Morning Glories

Dee, are those Split Second?

[ddsack]

I don't remember the name they had at the time I ordered them from, I think, Park seeds. But they do look just like the ones now called Split Second. I see Burpee has a ruffled pink that they call Cotton Candy, I wonder if that's just a rename. They both say a range of 4-7 ft vines, which is what mine were.


A wonderful source for 14 different varieties of morning glories is Swallowtail Garden Seeds. I also like their snapdragons.

[SpookyShoe]

I saw this and had to have it! I'll be planting some containers.

Can’t wait to see pictures!

[ContainerTed]

I have mixed emotions about Morning Glory's. They are beautiful and they draw in all kinds of pollinators. They even seem to catch the eyes of the migrating hummingbirds that pass thru here. Now that's the up side.

But there is also a dark side. They get into my garden and choke out my beans and then they attack my staked up tomatoes and if I let them, they'll kill my tomato plants. They seem to want any high points in the garden and, so, they dominate the tops of stakes and any other supports for the other things being grown.

I was down in the garden area today and was pulling the last of the 6' stakes I use. Of the 150 or so stakes, and even though I cut them out all season long, there were 63 that had old dead vines from the Morning Glory "invaders" wrapped around and choking the poles. They are pretty. They are colorful. And they are fragrant. But for me, they are mostly a pain in the a$$. They might make reasonable compost if I throw in enough bovine droppings.

[SpookyShoe]

Four days ago I planted two hanging baskets of Grandpa Ott. Already they are up! Today I'll rough up the seed coats of the Flying Saucer seeds I bought two days ago, soak them overnight in water, and sow them tomorrow.

I had plans to sow zinnia seeds today, but it's very overcast and drizzly. Maybe if there's a break in the rain........

[SpookyShoe]

These plants are from the seeds I sowed earlier this year. I'm hoping the vines grow up into an old Bradford pear tree. I also planted some baskets of Flying Saucer and Glacier Star.

[ddsack]

Donna, what a great idea! I never thought of growing them up a tree.

[Longlake]

Originally Posted by ddsack

Good idea on the sandpaper, I'll remember to try that! I've soaked mine other years, but still get poor emergence sometimes. I've never grown in baskets or pots, just in ground onto a trellis. Last year a rabbit kept nipping a couple of the vines above ground level. They would grow back but too late to set flowers. As I recall, we had a frost just before the blossoms were ready to open last year, so I never saw flowers. Here in the north I have to get them in the ground early or they won't bloom before September.This is from a previous more successful year.

I'm in your neck of the woods, Dee, and Heavenly Blue is always 'iffy'. Most years it doesn't bloom profusely until September, and we all know what happens then. So I have a mix of varieties, and Grandpa Ott's is always the first to bloom. Next up are the pinks, and the grand finale is the beautiful blue of HB...in those perfect years when it blooms well. Like the look of that double pink you have, very pretty. Happy gardening!

[ddsack]

Thanks, Longlake! I have tried a few other mixes of Morning Glories over the years, but keep coming back to Heavenly Blue. There are just so few really true blue flowers of any species to enjoy, it's worth the wait for me.

[GoDawgs]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

I have mixed emotions about Morning Glory's. They are beautiful and they draw in all kinds of pollinators. They even seem to catch the eyes of the migrating hummingbirds that pass thru here. Now that's the up side.

But there is also a dark side. They get into my garden and choke out my beans and then they attack my staked up tomatoes and if I let them, they'll kill my tomato plants. They seem to want any high points in the garden and, so, they dominate the tops of stakes and any other supports for the other things being grown.

I was down in the garden area today and was pulling the last of the 6' stakes I use. Of the 150 or so stakes, and even though I cut them out all season long, there were 63 that had old dead vines from the Morning Glory "invaders" wrapped around and choking the poles. They are pretty. They are colorful. And they are fragrant. But for me, they are mostly a pain in the a$$. They might make reasonable compost if I throw in enough bovine droppings.

They are so pretty but I'll just enjoy seeing the photos on this thread. Ted, you're right about it wrapping around everything. The farmers around here call it "bindweed" for good reason. Any time I see seedlings or young plants anywhere near the garden I pull them out but there are always a few that manage to get missed, bloom and make more weeding work for the next year.

[SpookyShoe]

Seeds planted in hanging baskets on March 8th. Yesterday I had blooms in both Grandpa Ott baskets. I like the red streaks.

Those look fantastic!

[GoDawgs]

So pretty. It just glows!

[SpookyShoe]

I took this photo today. This particular nursery is in a very natural environment. They look like Grandpa Ott to me.