Morning Glory

Knew that would get your attention...

I found a packet I bought many moons ago, and decided to plant them in little 3inch pots, well half of them sprouted after about 5 days and growing like mad! some are 10cm tall, read after that knicking the seed helps germination, but ah well

I want to plant them into containers, but what would be a suitable sized container? or is it much of "bigger is better"? I know theyre climbers so unsure how much ground space they require as such, ive got about 8 plants, so was thinking 2 plants per pot? would 10litre pots be ok? and then simply plant up against a fence or wall we have?

thanks

 

They are really fast germinators, I've never knicked mine (always paid for them fair and square). If they haven't germinated after about a week you will probably find the seed has rotted off unless the pot was pretty dry.

10 litres is quite big, (trying to visualise, here)I think I'd bung the lot into one pot of that size, or at least 4. You'd need a wigwam of canes for them to twine up. As they are long, lanky climbers the bulk of the action is happening some way off the surface of the soil, for this reason I cram them in.

 

Do you know what type they are? I find I tricolor (Heavenly Blue, Pearly Gates & the TRUE Scarlett O' Hara) do not do well in containers, I always get stunted growth and pale green leaves. I purpurea ( Grandpa Ott, Crimson Rambler, 'Carnevale di Venezia' ) however, do great in pots and I've grown healthy plants in pots as small as 6 inches. They also produce lots of seed which will germinate outdoors in spring with no difficulty at all!

 

Hmm the packet does look like the tricolour ones unfortunately!

Thanks folks, Ill maybe try them in the ground then, they should be safe in a few weeks or so or else just take a chance in the pots and see how it turns out! they were more for the fun than anything

 

I tend to think the problems most people encounter with morning glory is one of cool conditions, they just dont like cool nights in particular.
Some are slightly hardier, and my guess these are the ones Coolsox is saying do well and even self seed.
A sure sign of cool condition with the tender type is pale or even white leaves.
Its best to wait till fairly late, mid June or possibly later, depending on weather, to put these types out doors.

 

For ones that were sown a few weeks ago they'll be a proper tangled-handful to manage by then!

 

Heavenly Blue is classified as a 'weed' here and is a nightmare and even strangles the orange trees if the owners don't keep it under control. In saying that, we have planted some variegated ones ...

 

Yes I agree, so probably best to sow later really, for some things its best not to rush in.

 

I've made a note to sow the red leaved Coleus 2 weeks earlier than the, more green, variegated one that I grow because it just takes longer ...

I've also gone some annuals that are a bit too far ahead, and made a note to sow them later next year too

 

Hmm well I have mine planted, and they are growing pretty damn fast! the variety I have are Ipomoea, and says to sow at the end of April and strangely says if planted straight into soil theyll flower in May, but the packet shows July onwards, mabe they just bolt in the soil?

I wont be able to keep them in the little 3inch pots for much longer, so roughly how big should I let them get before putting into a bigger pot? and will it need covered? Ive no greenhouse is all, just a garage !

Thanks everyone for the advice aswell!

 

Think I would pot on, unless the plan is to grow them in a large container.
If so plant them into the bigger container, allow the roots to get moving into the new compost, and after a week or two start hardening off.

 

cheers Pete, Ill do just that, not all of them are at the same level, so Ill maybe give it a week and see how they are doing, then put them into the bigger pot and try and leverage onto the tiny window sill in the garage

The window faces slightly SE so should get adequate sunshine, it roughly gets it to about 2/3pm and is it true that the early morning is the best time for plants?

 

That's not going to happen! as neither the soil nor overnight temperatures would be warm enough to bring them from Seed to Flowering in a month! August more likely ... probably a misprint.

As Pete said, but your greater problem is going to be their keenness to climb Potting on (into final pot) before they start climbing too big will mean you won't have to keep untangling them from their neighbouring pots, and can leave them to get on with climbing up whatever frame you have provided them with.

 

Bear in mind you might still have to encourage the tips to start climbing up the support you have planned for it. They can be a bit wayward until they've really started twining.

 

I've got a couple of Ipomoea indica in a large pots, I erect four canes around the pot and tie them together, only about 4ft high in the greenhouse.

It gives it some height to be getting on with.

Once I can get it outside I attach string to the top of the canes, and in my case let it ramble up a tree or intermingle with a clematis.
You can bring the stems back down to the base and make them climb back up, should putting them outside be delayed by the weather.