Morning glory is one of those plants that gardeners are happy to use for planting in the garden near summer gazebos. By entwining them with its long shoots, the plant not only creates a stunning effect during flowering, but also provides much-needed shade. You can grow this vine even in a metropolis, but as a potted balcony crop. There is no need to be afraid of long creeping shoots - having provided the flower with suitable conditions, not only the owners themselves, but also passers-by will admire its flowering throughout the summer.

What should you consider when planting morning glory at home in a pot, in addition to the usual growing conditions? First of all, there are three factors:

• choose the right time for sowing seeds;
• choose a suitable pot and soil;
• provide good lighting;
• take care of support for creeping stems.

When to sow?

Morning glory is characterized by very rapid growth, the seeds usually germinate well and grow quickly, so you should immediately decide: to grow seedlings in an apartment on the windowsill or sow the seeds directly into a pot standing on the balcony, where they will continue to grow.

You can sow at the end of March. If it is not possible to provide good lighting and support for the seedlings, you can sow the seeds directly into a pot and leave it on the balcony. In this case, this should be done no earlier than the end of April, and then the seedlings themselves should be thinned out.

When planting morning glory directly into a pot (or transferring ready-made seedlings to the balcony), it is necessary to take into account that it is heat-loving and the bushes will not survive temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius.

What kind of pot do you need?

For morning glory, you need to choose a large enough pot. One plant will need at least 3 liters of soil. A drainage layer must be placed at the bottom of the pot - the flower does not like stagnant water. Accordingly, it itself should be light and loose.

The role of lighting for morning glory flowering

The most suitable place for a flower pot is a southern balcony. It would also be nice to bloom on the east or west side of the house. But northern balconies, unfortunately, are not very suitable for growing vines. It is quite possible to get a green bush there, but the lack of light will have a negative impact on flowering: it will be very scarce or will not occur at all.

Features of caring for potted morning glory

You can plant several bushes in one flowerpot, making the distance between them at least 20 cm. When transplanting morning glory seedlings to a permanent place in a pot, you should know that it does not tolerate it well. This should be done using the transshipment method, being careful not to damage the roots.

In order for the vine to branch well and not stretch, the seedlings must begin to be pinched at the stage of 4 true leaves.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the support for the flower: it is installed at the seedling stage, when the seedlings are short, otherwise they will intertwine with each other. In the pot itself, you can build a structure from bamboo sticks, installing them in the form of a wigwam, or install a decorative plastic lattice.

Video about growing morning glory from seeds

Morning glory is a crop belonging to the bindweed family. It has about 500 varieties: annuals, perennials, evergreen shrubs and trees. Many of them are climbing and climbing climbers.

Peculiarities

Although these plants are primarily grown for their beautiful flowers, some varieties are cultivated for their foliage. For example, the popular Blackie vine (ipomoea batatas blackie).

Visually, the shoots of the plant resemble a grapevine. The stem can reach 8 meters, but on average does not exceed three. The leaves are heart shaped.

The flowers are funnel-shaped (they are also called “gramophones”). The diameter of the flower can reach 15 cm. There are a lot of colors: blue, purple, pink, white and others. Flowering lasts from July until the first frost.

The seeds are very toxic if eaten. For example, the seed of the tricolor variety contains small amounts of the hallucinogen LSD. It has been used medically in the treatment of various mental disorders.

Morning glory is mainly grown in garden plots and much less often indoors. But quite often it is planted to decorate balconies, loggias and entrances.

Beneficial features

Some parts of morning glory are used by humans. For example, morning glory pes-caprae has the following uses:

• the juice squeezed from the plant is used in Malaysia to treat fish bites;
• leaves are used in Indonesia to speed up the healing of boils;
• the juice from the young leaves is boiled in coconut oil and used to treat ulcers, and the seeds, along with areca nuts, are taken for abdominal pain and cramps;
• In the Philippines, boiled leaves are used to treat rheumatism.

Scientists are beginning to consider sweet potatoes (I. batatas) as more than just a food source.

Certain properties of the leaves of this plant have been shown to be antimicrobial. This was a discovery made during a study conducted by the US Department of Agriculture in 2007.

The study was conducted to determine the growth of bacteria that may be inhibited by artificially grown sweet potato leaves.

The results of this experiment led the researchers to conclude that sweet potato leaves definitely contain antibacterial compounds that are resistant to E. coli.

Additionally, the growth rate of saphylococcus aureus (a type of bacteria responsible for staph infections) was also significantly reduced by chemical compounds found in sweet potato leaves. Hence, these leaves have a promising future by preventing the growth of bacteria that cause food poisoning from certain foods

and may even help with certain skin infections.

Perennial morning glory can grow in winter in an apartment and even outside. However, it is still more suitable for the southern regions, since its frost resistance is quite low. Growing morning glory in pots is quite possible. They are even good for decorating a terrace or balcony.

• For this:
• choose a fairly wide pot, about 30 cm in size;
• make sure there are holes in the bottom of the pot and place a layer of clay pebbles on the bottom;
• fill the pot with a mixture of soil for flowering plants;

Water without flooding the plant.

More details about the features of cultivation are below.

Types and varieties

• The best types of morning glory."Serenade"

• - a very showy variety with bright red flowers. Height – up to 3 meters. The flowers have a diameter of about 8 cm. Blooms from late July to October. Picota

• - the plant is about 2.5 meters long. Flowers are about 10 cm in diameter. The color is bright blue. The petals have a thin white rim. It blooms for a long time - from the end of July until the first frost."Milky Way"

• – shoots can reach 3 meters. The flowers have a diameter of up to 10 cm. The color is white with purple strokes on the petals. The variety is very delicate and elegant."Morning Glory"

• are fast-growing vines that produce large, fragrant flowers. However, these beautiful plants can become an invasive weed if their growth is not controlled. Moonflower

• - a tropical American plant. Reaches 6 m in length. It has lantern-like flowers up to 10 cm in diameter, opening in the shade."Sky Blue"

• - has large blue flowers. They are located on the stem in the amount of 2–3 pieces. Flowers up to 10 cm in diameter.– the plant blooms every day. Easy to care for. The flowers are sky blue.

• "Ruby Lights"- has exceptionally bright flowers, up to 3 cm in size. Blooms until late autumn.

• "Raffles"– strong, tall-growing plants with beautiful flowers. They rise up to 2 m. Therefore, they are used to create a flower fence or screen.

• "Flying saucer"- large flowers of blue shades, blooming every day.

• "Scarlet O'Hara"- red flowers. Large “gramophones” that are pleasing to the eye.

• "Mina Lobata"- a Mexican plant with spike-shaped flowers that have a mixture of three colors: white, orange and red.

• "Beauty of Moscow"- a plant with heart-shaped, three-lobed leaves. Flowers up to 7 cm scarlet.

In addition, the following varieties of morning glory are quite popular: “Lady Hamilton”, “Kikyo-zaki”, ampelous, “Giselle”, “Red Star”, “Summer Joy” and others.

Growing conditions

Like any other plant, morning glory has its own nuances in cultivation. Let's get to know them.

Morning glory loves sunlight. Therefore, flowers should receive as much direct sunlight as possible, especially when the seedlings are still young. Keep houseplants near a south-facing window (or a north-facing window if you live in the Southern Hemisphere). The ideal soil temperature for germination is around +20–30ºC.

Keep the soil moist until the true leaves appear. A young plant may not germinate or die if the soil dries out. Germination takes 5–21 days (but usually within a week). Seedlings are less vulnerable when the first true leaves appear (the first leaves to appear are called cotyledons and are noticeably different from the real leaves).

If you started planting indoors, once the seedlings are well established and the last frost has passed, take them outside. During this acclimatization period, try to keep the soil moist.

Once the seedlings reach 15 cm in height, place a stake or trellis to raise the vine. Alternatively, plant seedlings in a hanging basket, allowing the vines to cascade over the edge.

Mature plants are quite tolerant of dry soil. They may even not require watering at all in humid or cool climates. In hot weather, water once or twice a week. Over-watering can cause the stems to become overgrown with few flowers.

Give mature plants access to a trellis or arbor for shade.. Or let them grow on a dead tree or pole. They can't climb flat surfaces, so hang plastic netting on the wall if you want the vines to grow there.

Give the vines plenty of space, as some varieties can grow up to 5m in one season.

Check your morning glory for pests from time to time. Insect problems are uncommon, but it is worth checking for aphids and other insects from time to time. If a problem occurs, organic pesticides are usually used. Typically, each individual flower opens in the morning and dies before the end of the day. This makes morning glory one of the most interesting and beautiful plants to decorate the garden.

Air temperature can change the color of a flower during the day. Remove dead vines in winter. Morning glories can survive mild frosts, but in most cases they die at the beginning of winter.

The plant, in most cases, reproduces well on its own. And you don’t need to constantly buy seeds for the next season. However, you may find that the entire garden begins to become covered in vines.

Therefore, it is better to remove dead vines immediately. New seeds usually grow from the original location, but you can collect seeds for planting by hand.

Don't use too much fertilizer. Fertilize first when your flowers are first planted. And then - no more than once a month. If you enrich the soil too often, you will encourage foliage growth rather than flowering.

Sowing seeds

Let's talk about how to properly prepare seed material for growing morning glory.

• Buy packaged seeds morning glory or collect the seed pods from the plant.
• Seeds should be planted after the last frost. When planting outdoors, wait until the last frost has passed and the soil begins to warm up. If you want to sow indoors, you can start 4-6 weeks before the end of frost. Depending on your local conditions, it may be possible to plant in late summer if you have a mild winter. If it’s already getting cold in September, then you shouldn’t sow. If the seeds are stored in winter, keep them in a dry, dark place.
• Some seeds are too difficult to germinate without first preparing them. To increase the chances of success, the seeds are usually cut with a nail file or soaked overnight in water at room temperature. But if you have a lot of seeds, you can skip this step and just accept the fact that not all the seeds will germinate. However, some gardeners claim that soaking can cause rot or infection. And planting in moist soil (without soaking) will lead to similar results, but with less risk.
• Some varieties do not tolerate transplantation well due to their thin root system. Therefore, it is better to choose one permanent place and always stick to it. If you are starting the plant indoors, use a pot of peat moss that can be buried in the garden if you want to take the plant outside. Morning glory can be successfully sown outside.

• Prepare soil with good drainage. The mature plant is very tolerant of poor soil conditions, but the seeds require a well-draining growing medium. To do this, mix 1 part perlite with 3 parts soil or 1 part sand with 2 parts soil. Do not mix sand with heavy clay soil. There is no need to grow them in very rich, fertile soil either - this may result in fewer flowers in some varieties, especially Sky Blue and other tricolor morning glory varieties.
• Plant each seed in a 1/2-inch hole and cover lightly with soil. If you plant them directly in the garden plot, the choice of distance depends on the size of the variety and personal preference. It's a good idea to plant the seeds 5cm apart and then widen them to 15-30cm apart once the seedlings are 7-8cm tall. At this height, the seedlings are well developed and less vulnerable to pests.

To plant crops in an apartment, you will need the following.

• Prepare pots or flower boxes for the balcony.
• As soil, you can use purchased soil with the addition of vermiculite. A good drainage layer is required.

• It is necessary to prepare a site for culture.
• Seedlings are placed in containers. The distance should be about 20 cm. They can also be planted in separate containers.
• Since plants are usually grown on a balcony or loggia, it is important to protect them from drafts or wind. Direct sunlight is also undesirable.

Planting seedlings in open ground

Outdoors (for example, in a country house), seedlings or seeds are planted in May, when the soil is warm and the threat of freezing has already passed.

The distance between plants when planting should be not less than 20 cm. When planting seeds, consider the required distance between them.

When planting seeds outdoors, consider the following nuances.

• Wind is dangerous for crops as it can break stems and damage flowers.
• The plant does not like excess sunlight. Therefore, it is better to plant morning glory in partial shade.
• The soil should not be too fertile, because the plant will develop heavily in greenery, and the flowering will not be as intense and abundant.
• Morning glory should be planted near supports - this can be a tree, a fence, a fence or special spacers in the form of nets or stretched wires.
• Soil enrichment is carried out in spring and autumn. In the fall you need to apply complex mineral fertilizers, and in the spring – organic fertilizers.
• Watering should be done moderately so as not to flood the soil.

In general, there are no particularly significant differences between indoor and garden care.

How to properly care?

Humidity and watering

• Morning glory needs regular but moderate watering. In summer, watering is carried out every day, but you need to be sure that there is no excess water at the base.
• In winter, watering once a week or less is sufficient. You just need to make sure that the soil does not dry out.
• Morning glory does not need high humidity. However, it loves spraying, which can be done up to 2 times a day.

Soil and fertilizers

Morning glory prefers a loose and permeable base. You can buy ready-made soils at a specialty store. You can add to them vermiculite and coconut. Some species prefer substrate for cacti.

At the stage of active plant growth - that is, from early spring to the end of summer - fertilizing must be carried out up to 3 times a week. You can use fertilizers designed for cacti or flowering crops.

Trimming and Capturing

Pruning and trimming stimulate new growth, improving the appearance of the plant.

Seedling care

• For seedlings, it is recommended to buy ready-made soil for flower plants and prepare the substrate yourself, combining components such as peat, sand and soil.
• Seedlings should be kept warm and in good light.

To make the seeds grow faster, you need to cover the crops with plastic film or glass to create a greenhouse effect.

Collecting seeds

After the flowers have disappeared, a brown box will begin to form in their place. We need to give it time to dry and open. This will happen in about a month. Then it is recommended to collect the seeds and pour them into a paper bag.

Reproduction methods

In general, morning glory has 4 methods of reproduction. Let's look at them briefly.

• Self-seeding. There is an independent release of ripened seeds, which overwinter in the soil and break out in the spring.
• The above mentioned propagation by seeds, when they are collected manually and in the spring they are planted on a personal plot.
• Planting seedlings at home and subsequent transfer of seedlings to open ground.
• Cutting method not as common as the previous ones. Suitable only for some varieties of morning glory.

Diseases and pests

First, let's look at the diseases to which morning glory is susceptible.

Fungal infection of leaves

Symptoms:

• brown spots on leaves with concentric rings resembling a target;
• Old leaves are usually affected, which may be surrounded by a yellow halo;
• small gray-black oval lesions can occur on the stems and petioles of leaves and sometimes on the leaves themselves;
• lesions on the stem and cuttings enlarge and often merge.

Stem and leaf petiole disease is much more destructive than leaf spots caused by Alternaria; stem and petiole blight is a severe disease of sweet potatoes in East Africa.

Treatment: All remaining sweet potato crops must be destroyed immediately after harvest. Plant only resistant or tolerant varieties.

Black rot

Symptoms:

• stunted, withering plants;
• yellowing;
• drooping leaves;
• round brown-black spots of rot on tubers.

Rot continues to develop in stored tubers.

Treatment:

• disease-free seed must be sown;
• should not be planted in places where the plant has been grown for the previous 3–4 years;
• The seed should be treated with an appropriate fungicide before planting.

Root and stem rotting

Symptoms:

• swollen and distorted base of stems;
• deep dark rot, spreading deep into the tuber and forming elliptical cavities;
• growth of white mold.

The disease can be transmitted by contaminated seed.

Treatment:

• disease is generally not a problem if good sanitation is practiced;
• for sowing, select only disease-free seeds;
• treat seed roots with a suitable fungicide before planting.

Bacterial soft rot

Symptoms:

• brown or black spots on stems and cuttings that quickly expand and cause soft rot on the stem;
• the stem may collapse, which will lead to the withering of several vines;
• the entire plant may die;
• roots may develop soft rot areas that are initially colorless but eventually turn brown.

Symptoms develop after hot weather.

Treatment:

• avoid damage to roots during storage at all stages of growth;
• Plant only disease-free seed;
• Vines for replanting should be pruned above the soil surface.

Bacterial wilt

Symptoms:

• new shoots wither, their bases become watery and take on a yellow-brown or dark brown color;
• infection of healthy plants leads to the fact that the lower parts of the stems are also saturated with water and acquire a color similar to the infected sprouts;
• yellow-brown streaks may develop inside the roots.

Treatment: Only disease-free roots should be used for planting, and planting should only be done in disease-free areas.

Leaf and stem scab

Symptoms:

• small brown spots on the leaves that become corky in texture and cause the veins to shrink, which in turn causes the leaves to curl;
• lesions on the stem - they are slightly raised and have a purple or brown center with light brown edges.

Treatment:

• avoid using overhead watering;
• use only healthy planting material;
• application of appropriate fungicides can help control the disease.

morning glory pox

Symptoms:

• poor plant growth;
• round dark brown corky formations on tubers that are V-shaped in cross section;
• cracked and distorted tubers resembling dumbbells;
• rotting roots.

Treatment:

• the most effective method of combating this disease is the use of resistant varieties;
• if such varieties are not available, then the soil should be kept at a low pH, which is unfavorable for the pathogen;
• Fumigation of soil before planting can be an effective method of reducing disease.

Now let's talk about what pests are most dangerous for morning glory.

Omphisa anastomosalis (bloodworm)

Symptoms:

• the larvae penetrate the trunk leading to the roots;
• damage in the crown area leads to withering, yellowing and death of plants;
• the holes can be easily identified by the presence of feces on the surface of the soil and holes in the stem.

Treatment:

• keep the field weed-free;
• use planting material that has been tested for the absence of eggs and larvae;
• Use pheromone traps to control insects.

Phyllophaga ephilida (white grub)

The white grubs are the larvae of scarab beetles, commonly called chafers. The larvae are white in color and shaped like the letter C. They typically feed on soil, organic matter and plant materials.

Symptoms:

• pathogens feed on underground parts, including the main stem and roots;
• they also feed on tubers, making tunnels;
• the infected plant eventually withers and dies.

Treatment:

• deep summer plowing exposes the larva and pupa present in the soil;
• provide adequate drainage in the soil to avoid excess moisture;
• application of biocontrol agents (such as Bacillus popilliae and B. lentimorbus bacteria) kills the larvae.

Read more about planting and caring for morning glory below.

What is morning glory? Planting and care, photos, plant characteristics - let's look at all this, let's see what varieties you can choose for your garden. Some are so perfect that whenever I admire the graceful funnels of morning glory, the stone flower that Danila the master created comes to mind! The bindweed family, to which morning glory belongs, has about four thousand species. Among them there are annuals, perennials (about 500 species), shrubs, vines and even trees.

Morning glory Gypsy

What is morning glory

Morning glory is a decorative and unpretentious vine. Its other name is farbitis. Many people call this plant bindweed, which is sure to become a bright decoration for your gazebo, hedge, arch or pergola. It can reach five meters in length. In our gardens, we most often plant an annual or perennial vine, which is also called the flower of dawn. This poetic name was given to morning glory not in vain; its gramophone buds are one of the first to bloom, early in the morning, when other flowers have not yet awakened from sleep.

Depending on the variety, morning glory flowers can be double or regular, and the colors are very diverse - blue, violet, dark blue, burgundy, pink, white, red, soft lilac, bicolor. As mentioned above, morning glory is unpretentious, grows very quickly and entwines any support offered to it. Long flowering is another advantage of this flower; from the first days of summer until the onset of cold weather, it will decorate your garden.

Every day a new flower blooms. He does not live long, sometimes until noon, sometimes until evening. And long-term flowering is achieved due to the huge number of flowers and buds.

Morning Glory Carnival of Venice

Growing morning glory is possible not only in open ground, but also in apartment conditions, especially on balconies and loggias, where it will thrive.

Growing morning glory on the balcony

This plant is very often used in landscape design. Its bright beauty, excellent survival rate and rapid growth help in a short time to change for the better the appearance of a gazebo, veranda, fencing and other garden elements.

Morning glory windmill at the pergola

Morning glory leaves are also remarkable and decorative - large, lobed, heart-shaped, rich dark green.

In landscape design, perennial morning glory is more often used, but annual varieties can also be found very often in summer cottages, in flower beds, flower beds, in flowerpots, and also in the form of living carpets. The plant prefers sunny places, good watering (especially in summer), does not like drafts, but still grows normally even in windy places.

Morning glory has an interesting feature: the buds open in the morning and close in the afternoon - this factor is due to the plant’s sensitivity to light. If the days are cloudy, then the flowers may not close at all, but remain open until dusk.

Favorite varieties of morning glory

Of the huge number of varieties of morning glory, approximately 25 species are used in culture. Let's look at some of them.

Morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea)

This is one of the most famous varieties. In favorable conditions, the length of shoots can reach 8 meters. The flowers are large, 5-7 cm long, and can be red, white, pink, blue, maroon, purple. The variety has both regular and double varieties. The most common varieties: Star of Yalta, Milky Way, Scarlett O'Hara.

Particularly interesting is the variety Ipomoea purpurea Paradise Stars - it is a profusely flowering plant, reaching three meters in height, with buds of different colors, heat-loving, light-loving, characterized by long flowering.

Purple morning glory, photo:

Ivy morning glory (Ipomoea hederacea)

The liana can grow up to 3 meters in length. The shape of the leaves is three-lobed, reminiscent of ivy, hence the name. The flowers are medium in size (about 5 cm in diameter), mostly blue, light blue, but also red and pink. It blooms in mid-summer (July) and continues to bloom until October.

Ipomoea ivy, photo:

Morning glory Nile (Ipomoea nil)

It also reaches three meters in length. Blooms from July to mid-autumn.

The flowers of this variety are amazingly decorative: contrasting two-color, with edging in different shades, with an unusual color (pink-brown, bright orange, creamy pink, golden variegated). The shape of the bud can be star-shaped, with terry edges, and with rounded petals.

Morning glory Nile, photo:

Morning glory flower diameter 13.5 cm
Ipomoea terry Serenade

Morning glory (Ipomoea pennata) or cypress vine

This morning glory is an unusual variety with delicate, finely dissected foliage and small star-shaped flowers. The branches of quamoclite reach five meters in length, flowering begins in July and continues until September. This is a very showy plant, with rich green foliage and bright red multiple flowers. Kvamoklit is unpretentious and grows quickly.

Kvamoklit, photo:

Blue morning glory (Ipomoea heavenly blue)

Sometimes this variety of morning glory is also called “Glorious Morning”. It pleases the eye with sky-blue flowers from mid-summer until the onset of the first frost. The flowers are large, can reach 10 cm in diameter, shoots grow up to 2 meters. This heat-loving plant, preferring sunlit areas, loves watering, but does not like waterlogging of the soil.

Blue morning glory, photo:

Moonflowering morning glory (Ipomoea noctiflora)

An amazing nocturnal flower that blooms in the dark and closes its buds in the morning. The shoots of this plant reach three meters in length, the flower itself is approximately 10 cm in diameter. It begins to bloom in mid-July and continues until October. The delicate almond aroma is another plus of this snow-white flower.

Morning glory moonflowering, photo:

Of course, there are a lot of varieties of morning glory, they are all beautiful in their own way, each of them has its own fans. Through the efforts of breeders, more and more new hybrids are appearing, striking in their beauty and individuality.

Morning glory Harlequin
Morning glory Mauro
Morning Glory Orange Morning Glory Neil Kaikio-zaki
Morning Glory Blue Bliss

Today, you can freely purchase a wide variety of morning glory varieties in seeds, and on the appropriate forums you can purchase cuttings or seedlings of the species that interests you.

Morning glory - planting and care in open ground

The most common method of propagation of this plant is self-seeding, in which morning glory sheds its seeds after they ripen. With the onset of spring, the sprouts of young morning glory hatch and stretch towards the sun. You can also buy seeds of the desired variety, and then, according to the sowing rules, germinate them and sow them in the ground. You can even simply sow the seeds directly into the soil, deepening them about 2-3 cm into the hole - there will be a positive result. The distance between the holes should be approximately 20 cm; 2 or 3 morning glory seeds are placed in each hole. You can safely begin this process in the second half of April (in Kuban) or May (central Russia).

Morning glory seeds of different varieties, photo:

You can take a more complicated route and germinate seeds into seedlings. To do this, they are germinated and planted in peat tablets or in containers with suitable soil.

When to plant morning glory seedlings?

In March, pre-soak the seed in warm water (for 24 hours), and then place it in tablets or in separate cups with soil. If some seeds have not swollen after such a daily bath, then you can use a needle and prick them, and then place them in water again for a similar period of time.

The seedling method is more suitable for cold regions, since in this case full-fledged young plants are planted in the soil, rather than tender seeds. Caring for seedlings is simple, seedlings can be observed already on the 10th day, watering is carried out as the soil dries (with lukewarm water). In the room where the seedlings are located, the air temperature should not be lower than +19°C.

In the last days of May or in the first week of June, already grown morning glory can be transferred to open ground.

How to plant morning glory?

Try to carefully remove plants from containers with a large lump of earth, as this crop does not respond well to replanting. The distance between the holes should also be approximately 20 cm. After planting, water the flowers with warm water; when they actively begin to grow, install a support near each plant (if you did not initially plant the morning glory near the support element).

Morning glory seedlings, photo:

Propagation of morning glory by cuttings

For certain varieties of morning glory, propagation by cuttings is recommended. In this case, the shoots are cut, fragments with two internodes are selected, and the cuttings are cut so that the lower place of the cut is located 1.5-2 cm below the node. After selection, the cuttings are placed in water. 5-7 days after the roots appear, they can be planted for permanent residence in open ground. Within a week, the cutting will be completely rooted in the ground.

How to care for morning glory?

As for care, it is quite simple and does not include any special requirements. Ipomoea is annual, as well as perennial, and grows well in any soil. The main thing is to provide it with regular, but not too abundant watering (so that the roots do not rot). This plant does not require additional feeding. However, if you really want to, then a complex mineral supplement can be added along with water during watering, during the period when morning glory is actively growing. To make everything look aesthetically pleasing, remove damaged or dried shoots. Periodically loosen the soil and remove weeds. The most important thing for morning glory is a reliable and strong support for growth and further weaving.

Photo of morning glory:

Such a different morning glory

In open ground, as well as at home (on a balcony or loggia), there are no particular differences between the requirements for growing this flower. All actions are the same, water the plant and provide it with support, then the morning glory on the balcony will feel just as great as its relative on the summer cottage.

Pest Control

Morning glory in winter

With the onset of winter, perennial morning glory should be carefully dug up and moved into a large pot, which should be brought indoors or into the basement. In this case, the above-ground part of the plant is naturally cut off. If the winters in your region are not too severe, it can easily overwinter in the open ground.

Here, in principle, are all the nuances concerning this plant. With minimal labor costs, you can create unprecedented beauty in your summer cottage. You will definitely love morning glory! Planting and care, a photo of this flower and all the above information, I hope, will help you strengthen your choice of options for decorating your summer cottage, gazebo, fence or other garden element.

Morning glory ruby ​​lights

Early in the morning, the bushes of blooming morning glory are full of inexpressible charm. Morning glory - variety of varieties, planting, cultivation, care in open ground, propagation.

Description: varieties and varieties of morning glory

The plant Ipomoea belongs to the bindweed family. There are more than 500 different plant species, characterized by very rapid growth. Morning glory usually blooms in July and continues until October.

Morning glory is native to South America, where the plant is cultivated as a perennial. In Russia, the plant is grown as an annual crop. The many existing plant varieties allow you to select options for using the crop to decorate a certain area of ​​the territory when growing morning glory in open ground.

Modern varieties of morning glory have supplemented plants native to the African continent, which reproduce by underground tubers. These are the so-called caudex morning glory. Bizarre, swollen aboveground stems turn into a long vine. The variety of colors of these morning glories is amazing. In terms of care, the crop is somewhat different from ordinary types: it requires more sun and fertilizers.

Morning glory grows beautifully and quickly, blooms in numerous colors, abundantly and decoratively. Thanks to its rapid growth, the crop is ideal for decorating problem areas in the garden: high pergolas, gazebos, lanterns and other small gardening forms. Morning glory bushes grow over 3 meters. It is difficult to imagine vertical gardening in landscape design without this plant.

Morning glory leaves are oval, large, sometimes heart-shaped, juicy green in color. The morning glory quamoclite variety has thin, openwork, bright green foliage, which differs from the classic shape of the plant’s leaves.

Funnel-shaped flowers in most species are up to 12 cm in size (moonflower), the color of the flowers depends on the variety. Kvamoklit also differs from ordinary varieties of morning glory in its flowers - bright “stars” of red, burgundy or white shades are hidden among the openwork, airy foliage (photo).

Flowering in open ground begins in early summer and continues until frost. The seeds, very large, ripen in a closed box, which cracks over time. Large morning glory seeds that fall to the ground germinate easily, so at the site where the crop is planted, you can observe the growth of several generations of plants in one growing season.

The most popular morning glory varieties are:

• Moonflower - huge milky white flowers with a shimmering effect.

• Tricolor morning glory - colored white, yellow and blue.

• Purple morning glory is a familiar and widespread plant variety. Can come with flowers in all shades of purple or pink. Flowers are often medium or small.

• Blue morning glory - flowers of pure blue color, very large. Looks great in plantings with moonflower.

• Kvamoklit - differs from other types of morning glory in leaf shape, flowers and height.

Planting a plant

It is best to choose a place for planting morning glory in partial shade. In bright sunlight, the plant quickly closes its flowers, which affects the decorative effect when decorating areas in landscape design. With strong shading, the crop feels depressed, development slows down, and flowers become smaller.

Attention! When planting crops, the direction of the wind should be taken into account. Constant gusts of wind easily damage the stems and leaves of morning glory, especially if the plant is planted with seedlings.

Sowing the seeds of the plant in open ground in the spring does not cause any difficulties: morning glory sprouts beautifully. Plants can also be planted with seedlings in a permanent location, but you just need to make sure that they are not overgrown. Any soil except sandy loam is suitable for planting crops.

Advice. When placing plants near buildings, it is necessary to provide for the removal of precipitation from the roof, away from morning glory plantings.

Plant care

Growing morning glory requires certain plant care:

Morning glory: planting and care - minimum difficulties; high decorative value of the plant.

Fertilizer and feeding of morning glory

During the growth period, morning glory needs to be fertilized regularly. You should choose the right fertilizer. To increase leaf mass, nitrogen fertilizers are used, which are applied in the form of root dressings. You can carry out foliar feeding on the green mass of the bush, spraying the nutrient solution through a spray bottle. Long-term and decorative flowering is ensured by phosphorus fertilizers. They can be applied both when preparing the planting site, directly into the soil, and during the growing season under morning glory bushes.

The plant responds well to fertilization with microelements, which are applied under the plant during the growing season and flowering. Growing morning glory using fertilizers allows you to obtain well-groomed, lush vines that are resistant to weather conditions and diseases.

Plant propagation

The main method of propagation of morning glory is by seed. Sowing seeds in open ground in a permanent place is carried out in the spring, with the onset of stable heat. The bed for the seeds is prepared in advance and deeply loosened. You can immediately add long-acting phosphorus fertilizer (granular double superphosphate) to the soil before sowing.

I plant the seeds in the soil, but not deeply, otherwise it is difficult for them to germinate. Watering the sown morning glory seeds must be done regularly, through a sprayer, so as not to wash the seeds out of the soil.

The morning glory emerges together and immediately begins to grow. To ensure early flowering, the crop can be planted in a greenhouse for seedlings, and when planted in a place protected from the wind, a support is immediately installed. Propagating morning glory by seeds is not difficult.

Diseases and pests

The main pests that attack morning glory plants are aphids and spider mites. Both pests suck the juices from the plant. Affected leaves first turn yellow and then dry out. Infected plants become bare, stop blooming, and usually dry out completely.

Timely care of the plant and thorough examination of the leaves help to identify pests in time and begin to fight them.

Treatment of green mass, in the presence of pests, is carried out with systemic anti-mite preparations (Aktellik, Fufanon, Fitoverm). “Akarin”, “Atkara”, “Karbofos” will help get rid of aphids.

Morning glory in combination with other plants

For vertical gardening in landscape design, morning glory is perfect. It harmonizes perfectly with other crops that are used for vertical gardening: campsis, wild grapes, ivy, hops. In autumn, morning glory flowers make a wonderful combination with green hop cones.

The plant combines with deciduous trees when the flowers bloom among the branches of an adult tree; this combination is especially decorative in the fall.

Morning glory in landscape design

The plant is used very widely in landscape design. Morning glory shades open gazebos and verandas from the sun. A vine planted near antique-style lanterns looks very decorative. It is common to plant the plant to decorate the walls of tall buildings and one-story garden buildings.

When using a crop to decorate a site, it is worth remembering that the first frosts in the fall will negatively affect the appearance of the plant. The culture is characterized by low frost resistance.

How to plant morning glory: video

Morning glory: photo

Morning glory is a stunningly beautiful tropical liana, the most numerous in the Convolvulaceae family - there are about 500 species. These are annual and perennial plants, which are vines, bushes, trees, growing naturally in tropical and subtropical regions. There are also food crops: water spinach and sweet potato. Flower growers use vines that open their inflorescences in the early morning, before all flowers. Surprisingly, field bindweed, an indestructible weed, is a relative of the magnificent morning glory.

In our gardens grows morning glory - an annual vine, about 5 meters long with heart-shaped leaves, multi-colored flowers resembling a gramophone trumpet, opening in the morning or all day in cloudy weather. plant from the very beginning of summer until the onset of cold weather.

Growing annual morning glory from seeds

Sowing in the ground

Sowing morning glory in the ground is carried out from the end of March to mid-May. The seeding depth is 1-2 cm. Sow in rows sparser, leaving 5-6 cm between seeds. The sowing site is usually chosen next to a fence, gazebo or other vertical support that the plant will entwine. You need to water in moderation so that an earthen crust does not form on top. The seeds germinate in a couple of weeks and grow quite quickly, drowning out the weeds. But you shouldn’t rely on the “survivability” of morning glory; all the weeds need to be weeded, and the seedlings need to be thinned out, leaving a distance of 7-8 cm.

Morning glory can also be sown before winter in the fall., at any convenient time, as long as weather conditions permit. The plant will not sprout until spring; the seeds require stratification. The liana aggressively reproduces by self-sowing, keep this in mind if you sow it in the garden: you still won’t be able to remove the seed pods in time, there will be too many of them. Therefore, give the beauty a place where she will not clog the cultural plantings.

Growing homemade morning glory from seeds

Morning glory is placed in the substrate, after scarifying the seeds - violating the integrity of the shell, or soaked for swelling for a day in water at a temperature of 25-30 C. If swelling does not occur, you should pierce the shell with a needle and repeat the soaking.

Morning glory is propagated by seeds, which remain viable for three to four years after harvest.

Choose soil according to the species, for example, African varieties like soil for succulent flowers with the addition of crushed expanded clay, while American varieties need to mix two parts of leaf humus, adding peat, vermiculite, coke fiber in one part and half of crushed expanded clay.

Plant two to four seeds in small cups with substrate, form a mini-greenhouse, covering with film and glass. A temperature of 18-20 degrees is required, watering as needed, ventilation, and removal of condensation. Expect friendly shoots after 10-12 days.

Caring for home morning glory

When the seedlings reach about 15 cm in height, tie a string at the base of the sprout, pull the other end of it up and secure it - the growing flower will climb along this support. As it grows, you will have to move the morning glory into a large container a couple of times, using the transfer method, to avoid exposure and damage to the roots. To get more side shoots, pinch the seedlings above the 4th leaf.

When and how to plant morning glory seedlings in the ground

Garden morning glory seedlings are also grown using the method described above. Grown seedlings are transplanted into open ground at the end of May - beginning of June, when the soil has warmed up sufficiently and night frosts that threaten the young bindweed are not terrible.

Using the method of transshipment, young shoots, maintaining a distance of 10-15 cm between seedlings, immediately install the future support - a stretched fishing line, a lattice of twigs.

How to care for morning glory at home

Provide perennial morning glory with plenty of light and regular moderate watering; to avoid stagnation of water in the roots, drainage at the bottom of the pot is required. In May-August, water a little more often, keeping the soil moist; in September and winter, water less often, after the top layer of soil has dried. It is worth feeding every 2-3 weeks during the active growth stage, using fertilizers for cacti or ornamental plants. Keep it in moderation, adhering to the concentrations recommended by the manufacturer, because an excess of fertilizers containing nitrogen leads to intensive leaf formation, preventing lush flowering.

Pruning perennial morning glory at home

Morning glory grows intensively, gradually exposing the lower stems, resulting in unsightly plants with long “tails.” To maintain the aesthetic appearance of the plant, morning glory is pruned and pinched, forming a dense crown with many side branches.

Usually three central shoots are left, which are pinched above the 4th leaf, and then the side shoots are also shortened. The crown is formed depending on the type of support and the space allocated to the plant.

In the spring, morning glory is cut short, and the resulting lashes are used for cuttings and rejuvenation of planting material.

Propagation of morning glory by cuttings

Cuttings of Indian morning glory photo

Perennial vines propagate by cuttings and leaves, such as Indian morning glory and sweet potato morning glory. The cut shoots are cut into cuttings 15-20 cm long, keeping two internodes, making a lower cut at an angle of 45º at a distance of 15 cm down the node. Remove the leaves from the bottom, place in water, waiting for the roots - they will appear quite quickly - in 3-5 days. Green cuttings are planted from March to April, semi-woody cuttings are planted throughout the summer.

Diseases and pests

Lianas suffer from fungal diseases (white rust, various types of rot), viruses (there are about twenty), but white swelling is a physiological disease. Fungi often appear from waterlogging - some can be overcome by removing the damaged area and treating it with a fungicide, but if there is rot, you have to get rid of the plant completely.

Only burning the plant will save you from viruses. White swelling appears from excess moisture in the form of “blisters” on the leaves, which lead to yellowing and falling leaves, but by observing proper watering, this problem can be avoided.

Pests include spider mites and aphids, but by detecting them immediately, you can quickly and effectively disinfect the plantings. Treatment with soapy water will help against aphids, and regular spraying with cold water will kill mites, however, only systemic insecticides will cope with established aphids and mites.

How to collect morning glory seeds

It is advisable to collect seeds from the second or third buds. After the flowers fade, a brown box with a cross-shaped opening will appear in their place - it will dry out and open a little after a month. After pouring the seeds from the box into a paper bag, write the name of the variety. Germination lasts for about three to four years.

Wintering morning glory

In harsh climates with cold winters at zero degrees or more, only annual morning glory is grown; with the onset of autumn, the stems are removed, the ground is dug up, and sown again in the spring. It is noteworthy that morning glory famously spreads by self-seeding, so do not be surprised at the appearance of friendly shoots of a beautiful vine in last year’s place.

Particularly valuable varieties are dug up, cut short and planted in pots, which are brought into the house. In February-March, the plants are cut and in the spring, when night frosts have subsided, they are planted in open ground.

Varieties and types of morning glory with descriptions and photos

Of the five thousand species, only 25 are cultivated.

The most common:

Morning glory Cairo Ipomoea cairica photo

A native of Australia and Asia, it is distinguished by thick bright blue flowers, the length of the whip is up to 5 meters. A perennial liana, densely twining around the support, covering everything with a continuous carpet of thick leaves with flowers scattered on top. Luxurious decoration of glazed loggias, spacious rooms, terraces. Belongs to the sweet potato genus.

Morning glory Ipomoea purpurea

An annual plant reaching 8 meters with single multi-colored flowers - there are varieties with white, pink, blue, lilac, purple shades; the flowers can be double.

Morning glory Nile Ipomoea nil

Morning glory nil variety Ipomoea nil ‘Good Morning Violet’ photo

Annual up to 3 meters, large leaves, flowers dark blue, pink, purple, red with a white edge, about 10 cm in diameter.

Ipomoea tricolor Ipomoea tricolor

A liana up to 5 meters long, sky-blue flowers collected in inflorescences of up to four pieces.

Morning glory Ipomoea hederacea photo

American vine up to 3 meters with soft blue flowers and carved leaves reminiscent of ivy leaves.

Morning glory Ipomoea noctiflora

Also from h American tropics, stem 3 meters long, large white fragrant flowers, blooms at night.

Morning glory Ipomoea quamoclit

It has openwork carved foliage reminiscent of pine branches. Scarlet flowers are small, tubular.

Morning glory Ipomoea Indica

A beautiful perennial vine with leaves cut into three palmate parts. The flowers are blue, with soft lilac centers.

Morning glory sweet potato Ipomoea batatas

A perennial vine with highly decorative flowers and maple-like leaves that forms tubers. Particularly popular are varieties with purple leaves, such as Sweet Georgia.