How to plant morning glory seeds
A comprehensive introduction on how to plant morning glory seeds and the explanation of morning glory cultivation methods in the field of green plants and flowers, these are very useful tips, recommended for collection!
Morning glory is a perennial herbaceous flower of the Solanaceae family, commonly cultivated as an annual or biennial, also known as butterfly flower, hybrid morning glory, peony of Ganoderma, shuttlecock flower, dwarf trumpet, sweet potato flower, etc. The flowers are large and numerous, bloom profusely, have a long blooming period, rich in color, making it an excellent flower bed and potted flower, can also be planted in a natural cluster, and can be used as a cut flower. It can bloom all year round in suitable climates or greenhouse cultivation. It can be widely used in flower bed arrangements, flower trough configurations, scenic displays, window sill decorations, and home decorations. Dwarf morning glory grows 20-45 cm tall; the stem creeps on the ground, covered with sticky pubescence; the leaves are soft, ovate, entire, alternate, with upper leaves opposite; the flowers are solitary, funnel-shaped, double-layer flowers are spherical, resembling trumpets, with colors such as white, purple, red, pink, and white with red stripes, bordered with other colors, very beautiful, blooming from April to frost; capsule fruit; seeds are tiny.
Morning glory is native to South America, Argentina, and thrives in warm and sunny environments. It is not frost-resistant and害怕 rainlogging. The optimal growth temperature is 13-18°C, with winter temperatures between 4-10°C. If below 4°C, the plant growth stops. It can tolerate high temperatures above 35°C in summer. Dwarf morning glory is a long-day plant, requiring plenty of sunlight during the growing season, and it takes about 100 days from sowing to flowering under normal lighting conditions. How to propagate morning glory at home? Generally, no seedlings are needed in outdoor gardens or potted plants, direct sowing of seeds is sufficient, and the propagation methods usually involve seeds or cuttings.
First is the preparation of the cultivation soil. Home planting of morning glory usually involves potted cultivation, and the first step is to prepare the cultivation soil. Preparing the cultivation soil is very important, as a flower pot is a unique small environment. No single type of soil can meet all the needs of morning glory. Therefore, artificial preparation of cultivation soil is necessary for potted morning glory to replace the soil and keep the plant fixed in the pot, with certain water retention, drainage, loose, fertile, and well-ventilated sandy soil. The cultivation soil for potted morning glory should be made up of 50% garden soil, 20% decomposed leaf mold, and 30% sand. It's best to disinfect the prepared soil at high temperatures (by frying in a wok or steaming) before use, or it can also be sun-dried to kill germs.
Next is seedling raising: usually, morning glory seedlings are raised through播种育苗 or cutting propagation.
Seedling raising is generally carried out in spring and autumn. In spring, when the temperature rises to about 20°C, sowing can be done. Autumn sowing usually results in flowering by mid-March of the following year. Spring sowing in May can bloom by early August. Direct sowing in outdoor gardens and potted plants is possible, or seedlings can be transplanted. If sowing in a greenhouse, it can be advanced to February. Sowing methods commonly used include strip sowing, furrow broadcasting, or bed broadcasting. After sowing, cover the soil to hide the seeds, use straw or plastic film to keep the soil moist, and morning glory seeds can germinate in about a week. When the seedlings have two or three true leaves, thinning should be done promptly to remove weak, leggy, and mixed seedlings, maintain good air circulation and sufficient sunlight to allow the morning glory seedlings to grow rapidly. When the plants have three true leaves, the roots are well-formed and ready for transplanting or potting.
Cutting propagation is done in spring and autumn when the temperature is around 20°C. Cut 5-10 cm long stem segments with at least three internodes and plant them in sand or half-mud sand soil. Keep the soil moist and shaded, and roots can usually form in 35-45 days.
After the morning glory seedlings are well-raised, they need to be potted. First, place broken tiles at the bottom of the pot, then add some decomposed cake fertilizer, crushed bones, fish bones, chicken feathers, etc., as base fertilizers. Fill in the cultivation soil, trim the long lateral roots, injured roots, and excess fibrous roots of the morning glory plant, make sure the roots are spread out, fill the soil to half the pot, then gently shake the plant to compact the soil, do not plant too deep, keeping the rootstock level with the pot opening. If too shallow, it affects survival; if too deep, it affects the growth of the dwarf morning glory after transplanting. Water the plant thoroughly after planting. Initially planted plants should avoid long exposure to strong sunlight. Place the potted plants in a shaded environment for about a week, then move them to a sunny place for care after the roots have recovered.
Morning glory is afraid of drought and waterlogging. In daily management, watering should follow the principle of drying and wetting, with more watering in dry and hot seasons and controlled watering in low temperature and rainy conditions. In summer, water once in the afternoon, and during rainy days, the pot should be placed on its side to drain accumulated water. Reduce watering in autumn, and ensure water supply during the flowering period and summer. Morning glory likes fertilizer, but potted morning glory should control the amount of fertilizer, especially nitrogen fertilizer should not be over-applied. Foliar feeding can be used, and after the morning glory shows flower buds, apply 2-3 times of 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate liquid fertilizer to ensure continuous flowering. Move the potted morning glory indoors for winter, maintaining a temperature above 0°C for safe overwintering. Remove faded flowers promptly to avoid affecting the appearance.
The above introduction on how to plant morning glory seeds and the explanation of morning glory cultivation methods are for everyone to learn and understand!