The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
The commonmorning gloryis often the first flowering vine that gardeners become familiar with.
These fast-growing vines are in the same botanical family assweet potatoes, althoughthey don’t produce edible tubers.
Note that morning glory species are toxic to people and pets.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Morning Glory Care
The common morning glory is a favorite of gardeners everywhere for a good reason.
Soil
Morning glories do best in soil that is moist but well-draining.
A neutral soil pH of 6.0 to 6.8 is best, but morning glories will grow just about anywhere.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
However, they do bloom better in soil that is not too rich inorganic matter.
you could always amend the soil later if the vines look like they are struggling.
The biggest moisture needs come during the plant’s growing period.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
They have no special humidity needs.
Fertilizer
Feed your morning glorieswith a low-nitrogen fertilizer every four to five weeks throughout their growing period.
However, this is only the case in hotter zones where they are truly hardy: zones 9-11.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Gardeners in cooler zones, 2 through 8, can still grow morning glories.
These plants will not survive the winter and are therefore marketed as annuals.
If you are in a cool zone, expect to grow morning glories as annuals.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
You will need to replant them each year.
If you are in a hot zone, morning glories are perennials; they will survive winter.
Morning glory seeds have a very hard seed coat and germination will be faster with scarification.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
You will notice they are plumper in the morning and ready to sprout.
Sow the seeds about 1/4 inch deep, spaced a few inches apart.
If you are planting a row of morning glories, six-inch spacing will be fine.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
If you are planting a trellis, you don’t need to be too particular about spacing.
Water the seeds well and keep the soil moist until they sprout.
A gentle horticultural oil such as neem oil can be an effective method of pest removal.
The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy
Deer, rabbits, and groundhogs may also chew on lower vines.
It can become invasive because it reseeds itself freely, and its vigorous growth can choke out other plants.
It depends on the species.
Morning glories will come back every year in zones where they are hardy: 9 through 11.
In zones that are just slightly cooler, like 7 and 8, their seeds may germinate in spring.
In all colder zones, morning glories are annuals.
Morning glory and bindweed blooms look similar.
Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants: Morning Glory.
North Carolina State Extension.
Guide to Poisonous Plants.Colorado State University.
