their getting out of hand you could always yank them out or prune them back some.... Don't forget to put up a trellis so they have something to climb...
I just sowed a flat full of morning glory seed last week..... I noticed yesterday some of them have started to sprout.... I plant them out in the spring around a couple of the bluebird houses I have here in the yard...
Maybe try a few of the Japaneese varieties........ I thought about trying a few of those myself....Some of those really look awesome...
...Dave
Becky,
Some morning glories are larval hosts...mainly to the pink spotted hawkmoth and a few butterflies like the glazed pellicia, purplish black skipper and the mimic. They do provide a nice roosting place too. I often find sulphurs, mexican bluewings, snouts and guava skippers roosting in them. Never realize that until it's too late...like when I'm watering the plants early in the morning or late in the afternoon. I stopped doing that so they could roost in peace.
Morning glories also provide some lovely blooms. I so enjoy seeing a fence or trellis just covered with them.
I grow only rare ipomoea ochracea and ipomoea obscura in my yard. They are growing on a livestock fence trellis and another on the security bars of my dining room window. Those don't die out every year...they pretty much remain green all year around. They've grown in the same place since about 2002. Sometimes when the fertilizer and rain are just right they have gotten invasive...growing over and under the fence to reach into the neighbor's yard as well as through the side gate to latch onto trellises on the east side of my house. When I remember I chop back these tendrils.
I used to grown a variety of Japanese one which I kept in large pots and used tomato cages for them to climb on. I'd grew those for seeds and would pinch back the tendrils when they got too long and to promote blooms.
If you don't let them go to seed they should work well. Most times morning glories tend to get lanky...no leaves at the bottom part of the stems...looks yucky..but I plant other stuff in front of them to cover that bareness up.
~ Cat
Oh! Y'all are awesome for posting info to help me out here. I think I am going to try something similiar to what Cat did and make an arbor out of the livestock fencing and grow some of the Morning Glory vines on it. Or maybe my fence. Not sure which yet.
Has anyone ever grown it from seeds? Just wondering how fast it grows?
Most morning glories grow very fast from seed. Germination may be quick - from a couple of days to about a week...depends if you scarify, soak or lay the seeds between damp paper towels inside a baggie. They grow to about ten feet within two months' time. You might think about mixing in some Moonvine seeds where you plant your morning glories - they will bloom in the evening and produce big white flowers with a lovely scent while providing a denser foliage during the daytime.
Hope to see photos of your work in a couple month's time.
~ Cat
I am planning on planting seeds of Grandpa Ott's Morning Glory this Wednesday (that's the way my wife and I will spend Valentine's Day...planting seeds). We have a Jiffy Pot Dome that a friend of my wife's gave us to start seeds in. We are actually going to plant ten of the species out of twenty-five different kinds of plant seeds that we have with the goal of getting sixty seedlings. Is there enough time to stratify the seeds properly? We can always substitute another species for the morning glory while we wait. I have googled and googled and I can't find any info on exact stratification on the web except tree seeds. I have quite a few species that need stratification so I am letting those go until March or so until I find something to go by. If you put the morning glory seeds in the refrigerator in damp paper towels in baggies, how do you know the time necessary to keep them there? Any feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Chuck
Cat,
By the way, the Moonvine sounds nice.
Thanks for sharing,
Chuck
Cat - Thank you! I was actually thinking about combining the Morning Glories and Moonflower vines together before you even mentioned it in your post. We must be on the same wave-length! lol
I'm glad to hear the MG grow that fast! I have no idea what color the flowers are. LOL! A trader sent me a nice size bag of them. I don't even know which trader because it was a group swap. Hmmmmmm ......
I guess I will just be surprised! ;-)
I am just going to plant my seeds in the garden bed. I'll let them germinate on their own time frame. I'm in no hurry as this is February. The weather has been very nice. So I am really of the belief that we are not going to get any freezing temps this winter. (Or at least I hope not!) But I have a feeling it is going to be a very HOT summer. So I'm trying to get as much of the plants and seeds in the ground ASAP. That way I can enjoy them until the heat kills many of them back.
In most states, the winter kills everything back. In Central/South Florida the HEAT kills everything back! LOL!
I just remembered that I have a seed packet someone sent me that just says "very small red flower mg". I wonder if it might be morning glory. Anyone know?
Every time I have seen the initials mg it usually means morning glories. :-) So, Karen, I would believe that is what your red flowering seeds are! :-)
A small red flower would be very inticing to a hummer. I had Cardinal Climber and my hummer went for that a lot. By the way, Becky, I have not seen a hummer for a couple of weeks now..they may have moved on...hope not.
For those interested in Morning Glories, Dave has a forum just for them.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/f/floramanana/all/
~ Cat
Yeah Becky ~ check out he MG forum you will find the varieties you want there. I started with Heavenly Blue about 11 years ago. They grew 25' up into a Bradford Pear tree in my front yard, It was an awesome specticle! The next year I planted Granpa Ott, and had Purple blooms all up in the Redbud tree.. Now I have volunteers of GOtt every year since I planted them. Pretty, but they traveled all over the yard and tried to choke some of my other plants.
I got some Hatsu Arashti (Japanese MG)from someone in MG forum about 4-5 years ago, and just a few of those still come up. The most beautiful color of royal blue you've ever seen!
I have planted the Moonvine for many years and sometimes along with Pearly Gates MG, and some red and blue.. I love the Moonvines, and will always have them.
This year I already have some sprouted with true leaves already on them now. I am planting them with Scarlet O'Hara in the back yard. I have so many pictures of them, I don't know which to show you first, LOL!
Definatly deadhead if you don't want invasive problems! If grown on the ground or a low trellos they start blooming really quick. They grown in full sun pretty well, but as gardenpom said they don't like the intense heat, so I put them where they can get some shade.
I got some Split Personality from someone trading too, if you want some of those let me know! He gave me more than I have room for, LOL!
Deb
Karen those seed are from me. Yes they are very small red flowered Morning Glory. The hummers and Sulphur B'flies really love it
Donna, I am so excited at this "find". I didn't have a clue as to what that packet was. Thanks so much. They are getting planted today!
Dear Cat,
Thanks!! The link was terrific and just what I was looking for.
Chuck
First off, let me say......
I had NO IDEA that there were so many varieties of MGs! I am in awe! The color variations of the many flowers are unbelievably stunning! I am a big fan of Petunias and never even thought of MGs because there are some "Beach" varieties that grow on the sand dunes that I have seen most of my life. The flowers are not nearly as colorful as the ones posted on this thread. I am totally stoked!!! I am so glad I started this thread. It's been a real eye-opener for me!!!! Y'all are quickly winning me over to MGs!!!
Deb - That blue morning glory is amazing! I can't even imagine a flower THAT color! Beautiful!!! What do the Split Personality MGs flowers look like? I have no idea what I have in the seed bag that I received in a group swap. But I may grow a few just to find out. LOL! Yes, I would be interested in a few seeds of any that you have or will have this year.
Gardenpom - Your combo of MGs are so pretty!
Chuck - I'm with ya! I want to know more about growing MGs and more about the different varieties out there!
Cat - Thanks for the MG forum link. I didn't even know there was one here on DG just for MGs! Oh gosh, another forum I have to watch! LOL!
I feel like a kid in a candy store! Too many choices, not enough time! LOL!
Y'all are opening my eyes to all sorts of possibilities! This is why I just LOVE and ENJOY gardening soooo much! There is so much to discover and learn! And the possibilities are endless!!!
I plant Heavenly Blue mg's with white Hyacinth Beans. It's my favorite combination!
I bet that is beautiful Paige!
Here is another thing saw along the road, and stopped to take a pic.
Morning Glories gorw so fast that they can cover a wire topiary frame really quick. Here is something that just occured in a friends yard.. They grew off a nearby patch covering a bush or something, then grew up the basketball thingy.. It looked like a Morningglory-asaurus... Too cute!
Seems like it would be a cool thing to make a shape they can crawl on... This one just happened like this.
I will get a pic of the split personality for ya too...
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/88339/ Seems on this one the flower is split in places around the bloom giving a petal appearance.
Uh Oh, yet another to collect (lol). They are beautiful!!!
I started some Split Personality this year, they are growing under a plant light right now. I got the seed at Lowes' a few weeks ago. I thought it looked a bit different.
Holy Cow to the Morningglory-asaurus !!
I'm guessing they are perennials in TX
I ordered some Heavenly Blue seeds -- i'm very excited to see them grow - but i'm not sure where i'm gonna put them. I thought they only grew 6-8 ft.
We have a wild mg that comes up in the same place every year. I'm not sure if it's actually the same plant tho or if it's from seeds, but we never pull it up, just cut it down. It's a lighter bluish purple.
I am actually excited about trying Morning Glories! I think I've found a new plant to love! :-) That and my daylilies, cannas, passion flower vines, and milkweed! LOL!
I'd love to hear which one is your favorite morning glory and why.
:-S~
Morning Glory will not establish an annual root system in places where they die back in winter. The only way they come back up is from self sown seed falling on the ground, and they do that very well! Yes they will often be a little different. To keep your vine fresh looking some might be sown in at about 20 day intervals because the bottoms of the old vines will start looking tacky if new growth doesnt come up to fill in the lower areas. Meanwhile deadhead what you can reach or it can spread too much.
Becky~ You had to ask that question, lol... Hard to decide which is my favorite. I guess it is whatever I am growing at the time, LOL! I love to watch them open early in the morning when daylight dawns... It's kindof a religious experience for me to watch the Creator untwist them with His mighty yet gentle finger. The ones with light centers look like they have a lightbulb in them, beause they are so bright picking up the sunlight from underneath... amazing!!! Every bit as enjoyable as watching a Butterfly eclose. Plus they remind me of our daily dying to ourself for the sake of someone else we love. Pure Joy!!
When it is cooler the opening process is slower; when it is hot they open pretty quick and fade fast. The cooler the weather the longer the blooms stay nice too. Still facinates me to watch them...it never gets old.
I like vivid colors the best I suppose, so Hatsu and Scarlet O'hara are probably some of the most brilliant I have grown. I feel the same about Moonvines.. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/deborahsongs/album?.dir=7be9&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/deborahsongs/my_photos
~Deb~
Does anyone have a name for a pretty "Deep Purple" morning glory variety?
I have been thinking about trying Cat's idea with the livestock fencing to make an arbor. I am thinking about making an archway which I want to be an entrance to the front door. I would like to grow MGs on the archway that you have to go through as you are entering the front walkway. Does that make sense. I have a lot of purple in my front garden. So I thought that might look nice and be a continuing color to pull it all together so that it looks pleasing to the eye. (Though I could be totally wrong about the color. lol) And this is a full sun area that gets very hot during the summer and fall months.
How about "Deep Purple"? There was actually a song done by one of the big bands of the 50's by that name.
Started with "When the deep purple falls, over sleepy garden walls".
Becky~
Grandpa Ott is the deepest I know of in Purple...about as purple as you can get. You can find the seeds for them pretty easy too.
Probably some Japanese varieties too, but I haven't grown any Jap MG except Hatsu which is blue.
Deb
Grandpa Ott
And btw if it is Purple you want to compliment, add Yellow too!
Pearly Gates MG
Grandpa Ott in the Tree>
Grandpa Ott
Deb - Those look similar to "Star of Yelta" MG. Definitely very pretty and deep purple. I guess I need to check DG trade list and see who might have some seeds that wouldn't mind trading me or sending me some for a SASBE.
This is confusing. Why do they call many "purple" flowers deep blue. Am I color-blind or is there a reason for this?
That's exactly what I just thought when I was looking at the MG seeds at Wal-Mart! Both describe the flowers the same way, purple with red veined stars. I think it said that Grandpa Ott was an old variety tho. There were a lot of different kinds that I had never seen. I was tempted but did good and stuck to my blues. I don't have room for all that my eyes want. :)