The only way up is down...

I was wondering if morning glories will grow toward the ground if there is nothing for them to grow up. I have planters on my deck rail, and I would like them to cascade down, as I don't have a place for them to climb. Will they do this automatically or will they need some help?

The vines will have no choice but to 'drape' or trail somewhat if there is nothing for them to climb but they will eventually climb back up their own draping stems..., they are definitely going to prefer to climb 'back up' ...you can certainly assist by re-directing them to grow where you want them to grow,but the flowering types really aren't going to want to grow 'down'...clear plastic window screening attached 'somewhere' might be of some help...

MG's aren't usually 'fussy' about what to climb on...commonly available twine will work fine and this is usually very easily attached between any 2 points...

Can you place anything for them to grow in anywhere along or near the base and perhaps parallel to the upper rail...(?)...be creative...(!)

Just a few thoughts...

TTY,...

Ron

put a long twig or stick with twine loosely to your deck rail. They will then attack the deck rail! Works every year for me~all these are on a string. Ron's right, they will climb on themselves if not given direction, or, on any other plant around. My Cosmos and Lantana are proof of that, lol...hi Ron!
cheers
fernman23
:Darren

Hmm... I didn't think of getting them to grow down the railing. That might be fun. Is sewing thread too thin for them to grow on? If not I will have to round up some twine somewhere.

Thanks for the replies!

The sewing thread might be a bit too thin for the stems to get sufficient hold on, something like jute twine would be better, but whatever you can access may be worth some experimentation ...

If you have fishing line it works pretty good too.

CEPT IN WIND~~!!!! WILL CUT STEMS!!! USE JUTE OR HEMPTWINE, EGTTING IT WET OCCASIONALLY, KEEPS IT SWELLING, WHICH HELPS PROTECT THE VINES FROM CUTTING BY WIND~
NOT YELING, STUCK IN CAPS!
MINE GO AROUND SIDEWAY AND THEN UP. (the darn buggers will always go up, unles you buy plastic gaden ties to hold them in place every 6-12 inches)
good luck!
:Darren

Thanks for the replies! I definitely won't get fishing line then. Does anyone know if bailer twine would harm the plants at all?

f it is like jute or hemp cord it would be cool. I even wrap the vines down for 'training' in the hemp, but carefully, after they (vines) are thick enuf themselves, bailer twine i have not met yet. :) again, they will ALLways follow they sun, so remember that it is an uphill battle...
:Darren

Doesn't gravity trump sun eventually though? That's what I was counting on :) I have them planted in a 28" long x 6" wide x 7" deep planter, and I was wondering if I should clamp it down so the weight of the vine doesn't pull it down.

redheadedwonder - Can you post some pictures of exactly what your deck rail looks like and where exactly you have the planter,as this would really help all of us to see exactly what the area consists of...and to offer appropriate feedback / suggestions...

Thanks,...

TTY,...

Ron

A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words...

Will do. Might be a couple of days before I get the pics up though.

Apparently my batteries were charged :) Here are some pictures of the area and planters.

And another angle...

And the planters up close...

redhead - My thoughts are that you might be better allowing the MG's to grow upwards from planters placed on the deck base and on the stairs...
some twine or some easy to install thin netting
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=5262197
would help them climb upwards...

The Cameo Elegance here
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/128748/
and the very similar related MG's may be best for the planters placed on top of the horizontal rail...

Hope that helps...

TTY,...

Ron

They would look great going up the banister and grow better as well.
:D

Hmm...My concern is that the one side will not have enough light. It is kind of shady on the flower bed side. I guess I could experiment and have one grow up and one grow down :)

Would the plants just grow faster upward toward the light if I put the planter on the ground in the shade?

red,
My short experience with MG's here in Calgary is the more sun, the better! Our growing season is so short you want them to grow as quickly as possible so that they have time to bloom before our first frost, to which they are quite sensitive. Just my two cents....

Joanne

Thanks for that tip! I think I will leave them up where they get sun for now and maybe move them later if needed.

you can relocate them but remember to take into account moving them will stress the VINES which are TWISTED AROUND ( and therefore locked, sort of) whatever they're growing on...
in other words use the twine you spoke of, possibly leaving a LOT of slack...?
:Darren
ps if they do break, oh relax, they will send out another tendril (or 3, lol) as long as the plant is healthy!
:D

Redheadedwonder11 - I wonder if you could grow perhaps a sweet potatoe vine down and add some morning glories in there for the blooms. Sweet potatoe vines have some beautiful foliage. There are mounding/trailing MGs with beautiful flowers. I have some seeds for mounding/trailing MGs if you are interested.

They may be a little wimpy in the pots in the shade, but I grow mine in similar conditions on iron railing, and once the vines hit the sun when climbing they take off. I would put them on the sides at the base of the main pillars at the bottom and run some jute in two strands from the pillar up to the top support beams. You can direct them gently by unwinding the leaders and criss crossing the jute to fill in. That way you can avoid them climbinb the hand supports. I have bars on my iron railing and I let them climb one then direct the leader to the bottom of the next one to have a nice full look without using the handrail. Don't want my mother in law to fall on the steps, now that would just not be nice lol. Here is a pic to show you what I mean. You could create the same thing with string up and down or just in straight lines up and weaving the vines. These vines are in planters on both sides of my steps to the sunroom.

Interesting ideas. I took some yarn (I sure hope it works!) and twisted it around the post at the top of the stairs so they can kind of climb down or do whatever they wish! I guess I will leave them where they are for this year and see what happens. There will always be next year to make changes :) I think I will start the seeds earlier too since the growing season is so short here.