We recense more than 500 species of morning gloryof the kind Dream and the family of Convolvulaceae. For example, Morning Glory Volubilis (Ipomoea purpurea) also called Blue Bindweed is very commonly sown in our gardens, in the countryside as well as in the city. It has heart-shaped leaves. Very floriferous and fast-growing since it can reach 4 to 5 meters in height during the season, this perennial plant grown as an annual blooms for several months. It is perfect for covering an old wall, a railing, interfering in a hedge, decorating a tree, covering a fence, hiding an unattractive element, and its twining stems climb without any help along a pergola. Here’s how to sow and care for a morning glory to enjoy its splendid flowering for as long as possible.
Sow morning glory
Morning Glory sow directly in place, in land sufficiently warmed by the spring sun. Depending on the region, sowing takes place between April and the end of May. Do not rush if you live in an area where late frosts are usual because Morning Glory is a plant frost. To sow morning glory in place, simply:
- Dig holes 14 to 16 cm deep, spaced 40 to 60 cm apart.
- Fill the holes with potting soil.
- Place three seeds per hole and press them into the soil about 3 cm deep.
- Water.
In a few weeks, there are countless morning glory plants. It is necessary to carry out a thinning because they would hinder each other and could not develop normally. It shouldeliminates stunted plants in order to keep only the most vigorous. The operation is delicate because the extraction by hand of the seedlings to be eliminated must be done without the seedlings to be kept being lifted. It is then necessary to gently tamp the earth at the foot of the young shoots and then to proceed with a fine rain watering.
It is possible to sow morning glory in Marchprovided that it is in pots and that these are placed under shelter. It is a type of culture that is particularly well suited to the variety Ipomoea quamoclit which is also called Hair of Venus or Bindweed laciniated leaves. It is then necessary to transplant the seedlings in place as soon as they are sufficiently vigorous. The Ipomée quamoclit must be transplanted in full sun, in a drained soil which must remain humid. In this way, we get a early floweringits scarlet red flowers can then bloom from the beginning of June.
Cultivating Morning Glory
The cultivation of Ipomée volubilis or Blue Bindweed is accessible to everyone, but if one has no experience in the field of gardening. It is a plant that grows on its own and quickly turns out to be spectacular once it is established. under the sun. She tolerates all types of soil as long as it is riche in nutrients. It is important to place it preferably sheltered from strong winds likely to damage its flowers.
Before sowing, it is important to prepare the soil. It is recommended to dig 40 cm in order to weed well and to remove the roots of weeds in depth, but also to loosen the soil because morning glory likes light soils. We take advantage of this preparation to add to the garden soil a little river sand of medium grain size to guarantee good drainage as well as compost providing all the nutrients that Morning Glory needs.
Ses twining stems of this vine must be able to have a support of any type. The ideal is to put it in place at the time of sowing or transplanting. You can therefore install your ipomées along a wall, a fence, at the foot of a pergola, an arbor, at the foot of a tree in isolation, or within a hedge, or even create yourself -even braces with bamboo rods for example. It is advisable to place the plants about 15 cm from their support. The rods roll up on their own, without help, but it is possible to distribute them on the support to create a real vegetable curtain. If you want to tie some rods to guide them, you can use raffia, but you shouldn’t tighten the ties too much.
Cultivated as an annual, Morning Glory can bloom for several years in regions with a mild climate. To do this, simply lay a mulch at the foot before winter and cut the stems to a maximum of 15 cm from the ground in October or November.
Maintain Morning Glory
Once well rooted, Ipomée does not need much maintenance, but you should think about watering it.
Water
Morning glory should be watered copiously and very regularly especially when the temperature is high or the rains are rare. It is useful to create a basin around each foot. When watering, it is necessary avoid wetting foliage of this plant because it promotes cryptogamic diseases.
Fertiliser
Once a month, we can do a addition of compost by integrating it into the soil at the foot of the plants.
Binary
It is recommended to hoe frequently around the feet, both for the purpose of weeding and to break the superficial crust and aerate the soil.
Pests and diseases
The main parasites of morning glory are slugs and the snails, particularly fond of tender young leaves. A little sand at the foot of the plants is enough to prevent gastropods from progressing.
The fungal diseases such as powdery mildew, for example, are especially to be feared in morning glory whose leaves are wetted during watering. It is therefore highly preferable to water with a watering can without the head or at the neck.
Morning Glory flowering
Each Morning Glory flower has a relatively short lifespan, not exceeding 72 hours. But this Bindweed’s cousin continually produces new funnel-shaped flowers which can be, depending on the variety, purple, pink or blue. The effect is spectacular. After flowering appear capsular fruits which contain seeds containing powerful alkaloids.
It is possible to obtain a late flowering, that is to say from the end of August to October, by simply sowing its morning glory in June.