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Moonflower Vine

vera_eastern_wa

10 years ago

Wintersowing these never worked for me so I started them this year indoors on Feb. 17th.....I know early. They germinated within days after a 24 hour soaking. Anyway my vines were potted up into 32oz yogurt containers and for the past 3 or so weeks they have been loaded in flower buds already. A week ago I pinched out the leading vine tip and secondary vines are now being produced. My question is.....is it normal for flower buds to start so early? I have them in a window that only receives a few hours of sun. Could pot size have anything to do with earlier blooms?

PS.....we have a short growing season here in central Idaho mountains....late springs and frosts as early as August.

Thanks

Vera

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Comments (6)

dbrya1
10 years ago
Hmm I never had any bloom that early,what potting soil did you use,and what fertilizer ,surprises me the short amount of sunshine there getting to get blooms so early!
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Vikki
10 years ago
I planted my moonflower vines around the same time and they too are showing the beginnings of buds, They were started in seed starting soil and transplanted after they had a few real leaves into 16 oz. cups.
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715rose
10 years ago
Wow! This is a surprise to me.I've started them in cups early & some of them have sat around outside before finding a spot & they have never had a bud.I'm lucky some years to get a few blooms before frost.I suspect it is day length that triggers buds.
Rose
0
User
10 years ago
They are triggered by day length.....and as the daylight hours increase, the vines will go back into vegetative growth. By the time they flower in the UK, frosts are on the doorstep so it is a frustrating wait for nothing very much. Still, one has to have a go. Not moonflowers for me, this year, but have resurrected the white cup and saucer vine, cobaens scandens alba. Another late flowerer but much, much more floriferous than calynoction and able to cope with a freezier autumn than moonflowers.
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vera_eastern_wa
Original Author
10 years ago
I don't know why, they just are!!
They have several buds in various stages and they are dark purplish in color as are the vines...big heart-shaped leaves. It is Moonvine right?! I received these seed in trade this last fall. I am using those old metal cheapy curtain rods for 2 of them and the 3rd is sitting in the Brugmansia pot and climbing through the tree LOL! None of them are in the best of light either....the first 2 are in a south facing kitchen window, but gets only a hour or so of actual sunlight on the window sill, because it is blocked by a large barn/shop building. The kitchen is has moderate to bright indirect light they rest of the time.

Campanula....these were started AFTER the day length started increasing. I used Super Soil....it's basically just like MiracleGro, but is a fluffier and lighter medium. I used it to start all my winter-sown and indoor-sown seeds this year.

Thanks
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vera_eastern_wa
Original Author
10 years ago
Nice!

I've gotten to flowers for the last two evening! Very big flowers and the smell was to die for!! I now have several elongated buds in various stages. I'm shocked after reading so many posts about such late flowering. Did I receive a Moonflower mutent? Hmmm

Vera
0

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