Slow slow slow

My Jap. morning glory plants are sitting there that is what I mean sitting there doing nothing. They may have grow an inch or two but that is all. My other morning glories I planted are already starting to bloom. What in the name of all that is good could be wrong?

Same thing here, but I am used to it with JMG's. They seem to take longer to develop their root systems. Just because we don't see anything happening ABOVE ground doesn't mean there isn't a whole lot going on below.

ByndeweedBeth I hope you are right. I am going crazy looking at them and they just stare at me and don't move. :)

all my morning glories are taking their time this year. i usually have moonvines blooming by now but they arent even three feet yet. i think its the weather and the season this year.


i have some ron gave me and they look like i gave them slow grow pills.

I have some that took off like a bullet and some that never grew at all...meaning, thick vines in some places and 2: stubs in others. I have noticed some of my Japanese varieties taking a lot longer as well. annoying. lol

I was wondering about that, too. My purpureas are up to the tops of their supports. However, it's interesting that, while the species, as well as the rose and chocolate nils, are coming alone at a pretty good clip (where local 4-pawed critters haven't broken off the stems - looks like practically all I'm growing right now are sticks and brush grumpgrump), some of the blues are up to the top and some of the blues are just sitting there, too. The recalcitrants are:

Sazinami
Ukigumo
Keiryu
some of Gardener2005's double picotees
Akatuski no Umi

Is anyone else growing these and experiencing the same thing? I moved some to a bed of dwarf MGs and have grumpy visions of them doing a Jack-and-the-Beanstalk thing.

'Scuze me if I mispelled anything - am pooped

My Ipomoea purpurea cultivars are growing like Jack's plant. I am enjoying how the JMGs are developing, especially when the flower buds appear. Their rate of growth is less that that of my I. purpurea and other Ipomoea species.

Has anyone put soil fungi to their containers? I tried it this year, thinking I would have less stressed plants if the soil flora were improved. I also added earthworm castings to the soil, and the plants seem to be responding nicely.

Joseph

Joseph, this is my second summer growing unusual MGs, thanks to generous traders on DG - not the least being EmmaGrace. DH and I have been totally captivated by the differences in the ways these vines are growing - it's almost like each type is a storybook unto itself. I'm hoping to learn more about the genetics behind what I'm seeing physically.

In light of Frank's tussles with mold - http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/721348/ - could you clarify what you mean about adding soil fungi? Do you do this after germination? Do you just go out into the garden and bring back a tablespoon of soil and mix it in each container? Or is it special fungi - if so, curious minds want to know.

I like casting earthworms in starring roles, too - good way to recycle newsprint or shredded junk mail. I know a local farmer who mixes it with her promix for potting up seedlings. She also throws in compost - gorgeous stuff.

Am running out of steam here - will check back tomorrow -

At least you guys have some JMG's growing. I had a tray of JMG's, moonvines and Aomurasakizyouhantensiboir outside hardening off and they got pounded to smithereens by marble size hail two weeks ago. Rats. All my other glories are okay though; they seem to be protected up against the fence. Sorry, just had to whine. Was disheartening to have to chuck so many plants.

Joanne

My Akatuski no Umi are doing fine. This pic was taken last week...... but I do have a couple of others you mentioned...and no go yet...

Joanne, my sympathies. I know what it's like to lose plants to weather, and especially hail. We had a terrific windstorm come through here last week which stripped some leaves off my vines. I'm hoping that the healthy vines will cover up the damage. Good luck!

Judith

Joanne, It is okay to whine sometimes.

bluespiral,

This web site explains about the mycorrhizae and their role in plant health.

http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech/orgfarm/faqs/fungi-faq.html

I think I used this product, but you can get the same effect by adding compost to the container I think, or compost tea.

http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=2612

Joseph

I might try this product next.

http://www.gardeners.com/Soil-Moist/default/36-510.prd

When plants are just sitting there and not vining at all then they need food. Give them a feeding of a fertilizer made for flowering plants. Usually two feedings given 10 days apart will solve the problem. Also not enough sun can stunt their growth.

If your soil is really poor then try buying some ordinary cheap potting soil from the store and after the seedlings begin to vine then feed them as directed with a good fertilizer made for flowering plants. You could also simply mix a time release fertilizer made for flowering plants in with your dirt. I tried some time release rose food and got great results but I didn`t use as much as it called for the roses. I used 1/2 the granules it called for and the results were very good.

There are also certain places in your yard where morning glories will grow better than others and you have to experiment to find out where they are. I have found trying to grow things hanging off the porch in hanging baskets is too shady and results in pathetic looking vines and no blooms. There is another spot that seems to be fantastic for ferns and crummy for the vines. Too shady is bad for them. I go through trial and error with everything new I try to grow in my garden. It isn`t always the most fun either. But when I Finally get it right it is worth all the trouble!

Also the kikyo flowers from me are supposed to be little. The flowers are small double kikyo and the vines are petite and never get more than 4-5 feet tall. Some people like this small size especially if they have a patio garden. They require a lot of sun or they will be pitiful. Too much shady hours is bad for them.

Karen


This message was edited Jul 7, 2007 3:13 PM

I think my vines start off slow because of the heavy clay soil. I get some garden soil mixed in when I plant the seedlings. I'm getting ready to do a good mulching on top of that before I give them any more flower food.

Nichole

Karen of the things you said the only one I think might help is more food. That is what I am going to try.

Yes, if you have problem clay soil then the bags of garden soil amended into it will help. Amending your soil will help with Japanese Morning Glories as well as feeding If they are slow to take off at the beginning.

Purpureas are better off in poor soil because they can grow lots of foilage and not bloom as well in soil that is too rich.

This message was edited Jul 7, 2007 5:54 PM

Here is a comparison with my hand in the picture to show you the size of my kikyo double JMG.

Another product for adding beneficial micro-organisms to the root medium

MycoBoost - A Booster Shot for Your Soil!
All-natural MycoBoost is the easy to use, organic mixture of "beneficial" mycorrhizae fungi.
http://www.megagro.com/mycoboost.htm

TTY,...

Ron

That looks like some great bugs in that product, Ron!

Blue spiral, you piqued my interest in your comment about the mold.
Not all fungi is BAD. You only hear about the killers. If I can compare people to fungi, in the American population, 2% are murderers and 2% are Drs. Murderers get more press.

Ordinary people do not realize that tree roots do not have root hairs.
Because they don't they, cannot collect the micronutrients that they need for their own fertility all by themselves. The develope a relationship with a specific specie of funi to do this job for them, in exchange for sugars that fungi cannot manufacture, because they live in the dark.

The Micorhizal ,(micro root), fungi they support amounts to a far better advantage than actually having root hairs. This type of fungi, though invisible to us, is responsible for the germination of many Orchid seeds. Orchids seeds are sometimes called and incomplete embryo.
This means that the orchid seed is a one celled seed. If at the right time of the year and right temp the right micorhizae marries itself to the seed, the seed then goes to the next stage of germination, which is for this single cell to develope into an embryo!!!!!!!!!! And they live happily ever after.

If all fungi turned into steel overnight, the next day it would be impossible to stick a shovel in the ground. The biomass of a micorhizal fungi probably is greater than the tree itself.

For those who don't yet know about the blesings of the micorhizae, I suggest you start researching it under micorhizae. And don't go into shock when you stumble into truffles. Ooh la la. Micorhizae Cuisine.

Frank