Morning glories
Mack Asked
I’ve always gotten big, beautiful flowers in late summer from the morning glory seeds I plant. But in the past three years, they haven’t bloomed at all, though the growing conditions haven’t changed. Any thoughts?—Mack
The Gardener’s Answer
Morning glories, considered annuals in Kentucky, tend to self-sow and return every year. These vines thrive in full sun and poor soil, but they do need a specific amount uninterrupted darkness each night to produce flowers. Something as simple as a porch light can interrupt this. Morning glories need less than 12 hours of daylight. Light exposure and temperature play a role in bloom formation and this can change from year to year. Environmental factors may have caused the lack of blooms on your vines. Another issue may be too much fertilizer, which encourages vegetative growth but inhibits blooms. No need to spoil these vines as they prefer to be neglected in our cultivated gardens.
Angie Oakley
