What you need to know when growing potted morning glory at home
Morning glory is one of those plants that growers use with pleasure for planting in the garden near summer gazebos. Braiding them with its long shoots, the plant not only creates a stunning effect during flowering, but also gives the much needed shade. It is possible to grow this liana even in a metropolis, but already as a potted balcony culture. You should not be afraid of long creeping shoots - having organized suitable conditions for the flower, not only the owners themselves, but also passers-by will admire its flowering throughout the summer.
What should be considered when planting morning glory at home in a pot, in addition to the usual growing conditions? First of all, these are three factors:
- choose the right time for sowing seeds;
- find a suitable pot and soil;
- provide good lighting;
- provide support for the creeping stems.
When to sow?
Morning glory is characterized by very rapid growth, the seeds usually germinate well and grow quickly, so you should immediately decide: grow seedlings in an apartment on the windowsill or sow seeds directly into a pot on the balcony, where they will grow further.
Sow Ipomoeu for seedlings possible at the end of March. If it is not possible to provide good lighting and support for the seedlings, you can sow the seeds directly into the pot and leave it on the balcony. In this case, this should be done not earlier than the end of April, and then the seedlings themselves should be thinned out.
When planting morning glory immediately in a pot (or transferring ready-made seedlings to the balcony), it must be borne in mind that it is thermophilic and the bushes will not survive temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius.
What kind of pot do you need?
For morning glory, you need to choose a large enough flowerpot. One plant will need at least 3 liters of soil. A drainage layer must be laid at the bottom of the pot - the flower does not like stagnant water. Accordingly, he himself substrate should be light and loose.
The Role of Lighting for Ipomoea Flowering
The most suitable place for a flower pot is the south balcony. It will also bloom well on the east or west side of the house. But the northern balconies, unfortunately, are not very suitable for growing vines. It is quite possible to get a green bush there, but a lack of light will negatively affect flowering: it will be very scarce or will not come at all.
Features of care for potted morning glory
Several bushes can be planted in one pot, making the distance between them at least 20 cm. When transplanting morning glory seedlings to a permanent place in a pot, you should know that it does not tolerate it well. This should be done using the transshipment method, being careful not to damage the roots.
In order for the vine to branch well and not stretch out, the seedlings must be pinched at the stage of 4 real leaves.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the support for the flower: it is installed even at the seedling stage, when the seedlings are low, otherwise they will intertwine with each other. In the pot itself, you can build a structure of bamboo sticks, installing them in the form of a wigwam, or put a decorative plastic lattice.