Vines Exhibit Manners When Properly Kept
If Jack had planted a morning glory seed, would it have grown as fast and furious as the fabled beanstalk that reached the sky? There’s no comparison. I’d stack my morning glories up against Jack’s beans any day.
Morning glory vines, like most vines, are the indentured servants of the garden. They’re the worker bees. They provide groundcover, screening and background for other plants and charm.
Personally, I think the morning glory has taken a bum rap. All MG’s are lumped together as weeds and are often confused with the real culprit: field bindweed (convolvulus arvensis L.). Field bindweed is a perennial terror. It has an extensive root system that can reach a depth of 10 feet while sending off invaders in the form of long lateral roots. If you pull the plant and break the roots, you’ll have a field full of offspring in no time. And if that’s not bad enough, its seeds can remain viable for 50 years or more.
Now I am not suggesting that morning glory is a candidate for sainthood. Hardly. It, too, is a rapidly growing vine that can choke the life out of garden weaklings. However, if planted in the proper spot, it can exhibit manners. The morning glory vines I speak of are annual vines that require replanting each year. Because they are annual, they’re easy to pull, dig and eliminate if I so desire.
If you’ve ever grown a true morning glory vine (members of the ipomoea tricolor group are the most popular), you know they are delicate old-fashioned vines covered in large trumpet-shaped flowers. The flower colors include an almost-red, pink, blue, purple, white and combinations of any of these colors.
They are quite easy to grow, although they do have some likes and dislikes. They prefer poor soil over rich organic soil. They don’t want to be fertilized, as fertilization may lead to green leaves and no flowers. They prefer dry soil over moist and lots of sun.
Morning glory vines can be set out as transplants or planted by seed. Plant seed as soon as all danger of frost has passed, or better yet, get a drop on the season by starting the seeds indoors. The seeds have a very hard coat. Either soak them in water for 24 hours before planting or nick or file the seed coat to speed up germination. If our winters are mild enough, many times the seeds will overwinter and germinate the following spring.
This year, I hope to add a few new members to my growing collection. Shepherd’s Seeds is offering three new varieties, all annuals. “Early Call” is touted as a shorter vining plant (5-6 feet), with flowers up to 5 inches across. “Flying Saucers” is bicolor, with 4-inch white blossoms streaked in sky blue with azure overtones. “Morning Star” is one of the earliest varieties and one of the tallest - 8-10 feet. If you are looking for a vine that can tolerate a hot, sunny wall, “Morning Star” is it. I would also like to try “Royal Ensign.” Instead of vining, this variety grows into a 12- to 18-inch shrubby bush. It is described as having 2-inch open trumpet flowers in deep vivid blue with smartly contrasting white throats, splashed with sunny yellow at the centers. Doesn’t that sound spectacular?
You can order seeds of these vines through Shepherd’s Garden Seed, 30 Irene St., Torrington, CN 06790; (860) 482-3638.
My garden wouldn’t be complete without foxglove, forget-me-nots and delicate morning glories climbing over the split rail-fence or clinging to the side of the barn. To me, they are not a weed, but a remembrance of Grandma’s garden.
Special note: Storm damage and pruning workshops will on March 29 and April 5. The same program will be offered from 9:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-2:30 p.m. both Saturdays at the Spokane Agricultural Center, 222 N. Havana. They are free and no reservations are needed. Please call 533-2048 for more information.
, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Phyllis Stephens The Spokesman-Review