Growing Morning Glories In Containers - Caring For Morning Glory Vines In Pots

Morning glories (Ipomoea) are beautiful old-fashioned plants that add color and vertical interest to any garden. You see them running up mailboxes, lamp posts, fences, and anything else that they can get their tendrils on. Pot growing morning glory plants is a great way to keep these vigorous vines in check.

Can You Grow Morning Glory in a Container?

Since these plants can be a little wild once they get started, many people grow morning glory vines in pots to keep them contained. Not only can you grow morning glory flowers in a container, but it is recommended that you do so unless you have a large trellis or fence structure to run your plant along. Morning glories will eagerly wind their way around anything in their path and can sometimes take over other plants in your garden unless given a dedicated space.

Growing Morning Glories in Containers

The same rules apply to grow morning glories in containers that apply to grow other vines in containers. Be sure that you use a lightweight, organic planting medium and fix a trellis structure to the pot or behind the pot for the vine to grow on. Be sure that your potting soil drains well. You can add a little gravel to the bottom of the container to help with drainage. Morning glories like the sun or even a bit of afternoon shade and will mix well with other climbers, especially moonflower vine that opens later in the day. Container morning glory flowers can also be used in hanging baskets, as they will trail gracefully down over the pot for a lovely display. Morning glories germinate quickly but like an overnight soak or a knick with a nail file to get them rolling. You can start them indoors to get a head start on the season or sow them directly into pots outdoors. Keep pots well watered but not overly saturated, as morning glories do well in dry soil. Add a little mulch on top of the soil once your vines start popping up out of the soil to maintain moisture and for a decorative effect.

Container Morning Glory Flowers

There are numerous types of morning glory plants to choose from in a rainbow of colors. For an interesting vertical or hanging display, choose several different types of morning glory plants. Some popular pot morning glory varieties include:

• Heavenly Blue, a classic flower with a rich blue color that reaches 12 feet (3.5 m.) high.
• Scarlett O'Hara has bright red flowers and climbs to 15 feet (4.5 m.).
• Star of Yelta, which is an heirloom variety that produces masses of rich purple blooms and grows to 10 feet (3 m.). Many people prefer the Star of Yelta because the blooms remain open for quite some time.
• You can also buy mixed seeds that offer a variety of colors, such as Mt. Fuji, which has striped flowers in various colors.