How to Grow Morning Glories

Flowers often touted as hardy and fast-growing fall short, appearing woefully inadequate, whether due to an unassuming appearance or other faults. Many gardeners are already familiar with the sweeping clumps of coneflowers or leggy petunias wilting on the front porch. 

By contrast, morning glories are vigorously beautiful bloomers, their vines threading through planks of wood in even the harshest environments. They also come in a dazzling array of colors – ranging from psychedelic to carnivalesque – that radiate an almost glowing sheen. 

Here’s a guide on how to grow morning glories. 

BASIC INFORMATION

Types of Morning Glories

While morning glories may lack a fragrance, they make up for it with their multitudes of brilliant trumpet-shaped blooms. From a pale mauve chocolate to inky purples, morning glories range in color from subtle to vibrant. Below are some types of morning glories to choose from: 

• Carnevale Di Venezia morning glory: A celebratory flower that invokes the opulently baroque atmosphere of the eponymous carnival of its name, this coveted variety features striking blooms stippled with indigo and rose-pink. An arched support system is required for these vigorous climbers. Within weeks, you’ll discover your trellis festooned with a confetti mix of deliriously patterned flowers, each bloom a unique combination. 

• Heavenly Blue morning glory: By far the most popular variety, these serene flowers are aptly named, their petals flared heavenward to reflect the celestial sky. At the height of summer, it blooms reliably, attracting prominent pollinators such as hummingbirds and butterflies. 

• Scarlet O'Hara morning glory: A resilient variety brimming with star-quality, this dazzling morning glory doesn’t shrink away from making its presence known with its vibrant crimson blooms.  

• Knowlians Black morning glory: Perfect for goth gardens, this variety of morning glory stuns in a smoky, almost-black shade of violet. It may be a late bloomer, but its richly saturated blooms make the wait worthwhile. 

• Chocolate Rose Silk Japanese morning glory: This hard-to-get variety is as enticing as it sounds, featuring large, funnel-shaped flowers in a dusky shade of mocha-pink. Among flowers, it ranks as one the most memorable, both in appearance and color. 

Conditions for Growing Morning Glories

Morning glories are sometimes viewed as “holy terrors” – terrible in their unrestricted, wanton growth, holy in the way their glorious flowers seem attuned to the divine. In truth, they are frequently mistaken for bindweed, a noxious perennial that proves almost impossible to eradicate and strangles everything in its path, while the morning glory vine (Ipomoea) can be managed with prudent care. Raised garden beds and a sturdy trellis are highly recommended, as they will keep the vines from running rampant in other parts of your garden. They thrive on obelisk trellises, forming a fabulously towering mound. 

Light

Morning glories need a minimum of 6 – 8 hours daily. Though robust varieties will perform fairly well in 4 to 5 hours of sun, or even 2 to 3 hours if there is dappled shade, they will not sprawl as much. They can be sown in spring 1–2 weeks after the last frost date. They can also be sown indoors 3 – 4 weeks before the last frost date in seedling trays, but keep in mind that they grow poorly if kept inside as houseplants, becoming leggy and etiolated. Morning glories benefit from scarification – a process that involves nicking the seed with a knife so that water seeps through more easily, then soaking them in water. 

Soil

Morning glories do much better in somewhat depleted soil and will grow in many soil types. They are naturally adapted to lean, well-drained soils, similar to the conditions where they grow in the wild. Keep all your tools in one place, including soil bags or watering equipment, with a potting bench. 

Water

Morning glories should be watered regularly until they become established. After sowing seeds, keep the soil consistently moist by lightly misting the garden bed every day for 7 – 14 days until germination. Once the seedlings are established, morning glories are somewhat drought-tolerant, benefiting from less frequent but regular waterings. Allow the top inch of soil to dry between waterings.  

Fertilizer

Morning glories require very little fertilizer. Use a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer during the growing season to promote flowering. They should be fertilized sparingly, as overfertilizing can cause them to become leggy and spindly. 

Pests

While morning glories generally are immune to many garden pests, they occasionally develop problems with the sap-sucking kind – cotton aphids and spider mites. Aphids are miniscule, but can be spotted congregating on the undersides of leaves; by the time spider mites are detected, the damage is substantial. Organic insecticides can help manage many common morning glory pests, though neem oil or insecticidal soap works better on soft-bodied insects. 

Pruning 

Morning glories do not require pruning, but a light occasional trimming can help control their vines and curtail their spread. For the most part, the abundant blooms are welcomed. In fact, some gardeners specifically choose morning glories for their unparalleled ability to obscure ugly facades like chain-link fences. 

Deadheading morning glories encourage the vines to keep blooming freely. Snip off spent flowers at the base with pruning shears or a hori hori knife.