Can you have both?

My queens wreath is lovely in spring and then blooms are few and far between.
When I saw your picture I IMMEDIATELY thought I would plant wave petunias to hang down and MGs to go up.
What d'ya think?
Tanya

That's very pretty Tom. If it were me I would probably have both. Just to let you know, I planted some morning glories and they seemed to develop all the symptoms of root knot nematode. I have no idea if this is usually a problem or just a random problem that I had. Yours sure look healthy though.

Hi Tom

Those morning glories look very pretty! I am just going to give you my recent experience with both of them. Morning glories even they do have a lot of beautiful colors they don't last too long for me, like Amber said they might be sensitive to nematodes, I don't know. I guess you safely planted them in containers so they should be fine.

Remember my recently planted queens wreath? it is a very strong plant and no care, strong roots and planted on the ground doing great, it only gets water when it rains or sprinklers.

This is the side that is planted

The other side, on the bottom I planted a peach colored Alamanda

Let us know what you decide to do...

Silvia

I'm not sure what to do. This is the second year for this plant, even survived the frost we had for four days. It seems to be very hearty, I got it from SaintPFla and she said hers doesn't do this well. I've never seen a seed pod yet from it, seems kinda odd. And, I planted three more varieties around the other three 4x4 bases this spring but none of them have done well. This one was originally in a one gallon container in Al's mix, then when the vine was 6' I planted it in the ground. All I know is we've been very happy with the continuous blooms for the last two years. Now that I've become a flower junkie gotta go check out wave petunias :-) :-(

Tom

Tom, I can't say for sure from the picture, but that looks like the perrinial morning glory vine, which is very different than the annual morning glories. I have that vine and it grows very well and blooms all year for me. Mine is at least 4 years old. That is why you haven't any seeds from it, since it doesn't seed like the annuals do.

Hi Kat,

Well now that makes sense, sure explains things all around....Now the question is, is it available in other colors?

Tom

How do you know if you have the annual or perennial variety? I have seeds for MG to sow, and was told I should do it at the end of August...when will they flower?

When in doubt I always go here, look at the ipomoea family. In my quest for more color I found one reference stating railroad vine could be trellised, but I don't like the fact that not only does it seed, it also spreads underground via rhizomes...I may just have to live with the one color....

Tom

Chloe, did the seeds come in a package? It should say on the package that they are annuals, which most likely they are. Except there is a morning glory "bush" which I have in white and another in pink, that is somewhere between a bush and a vine. Those are grown by seed. The perennial vine doesn't have seeds. The annuals grow better in the winter months, they don't like our summer heat and humidity.

Tom, I haven't ever seen the perennial vine in other colors. It is quite aggressive and some consider it a thug vine. :o) To me it is worth the work to keep it pruned, because it is so pretty. It will root at the nodes so don't let it touch the ground. It really is too big for a small trellus and needs an arbor like yours at the very least. I have mine on a pergula that is 12x12, but also have a Dutchman's pipe vine on that too.

...and some consider it a thug vine. :o) To me it is worth the work to keep it pruned....

I agree, right now I'm trimming it every two weeks, and at the base of the 4x4 it's growing from it does crawl along the ground but I'm keeping that trimmed too....I can see where this could be an invasive if not controlled but I like it enough to manage it.

Tom

my vote, "french perfume jasmine". evergreen in your area, nice privacy fence and the most sweet smell in the spring you will ever encounter. blooms before confederate and is not that big of a vine. all the neighbors have it here. when we walk the dogs you can tell which neighbor put it in.

Wow, that's beautiful, how long is the bloom period?

Tom

unfortunatley only a couple of weeks. but it is a very interesting plant, don't see it around much.

Tom,
Have you thought about mixing in moon flower for nighttime blooms that smell sweet? I've read they're native and I've read they're not. But I'm pretty sure they're related to morning glory and grow well where morning glory does. And since their leaves are identical, the vine would blend in well. The white flowers are larger than regular morning glories and would make a really pretty show out there at night.
Personally, morning glory is one of the things I'm trying to fend off from the neighbor's neglected yard. They're pretty aggressive down here. But they sure are pretty.
S

Tom --- Those morning glories are just stunning!!! What a great view from your pool. Best of luck with whatever you choose.

Christine

Susie - it's aggressive up here too since I'm still Zone 10, I have to trim it back every two weeks right now....I have some Moon Flower seeds, maybe once I get the veggie garden settled I'll give them a try.

Christine - thanks, we sure enjoy waking up to this every morning, and so do the bumble bees :-)

Tom