Long-term morning glory has about 500 species. A feature of the morning glory is its ability to wrap itself around walls, fences and nearby supports. Very beautiful looks plant, if you plant it as a decoration of the veranda or gazebo .
Flowers blossom in the morning and close in the middle of the day. The exception is cloudy days, during which the flowers remain open until evening.
But since morning glory is a poisonous plant, it should be grown only outdoors.
The most common kind of plant is the morning glory of "Batata". The most famous varieties of this genus include the morning glory "Purple" and the morning glory "Nile" .
Ipomea "Purple" is known for its long stems and large flowers. The stalk length of this variety is about 8 m. Flowers have a diameter of 7 cm, they can be purple, lilac, pink and red.
Ipomea "Nile" has stems of about 3 m in length. A special feature of this variety is a rich color palette - flowers can be purple, red, blue, sky blue, lavender, pink.
Also to the genus of the morning glory "Batata" belong the morning glory "Cairo" and the morning glory "Heavenly blue".
How to plant Ipomoe "Purple" and the morning glory "Nile"?
Ipomoea multiplies in several ways:
- Direct sowing. Such a method is common in a warmer southern climate, where ipome can be planted directly in the ground. Before planting, the seeds should be soaked for 24 hours. If they do not swell, they need to be pierced with a needle, and then left again in the water for a day.
- Seedlings. In the northern areas, it is preferable to grow seedlings first, otherwise the morning glory may not be able to bloom or bloom too late. Seeds for seedlings are beginning to be planted at the end of March. The plant does not like it when it is often transplanted, so for seedlings it is necessary to initially select large containers.
When the seedlings have already risen, it is necessary to provide it with support, since the stems can strongly intertwine with each other. In mid-June, when the earth has fully warmed up, the morning glory is planted in the ground together with a clod of earth.
For planting choose a place protected from strong sun, drafts and winds. The plant prefers soil to the loose, fertile, containing lime.
In mid-July, the morning glory begins, which continues until the first frost.
Caring for the morning glory
- At first, you need to fertilize the plant with nitrogen fertilizers. When the morning glory is already beginning to bloom, it should be fertilized with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
- The plant likes watering , but it is important not to overdo it, since the morning glory does not tolerate overmoistening.
- Since the morning glory is a climbing plant, it is important to take care of the supports for it . As supports you can use wire stretched in rows, a grid, trellises, as well as natural supports: fences, trees and walls.
- When a plant fades, it is necessary to remove obsolete flowers to make room for new ones.
- Ipomee is usually threatened by pests such as spider mites and aphids . Therefore, you have to fight them regularly. When a spider mite appears, the plant is covered with a thin cobweb. To lose this insect, it is enough to wash it off with cold water. Signs of the appearance of aphids are the yellow spots that cover the leaves of the morning glory. In this case, the aphids are washed off with water, and then the leaves are treated with a special solution.
Having planted the morning glory, you will receive an unusually beautiful decoration for your house or villa.