Morning Glory vines (Ipomoea species) are popular due to their rapid growth rate and flowers that open each morning. These annual vines quickly cover fences, trellises, or arbors, providing a dense curtain of foliage and color throughout the summer season. Starting new plants is straightforward, utilizing two methods: germination from seed or rooting from stem cuttings. The choice depends on whether the gardener prefers the ease of seeds or the genetic certainty of cuttings.
Preparing for Seed Propagation
The most common method for starting Morning Glory is by sowing seeds, but successful germination relies on overcoming the seed’s natural defenses. Morning Glory seeds possess a hard outer shell, known as the seed coat, which prevents water from penetrating the embryo. This natural barrier must be broken through a process called scarification to ensure the seed can sprout.
The seed coat can be compromised by carefully filing or nicking the seed with a small metal file or nail clippers. The goal is only to break the coat enough to expose the lighter-colored tissue underneath, without damaging the interior embryo. Alternatively, rubbing the seeds gently between two pieces of sandpaper can achieve the same result for a larger batch of seeds.
Once the seed coat is compromised, the seeds must be soaked in room temperature water for 12 to 24 hours. This soaking allows the seed to imbibe water, which triggers germination, often causing the seeds to swell noticeably. Planting should occur immediately after soaking, as the now-activated seeds are vulnerable to drying out. Sow the pre-treated seeds in a sterile seed-starting mix, placing them shallowly about a half-inch deep. Providing a consistent soil temperature between 65°F and 85°F will encourage sprouting, which typically occurs within five to fifteen days with proper preparation.
Rooting Morning Glory Stem Cuttings
Propagating Morning Glory from stem cuttings is an asexual method that yields a clone of the parent plant, useful for preserving specific traits or varieties. The process begins with selecting a healthy, non-flowering stem segment from the parent vine during the active growing season. A cutting should be approximately four to six inches long and include several leaf nodes along its length.
The lower cut should be made cleanly just below a leaf node, as this is where the highest concentration of root-producing cells is located. After the cut is made, remove any leaves from the bottom half of the segment to prevent them from rotting when placed in the rooting medium. While Morning Glory cuttings can often root in plain water, dipping the cut end into a powdered rooting hormone can increase the success rate and speed of root development.
The prepared cutting can be inserted into a moist, well-draining medium such as a mix of perlite or vermiculite, or a standard potting soil. Alternatively, placing the cutting in a glass of water, changed every few days, will also encourage root growth. Roots generally begin to form within one to two weeks, and the cutting is ready for transplanting once the new roots are a few inches long.
Caring for Young Plants and Transplanting
Once Morning Glory seedlings or rooted cuttings have developed a robust root system and a few sets of true leaves, they must be prepared for their permanent location outdoors. The process of gradually acclimating young plants to outdoor conditions, including direct sunlight and wind, is known as “hardening off”. This transition is accomplished by placing the plants in a sheltered, partially shaded outdoor spot for an increasing amount of time each day over one to two weeks.
Morning Glories thrive in a location that receives at least six hours of full sunlight daily, which is necessary for abundant flowering. The final transplanting outdoors should not occur until all danger of frost has passed and the soil temperature has warmed. When transplanting, care must be taken not to disturb the fragile root ball, as the vine does not tolerate root damage well.
The young plants require immediate vertical support because of their rapid vining habit, so a trellis, fence, or arbor should be in place before planting. The soil should be moderately fertile and well-draining, and the young plants must be kept consistently moist until they become established. Established Morning Glories require consistent watering during dry periods and a sturdy structure for the vines to twine around.