Morning glory

Morning glory’s a warm weather annual that’s easy to start from seed. Its profuse, large flowers bloom until frost to charm a trellis or fence. Bees, moths, butterflies and hummingbirds can’t resist them!

Lea Joy from Smithville shares her tips for growing from, including Clark’s Heavenly Blue, Flying Saucer, Scarlett O’ Hara, Grandpa Otts, and a red and blue variety of Picotee.

First, she soaks the seeds overnight. Lea says she’s grown them without this step, but germination takes longer. Sometimes, she’ll start them in pots for even faster germination and to control their climate in spring’s weather swings. You want to wait until the soil warms in April to plant in the ground.

Plant in full sun and keep the soil moist until seeds emerge. If transplanting, also keep the soil moist until they establish.

Fertile, well-drained soil is great, but morning glories tolerate, and even thrive in, rocky, poor soil.

Morning glory is a vigorous, fast-growing vine that must have a trellis, fence or other climbing support.

Each flower lasts just one day, but new ones open the very next morning to attract bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies.

Lea reports that she doesn’t water her morning glories, since rainfall is usually enough, but when times are dry, certainly, give morning glories a deep soaking.

Lea collects seeds once the pods dry but others that fall to the ground may re-seed the next year.

NOTE: seeds are poisonous so keep out of reach of children and pets if soaking seeds overnight or storing them.