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gerris2

Are you growing any MGs indoors over the winter?

Hi everyone,

I wanted to ask if anyone is planning to grow a morning glory vine indoors over the winter? I have several started up already, and will have to restrict myself severely so I don't have 20 containers sitting around near windows and under timer-controlled lights.

I have grown MGs indoors the past several years. They will grow nicely on small trellises, will flower up and even make seeds. It's a nice way to pass the cold season.

I have several different Ipomoea purpurea vines growing now. I know they can grow to big vines, so I will have to be creative on how to loop the vines on the trellis. I started Arum's JMG strain 'Bold Miss Piggy' indoors at work on a small Japanese marketed hoop trellis.

Here is the dark seed form of Blue Silk I grew in 2006.

Joseph

Comments (71)

  • emmagrace2
    14 years ago

    Thank you Arum,

    Yes, the Fujishibori continues to be one of my very favorite MGs too. The last couple of years, I have gotten vines that produced a 'Light Form'.

    Emma

  • dena_eft
    14 years ago

    Oh Emma, those are so beautiful! Can't believe they were able to produce a speckled MG, and one so breathtaking. That seems to be more blue, mine are purple. Are thy different ones? Also the speckling seems different. :) Arum

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  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Arum, The Blue Silk I grew indoors and shown in the first photograph made dark colored seeds. I also have the tan colored seeds you mentioned. Both seed morphs make equally beautiful flowers, I think.

    Emma, I like the looks of the lilac youjiro and of course Fujishibori.

  • emmagrace2
    14 years ago

    Joseph,
    Thanks - I have added those seeds to your list. The Lilac Youjiro is really a neat plant.

    Arum,
    Actually, I have gotten several shades of Purple/Wine over the years from my Fujishibori. The bloom above is more of a 'Creamy White with Dark Purple Speckles' and the photo below is from my first blooms that were more of a 'Wine-Purple Color with White Speckles'. I have gotten other shades as well and all are so beautiful.

  • emmagrace2
    14 years ago

    This Fujishibori bloom is more of a Dark Purple Speckled

  • dena_eft
    14 years ago

    Thanks Joseph for the info, I'm going to grow the blue Silk again in the Spring. Emma, those MG's are also a must to grow. Question? Do you have trouble with the leaves turning brown? Am I doing something wrong, the flowers are gorgeous, but the variegated leaves turn brown? :) Arum

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I have often seen where the leaves have died and dropped off the vine. Especially if the leaf was earlier challenged by mites or rust. JMGs do not age gracefully but that doesn't seem to affect seed maturation process.

  • emmagrace2
    14 years ago

    Arum,
    I agree with Joseph about Variegated Leaves.

    I don't particularly have any problems out of the ordinary with my Fujishibori vines. Do you feed your MGs throughout the growing year?

    This year my leaves were very healthy on all of my vines until the last 30-days. Now, after all of the rain we have had the biggest part of them have rust. Most of those were done blooming for the year, so I am waiting for seeds, then rippiing out the entire vine.

    Let me know if you would like me to send you some of my Fujishibori seeds and I will be happy to share with you.

    Here is another great MG I grew this year that was a super prolific bloomer. I have not given this one a name yet.

  • woofie_gw
    14 years ago

    Ooooooh, Emma, that is BEAUTIFUL!!!

    Ron suggested I check out this thread because I'm attempting to grow a few MG indoors this winter as well. I haven't been growing MGs very long, so I'm a bit uncertain about my chances for success. I'm hoping to lurk here to pick up a few tips. :-) What do you all use for trellises for your indoor plants?

  • luvsgrtdanes
    14 years ago

    Emma I just love that one!!

    Hi woofie nice to see you here!! I am using thin bamboo stakes for mine when they are ready. I don't let my inside plants get as crazy as outside in the summer...just don't have the room and I am crowding them together. what are you going to grow? I have about 20 started with only about 50% germination so far. That's OK though I am going to grow a few babies for Emma to see what we get...I can't wait for my babies to arrive!

  • woofie_gw
    14 years ago

    Thanks, Ronnie. I just have a handful of seedlings started right now. I'm growing out a few seeds collected from an interesting cross to see if they come true and at the same time growing out what I think are the "parents" to see if I can duplicate the cross. Also brought in a moonflower vine to see if I can coax it to bloom indoors. We had nasty, sub-freezing weather for over a week that took out all my outdoor plants at bit ahead of schedule...so I'm compensating. :-)

  • dena_eft
    14 years ago

    Emma, thank you, - you are so generous, I owe most of my collection to you already! :) I will let you know if I start trading again, maybe I could find something for you also. :) Who knows, maybe theres SOMETHING you don't have. :) The lady down the way always has MG's that come back every year, and while hers are flourishing, mine are still waiting to germanite. It's well worth it though, because when mine do bloom, they are real eye candy. :) Arum

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hi Woofie, good to see you here!

    I use small circular trellises to support the vines. They were offered on eBay by a vendor located in Japan a couple years ago but have not seen them lately. I hear tell they were recently sold at dollar stores for much less than I paid the ebay vendor I'm sure. If anyone knows of a US-based vendor of these trellises, I would sure enjoy knowing their contact informationl; in the photo you can see a circular one and also a square shaped trellis made of what looks like plastic.

    You can also use bamboo to support the vines which works very well.

    Joseph

  • emmagrace2
    14 years ago

    Arum,
    I also do not do much trading any longer, except with a few good long-time friends.

    WELCOME WOOFIE . . .

    Thanks Woofie and Ronnie -
    I agree my HUGE SPOKED MG is really grand. Plus, it is a serious bloomer too. Just blooms like crazy. Some of the blooms are Purple and all shades in between - and some have larger spokes than others.

    Joseph, I like your square trellis.

    I got lucky and got a huge box of the small green plastic cages like Joseph has from Canada. I use those on some of my container MGs and I also use the green bamboo canes up to 4' tall and secured together at the top to form a teepee

  • dena_eft
    14 years ago

    Emma,Joseph,and who ever else loves Mg's like I do,I did so much trading in, - I think it was 2006 that I kinda got burnt out. My MG collection seems quite vast, although I don't know all the names. When I came here and saw all those varieties, I couldn't believe it, - after only seeing a few different ones in the past, like Heavenly Blue that my Mom grew. Even vines in general are very interesting, but of corse the MG"S are special. It's like opening a gift every morning. Emma, I will never forget all the seeds you sent , it was very impressive. You took so much care in wrapping them, and so many kinds,it was a great trade! Also Joseph, you sent the "Dwarf Bees", short Scarlet runners, they were really interesting. Smokey Mist sent me the White Hyacinth Bean, that I absolutely love. Does anyone remember her? Is she still around? And before I finish my ramblings, what is the best kind of soil to grow thewe Mg's in inside, Miracle Grow Soil would be to fertile wouldn't it? Thanks, :) Arum

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I took that photo I posted with the square, round and other type of trellises when I was in Japan. The square one looks like one could build using erector-set parts! LOL

    Arum, your Bold Miss Piggy MG has made a strong seedling. I am sure it will flower up later on in the year. Can't wait!

    Your photos always light up the web page, Emma. Awesome!

    Joseph

  • woofie_gw
    14 years ago

    Sigh, Emma you've got me drooling all over my keyboard.

    Well, rats. I was hoping someone had a source for some lightweight, pre-made trellises. Guess I'll have to look for the bamboo sticks. I was hoping for something that would make it easy to move the pots around. Right now, I don't think my seedlings are getting enough light, even tho they are in a south facing window. My little Jamie Lynn is getting kind of looooong. :-) Oh, these are all I. purpurea seedlings; any recommendations on a minimum size pot for when I transplant them into their final homes?

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I am learning as I go with purpurea being grown indoors. I think the volume of vine grown (biomass) may be limited by container size so choose accordingly and see what happens. If you use a 5 gallon pot you may get a jungle growing in the house. I have an Ipomoea nil that I grew in a very small container (measures 8 inches diameter) that has made quite a nice long vine and doesn't seem to want to stop growing in its small footprint container. You can always prune the vine if it gets too long. It will respond my making lateral vines from the leaf nodes and it may result in a more full presentation of vine and flower on the trellis. Take notes of what you do and share your experiences here as I hope others will do as well.

    Look at the size containers the Japanese gardener was using in the photo I recently posted above (the one with the square trellis). The soil volume in the square trellis container seems quite minimal, doesn't it? The plant doesn't seem to care LOL.

    Joseph

  • luvsgrtdanes
    14 years ago

    Arum I remember smokymist...don't see her or many of the originals around much anymore.

    I personally use pro mix for all of my plants and containers. I am lucky enough to be able to get a huge bag at not so huge a price. I am experimenting with small pots this year to save space. I had a purpurea growing out of a crack in my pavement this year that seemed very happy!! LOL Certainly not caring about size or soil!! This is the first time I am doing a few purpurea inside so it's a learning experience for all of us
    I guess

  • woofie_gw
    14 years ago

    What I noticed this past year about my I. purpureas was that the ones in either the ground or large pots just took over! I did one that I put in a 2 gallon nursery pot, but sunk part of the pot into a half-barrel so the roots could grow out the bottom and planted smaller plants around it. That worked out very nicely: the vine looked full and healthy, with lots of blooms, without taking over the whole area, and the contrasting smaller plants (petunia and alyssum) did well and the overall effect was very nice. I'm going to try 2 and 3 gallon pots indoors (not enough room for the 5 gallon ones and they're too heavy anyway!). Heck, I have a little leftover plant that I brought indoors in a 5" pot and the little rascal has blooms on it now.

    Was doing some looking around for MG supports (I'm lazy, I'd rather buy something than build my own) and came across these at Gardener's Supply. They're offering free shipping for a limited time. Opinions?
    http://www.gardeners.com/Flower-Support-Rings/FlowerGardening_FlowerSupports,37-465RS,default,cp.html

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Gee, Woofie, you are a magician with a web search engine! They appear to be what I was looking for...they fold up flat which is excellent for storage. Awesome! I wonder why they are offering them for a limited time, you would think they'd sell like hotcakes amongst the vine growers.

    Joseph

  • woofie_gw
    14 years ago

    Oh, I'm sorry, I must have not made it clear....it's only the free shipping that is for a limited time--through Nov. 1, I believe. They have a couple of other items that look like they might be useful for MGs, too. Look at their selection of "plant supports" (not trellises). And the free shipping may only be available if you access them through the email they sent. If anyone is interested and that's a problem, I can forward that email if needed.

  • primrose1x3
    14 years ago

    Hi Woofie, nice to see you over here - looks like the internet should have quite a diverse group of growing conditions/ideas among folks experimenting with MGs indoors this winter. I like those trellises you found, but I'm growing mine in vewwwwy small pots, with one thin bamboo stick for support, instead.

    My question to this forum is: Given my circumstances described below, what kind of indoor grow lights would you use, if you were me?

    Like many houses built for mill workers in the 1800s, our house is tiny and built into a hillside, and we love it for its hobbit-like ambience (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hobbit ). So, there's not much space or light in here, plus it is all ruled by our resident feline, St. Ray (vet's idea, as he was abandoned in front of the door to her clinic in his pet carrier).

    Yesterday, we horsed our MG vines indoors, and four of the flats (~11" x ~22") were placed against a little-over 72" high wall (with a small window), two on a shelf at the mid-point, and two beneath the shelf on the floor.

    The room is an 8' x 8' utility/storage/cat-litter-box room with a very narrow aisle between the wall of vines and the washing machine door and litter box. There are approximately 12 - 18 small pots in each flat. The wall is draped in plastic to keep St. Ray out and humidity in (with added wire fencing on the floor to assist St. Ray in keeping his paws where they're s'posed to be).

    Does anyone have any advice on how to light these vines, since there's no room for the 48" shop lights we had to take out? I would very much appreciate any ideas -

    Karen, whose measuring skills leave much to be desired

    ps - adding my thanks to Arum's and others above for Emma's generous gifts of seeds in the past - She is the Gandalf who first cast the Morning Glory Spell on me

  • primrose1x3
    14 years ago

    pps - the vines are trained to 36" high bamboo poles, one to a small pot - hence lack of vertical room for those shop lights grrr. I hesitate to retrain those vines to shorter sticks, because of breakage.

  • luvsgrtdanes
    14 years ago

    Karen you can try dome lights that can hold a 150 watt twisty fluorescent bulb. You can hang them anywhere and they don't take up much space. A few will light the whole area. You can also use a HPS light, the don't take up space but the do get hot. One of the smallest bulbs will light your whole area. I forget what I used last year, seems like it was 150 watt. It isn't marked on the bulb. My son will remember though if you want to know.

    {{gwi:1350206}}

    {{gwi:1350207}}

    {{gwi:1350208}}

  • primrose1x3
    14 years ago

    Thanks, Ronnie. Your picture helped, too. I couldn't visualize how to get the light to the flats on the floor under the shelf, but with a movable cord/support, I would have flexibility about what height/direction to put it at when the room is not in use.

    Since I would only use it to give these vines a chance to form and ripen any seed pods in the next few weeks, when there is little warmth back there, extra heat would be ideal this time of year.

    I'll go with the HPS (High Pressure Sodium to gadget newbies like me), since Karyn earlier pointed out that it is good for flower production.

    Thanks again everyone for your help and encouragement for winter MGs.

    Karen

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Emma also sent me some incredible JMGs to grow, once I saw Fujishibori it was the call of the Borg where resistance was indeed futile. LOL

  • luvsgrtdanes
    14 years ago

    She's a trouble maker that one, she is!!!

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I bought one of each size of the round trellises for evaluation. The shipping was not free but not too prohibitive either as I recall.

  • primrose1x3
    14 years ago

    About that Emma getting me into morning glories so deeply - what with all the plastic guarding our MGs, my house now looks like a store display for shower curtains. Actually, if they were the see-through kind with parrots, it might be fun to give the parrots a few Australian tree ferns and grasses to perch upon...St. Ray would make such a fearsome jungle cat - NOT :)

    Well, I'm as frugal with parrots and tree ferns as I am with folding trellises for potted MGs. I hope they work out for y'all. I think dh and I will continue our annual spring raid for bamboo sticks upon an abandoned bamboo patch in a long forgotted quarry - woods have grown up over it, and streams run through, and around the spring equinox, it's like walking through bottle-green light through all those ferns and wildflowers.

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Your house sounds like an enchanted forest, Karen.

  • primrose1x3
    14 years ago

    Thank you, Joseph, but only in the Land of If. The vines have now lost the rest of their rust and frost bitten leaves, and do not seem the least amused at being subjected to changes incurred from coming indoors from outdoors. I still hope to see new growth at the old leaf nodes, as has sometimes been the case in the past. We shall see.

    Speaking of If, a MG-loving friend of ours that no longer posts, brought the poem, If, by Rudyard Kipling to my attention when we were musing about Mordor and what it does to truth. I really like this poem, so will post it here with its link, if that's all right -

    If, by Rudyard Kipling; source - http://www.everypoet.com/archive/poetry/Rudyard_Kipling/kipling_if.htm

    If you can keep your head when all about you
    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
    If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
    But make allowance for their doubting too;
    If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
    Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
    Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
    And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

    If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
    If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
    If you can meet with triumph and disaster
    And treat those two imposters just the same;
    If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
    Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
    And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

    If you can make one heap of all your winnings
    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
    And lose, and start again at your beginnings
    And never breath a word about your loss;
    If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
    To serve your turn long after they are gone,
    And so hold on when there is nothing in you
    Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

    If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
    Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
    If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
    If all men count with you, but none too much;
    If you can fill the unforgiving minute
    With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
    Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
    And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

    Karen

  • luvsgrtdanes
    14 years ago

    Karen that poem is my favorite!! I can't read it without getting choked up and wishing we all could live true to it!! I gave a copy to my son on his wedding day and will give one to my youngest son on his.

  • primrose1x3
    14 years ago

    Yup - I'd probably spend more time rattling my hairy knuckles across the cave floor, if not for words to evolve by like these

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I enjoyed the poem too, Karen, thanks for posting it.

    I received the shipment of trellises from Gardeners Supply Company that woofie_gw brought to our attention. I ordered the 3 different sizes, 30", 36" and 48". I think the two shorter ones are adequate for indoors growing but the taller one has potential if you don't want to prune the vine and grow it out for seed production. You get 3 trellises per order so on a per trellis basis the price was reasonable. The trellises are quite sturdily made, so it appears, and they ought to last quite a few growing seasons. On a survey they included in the shipment, I asked them if they had anything shorter than 30", since these sized trellises are good for growing and displaying the mutant JMG strains.

    Joseph

  • woofie_gw
    14 years ago

    I also found some small plastic round trellises that clip onto 5" pots. I'm going to order some of them, along with some 5" net pots and try just planting the whole thing into a larger pot when it's transplanting time. You can view the little trellises here:
    http://www.emeraldelectronic.com/store/proddetail.cfm/ItemID/448850/CategoryID/20000/SubCatID/1971/file.htm

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    woofie_gw, I read your post on these trellises you placed in the MG forum over in Mordor, and they look like just the deal to grow these vines. I look forward to seeing how they work for you.

    Joseph

  • woofie_gw
    14 years ago

    Mordor, huh? One of these days, I'm going to have to find out what that was all about.
    I'm going to order those pots and trellises today (hubby made the mistake of asking me what I wanted for my birthday), so I'll soon be able to tell you how they work out. Does that MG you just posted have a name? It looks a lot like some NOID nils I grew this year.

  • chere
    14 years ago

    I'm going to try this for the first time. I have a spiral staircase that I have put a plant under so we don't walk under it and bump our heads. I hope to get the morning glory to climb up the post. There is a big picture window on the second floor that I hope produces enough light.

    Chere

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hi Woofie, That particular flower is one of my favorites of Xiong's Chinese MG, red with white margin. It is actually a No-ID because it came to me in a trade with no name, only an English description of flower characters, not unlike what the Japanese sometimes do for their plant names.

    Chere, your indoors MG project sounds like an exciting one. Which one are you growing? If you grow a strain of Ipomoea purpurea you'll likely get a ton of flowers fast. I have several going now and each one has flower buds after only about 5 weeks growth. Ipomoea nil will flower up that fast if you choose an early flowering strain. Based on my experience, I have had Xiong's CMG (see photo above in my last post) and Star of India flower up early when grown outdoors. Maybe other folks can suggest other early-flowering strains?

    One critical key to get them to flower for you is ensuring the photoperiod is short day or decreasing short day say from 10 to 12 hours light to less light over time, to mimic what occurs in outdoors gardening when the I. nil strains become flower makers after the summer solstice occurs.

    Giving the plant some Phosphorus helps in flower production too (the P in the NPK formula).

    Joseph

  • luvsgrtdanes
    14 years ago

    Joseph...?for ya...are you using the mycorrhizal fungi stuff you talked about in another thread for your inside plants?

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Hi Ronnie,

    I have been using the root dip formulation. Hoping I can get away without using fertilizer since the plants are budding up nicely.

    Joseph

  • luvsgrtdanes
    14 years ago

    Joseph how do you use it? I have some and would like to give it a try...

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Ronnie, what is the brand name of the product you have? With that information, I can look online to see how they formulated the product for application.

  • luvsgrtdanes
    14 years ago

    Joseph I have 'Rootone w/ fungicide' and 'Clonex'

  • woofie_gw
    14 years ago

    Joseph, what length photo period would you recommend for plants that are just starting out? Mine are only just now starting to get their second set of leaves, and I had to restart one variety, so they're just now breaking ground. Ha, ha, I'm going to have to move them out of the kitchen 'cause my hubby keeps turning the lights on at night.

  • chere
    14 years ago

    Joseph

    Thank you for the information. I'm trying Heavenly Blue. I just found some seeds I traded for that are unknown. I will put these in a pot and try them up in the loft.

    Chere

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Woofie and others,

    I am uncertain if the photoperiod effect is seen in species of Ipomoea other than Ipomoea nil. I have read that if seedlings that are grown under long day/short night conditions for 5 days (that is, 5 days of 16 hours light/8 hours dark) then treated to one cycle of short day/long night (8 hours light/16 hours total dark) will induce flowering in the plants. I say total darkness because any break in the darkness, such as a husband turning on the light for just a brief period, will disturb floral induction. What you can try is popping the container with seedling into a light-tight box for 16 hours and see if flower buds start coming on in a big way. I have seen reports of big flowers appearing on very small vines when they are treated in this manner. I haven't tried it but it would be a cool thing to do.

    Ronnie, I think those products are compounts for inducing root production in cuttings due to presence of certain plant enzymes. The products I was referring to have mycorrhizal fungi that the root must come in contact with so the fungus and root can form the symbiotic bond by the fungus actually infecting the root. The fungus forms a web out in the soil around the roots, and make Phosphorus and other micronutrients available to plants in exchange for compounds the plants make available to the fungi. Google using search term mycorrhizal fungal products should give you piles of products to try out. Check out the videos that are on You Tube, I just watched the one in the link below and it was pretty informative.

    Joseph

    Here is a link that might be useful: Mycorrhizal fungi general discussion on You Tube

  • luvsgrtdanes
    14 years ago

    Thanks Joseph...I though maybe you were talking about something else!⺠I'll check out the video. Thanks a bunch!

  • Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Time for a new thread = this one is getting long!

    Continuation of Growing MGs Indoors Over the Winter

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