How to Grow and Care for Morning Glory Flowers in Containers
Intro: The morning glory flower is a climbing vine with heart-shaped leaves that blooms in the mornings. Morning glory blooms, which only last one day, come in a variety of colors (pink, purple, red and white, while blue is the most common) and usually bloom in mid-summer to late fall. Morning glory flowers can begin to bloom in March in warmer climates. These beautiful flowers grow well in plant containers on balcony gardens. Balcony gardeners can attach fishing line or durable string from the balcony railing to the roof and train the morning glory plant to grow along the string. This growth will provide dappled shade (you can intersperse white Christmas lights on these lines if there is an electricity outlet outside).
Scientific Name: Ipomoea purpurea
Plant Type: Annual flower
Light: For best growth, the morning glory flower plant requires full sun.
Fertilizer: When first planting your morning glory flowers, include a slow-release fertilizer in the potting soil. When the flowers are blooming, use a high-phosphate fertilizer while the flowers are blooming.
Temperature: Morning glory flowers only survive winters in 10a to 11a Hardiness Zones, but because these are self-seeding plants (their seeds drop to the ground), your morning glories will come back year after year.
Pests and Diseases: Aphids and spider mites are the most commonly seen insect pests on morning glory flowers. Disease is rare, but you may see rust or other fungal diseases on your morning glory plants.
Propagation: To propagate the morning glory plant, collect its seeds. After the morning glory flowers close, seed shells develop. Either allow the seeds to fall to the ground and grow new morning glory plants, collect the seeds for future use in the balcony garden, or pinch the flower after it has passed its prime, which makes it put more energy into more blooms (instead of producing a seed).
Misc. Info: Provide morning glory plants with a trellis or something that will allow vertical growth.
