Morning Glories.

I planted a few this year using a method I read about in the paper in early
June, which was to soak them in warm water for a few hours, then plant two
in each small pot with compost, then pick out the weakling. The resultant
plants have grown up poles to a height of four feet or so but refuse to
flower.

When I was in Spain last week there was a magnificent display of them just
rambling all over the top of a wall, not climbing or anything. Hundreds of
the superb blue flowers I was looking forward to.

Any ideas on why they don't flower? I used two different packets of seeds
from two different suppliers, different varieties too, but no flowers on
either. I suspect I should put them in earlier without soaking, but the
article indicated that they should flower either way.

Uncle Marvo wrote:
Morning Glories.
I planted a few this year using a method I read about in the paper in early
June, which was to soak them in warm water for a few hours, then plant two
in each small pot with compost, then pick out the weakling. The resultant
plants have grown up poles to a height of four feet or so but refuse to
flower.
When I was in Spain last week there was a magnificent display of them just
rambling all over the top of a wall, not climbing or anything. Hundreds of
the superb blue flowers I was looking forward to.
Any ideas on why they don't flower? I used two different packets of seeds
from two different suppliers, different varieties too, but no flowers on
either. I suspect I should put them in earlier without soaking, but the
article indicated that they should flower either way.

Are they still in pots? Indoors? Maybe that's why they're not
flowering. They like growing where they've been sown too. But also, I
would have planted them much more earlier. HTH

In reply to La Puce ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

Uncle Marvo wrote:
Morning Glories.
I planted a few this year using a method I read about in the paper
in early June, which was to soak them in warm water for a few hours,
then plant two in each small pot with compost, then pick out the
weakling. The resultant plants have grown up poles to a height of
four feet or so but refuse to flower.
When I was in Spain last week there was a magnificent display of
them just rambling all over the top of a wall, not climbing or
anything. Hundreds of the superb blue flowers I was looking forward
to.
Any ideas on why they don't flower? I used two different packets of
seeds from two different suppliers, different varieties too, but no
flowers on either. I suspect I should put them in earlier without
soaking, but the article indicated that they should flower either
way.

Are they still in pots? Indoors? Maybe that's why they're not
flowering. They like growing where they've been sown too. But also, I
would have planted them much more earlier. HTH

Yes, but the pots are those degradable ones made of cardboardy stuff, and
they in turn are in the ground. They're outdoors, growing up a wooden frame.
I think you're right, planting them earlier rather than forcing might be the
solution. Ah well, next year!

Thanks

Uncle Marvo wrote:
Yes, but the pots are those degradable ones made of cardboardy stuff, and
they in turn are in the ground. They're outdoors, growing up a wooden frame.
I think you're right, planting them earlier rather than forcing might be the
solution. Ah well, next year!

Indeed ... until then, here something to keep you waiting for. This one
is the indica one -quite amazing )

http://cjoint.com/?jbnh3BDOtY

On 1/9/06 12:00, in article , "Uncle Marvo"
wrote:

snip
Yes, but the pots are those degradable ones made of cardboardy stuff, and
they in turn are in the ground. They're outdoors, growing up a wooden frame.
I think you're right, planting them earlier rather than forcing might be the
solution. Ah well, next year!


We have Ipomoea growing over an arch in the garden and I think Ray popped
them out there about two months ago or so - I'll check that. But he started
them off in a greenhouse and they're now flowering madly in a west-facing
border which gets a lot of sun. I do think 'a lot of sun' is part of the
key to these doing well in this country.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

On 1/9/06 12:47, in article , "Sacha"
wrote:

On 1/9/06 12:00, in article , "Uncle Marvo"
wrote:

snip
Yes, but the pots are those degradable ones made of cardboardy stuff, and
they in turn are in the ground. They're outdoors, growing up a wooden frame.
I think you're right, planting them earlier rather than forcing might be the
solution. Ah well, next year!


We have Ipomoea growing over an arch in the garden and I think Ray popped
them out there about two months ago or so - I'll check that. But he started
them off in a greenhouse and they're now flowering madly in a west-facing
border which gets a lot of sun. I do think 'a lot of sun' is part of the
key to these doing well in this country.

Over lunch I checked into this a bit more. Ray grows ours from cuttings.
It's Ipomoea learii. He suggests that sowing seed as early as January
wouldn't go amiss and says that he thinks the secret is to pot them on until
they're in pretty roomy pots and are about 5' tall, *then* put them outside.
All this is of course, bearing in mind that they're grown in a prop. house
with heated benches, misting etc. but there's no reason you shouldn't
achieve a good display with yours. The one we have under glass atm is
stunning everyone with the display it's putting on - it really is a fabulous
sight.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

In article , Sacha writes:
|
| Over lunch I checked into this a bit more. Ray grows ours from cuttings.
| It's Ipomoea learii. He suggests that sowing seed as early as January
| wouldn't go amiss ....

Er, you mean that for the annual Ipomoeas, not I. learii (indica etc.)
The latter is not fertile.

It turns out that the problem is that its pollen doesn't germinate;
that of some other species does (in I. learii flowers), but doesn't
get far down the tube. I enquired in a few quarters if there were
any good descriptions of the physiology of germination in vascular
plants, and got my usual deafening silence. It is a topic that is
rather beyond mere undergraduate courses :-)

But it layers like the devil (just try to STOP it doing so!), as I am
very sure that you know, so its infertility is not normally regarded
as a problem :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In reply to La Puce ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

Uncle Marvo wrote:
Yes, but the pots are those degradable ones made of cardboardy
stuff, and they in turn are in the ground. They're outdoors, growing
up a wooden frame. I think you're right, planting them earlier
rather than forcing might be the solution. Ah well, next year!

Indeed ... until then, here something to keep you waiting for. This
one is the indica one -quite amazing )

http://cjoint.com/?jbnh3BDOtY

It's terrific. I think they all are, even the lighter ones. The flowers are
supposed to come out every day then they fall off and are replaced, IINVMM.

Maybe I should have just grown loads more :-)

"Uncle Marvo" wrote in message
...
Morning Glories.

I planted a few this year using a method I read about in the paper in
early June, which was to soak them in warm water for a few hours, then
plant two in each small pot with compost, then pick out the weakling. The
resultant plants have grown up poles to a height of four feet or so but
refuse to flower.

When I was in Spain last week there was a magnificent display of them just
rambling all over the top of a wall, not climbing or anything. Hundreds of
the superb blue flowers I was looking forward to.

Any ideas on why they don't flower? I used two different packets of seeds
from two different suppliers, different varieties too, but no flowers on
either. I suspect I should put them in earlier without soaking, but the
article indicated that they should flower either way.

I think you probably started a bit late with sowing.
They might still flower if the weather is clement.
Maybe worth digging them up and bringing inside (coolish place) is the
weather turns really bad.
Jenny

On 1/9/06 14:37, in article , "Uncle Marvo"
wrote:

In reply to La Puce ) who wrote this in
, I, Marvo, say :

Uncle Marvo wrote:
Yes, but the pots are those degradable ones made of cardboardy
stuff, and they in turn are in the ground. They're outdoors, growing
up a wooden frame. I think you're right, planting them earlier
rather than forcing might be the solution. Ah well, next year!

Indeed ... until then, here something to keep you waiting for. This
one is the indica one -quite amazing )

http://cjoint.com/?jbnh3BDOtY

It's terrific. I think they all are, even the lighter ones. The flowers are
supposed to come out every day then they fall off and are replaced, IINVMM.

Maybe I should have just grown loads more :-)

The I. learii flowers turn from purply blue to pink and gently fade away
over a few days.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

On 1/9/06 14:33, in article , "Nick
Maclaren" wrote:


In article , Sacha
writes:
|
| Over lunch I checked into this a bit more. Ray grows ours from cuttings.
| It's Ipomoea learii. He suggests that sowing seed as early as January
| wouldn't go amiss ....

Er, you mean that for the annual Ipomoeas, not I. learii (indica etc.)
The latter is not fertile.

Yes, the annual ones. That's why I said Ray grows ours from cuttings. And
on that note of confusion caused by me, a customer came in yesterday saying
that his neighbours had told him that the I. learii he'd bought from us
wasn't a 'real Ipomoea'. They were all growing the annual one and of course
knew better than any nurseryman. ;-) I'm happy to say he went away
reassured.

It turns out that the problem is that its pollen doesn't germinate;
that of some other species does (in I. learii flowers), but doesn't
get far down the tube. I enquired in a few quarters if there were
any good descriptions of the physiology of germination in vascular
plants, and got my usual deafening silence. It is a topic that is
rather beyond mere undergraduate courses :-)

But it layers like the devil (just try to STOP it doing so!), as I am
very sure that you know, so its infertility is not normally regarded
as a problem :-)

Ours scramble all over the place in the greenhouses they're in and pretty
much get on with things by themselves. Wonderful!

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

In article , Sacha writes:
|
| But it layers like the devil (just try to STOP it doing so!), as I am
| very sure that you know, so its infertility is not normally regarded
| as a problem :-)
|
| Ours scramble all over the place in the greenhouses they're in and pretty
| much get on with things by themselves. Wonderful!

I take mine back to almost ground level when it stops flowering in
autumn. It grows slowly until the weather warms up and then attempts
to take over the conservatory - at a rate of growth that is almost
unbelievable to anyone who is familiar only with UK hardy plants!


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On Fri, 1 Sep 2006 11:22:25 +0100, "Uncle Marvo"
wrote:

Morning Glories.

I planted a few this year using a method I read about in the paper in early
June, which was to soak them in warm water for a few hours, then plant two
in each small pot with compost, then pick out the weakling. The resultant
plants have grown up poles to a height of four feet or so but refuse to
flower.

When I was in Spain last week there was a magnificent display of them just
rambling all over the top of a wall, not climbing or anything. Hundreds of
the superb blue flowers I was looking forward to.

Any ideas on why they don't flower? I used two different packets of seeds
from two different suppliers, different varieties too, but no flowers on
either. I suspect I should put them in earlier without soaking, but the
article indicated that they should flower either way.

The annual ipomoea do take a while to flower. I sense that they need
to be a certain height. I have some on a fence, some on canes in a
pot, some growing up my wisteria etc. None flower until they get to
about 6 feet but now they are flowering well. Give yours a chance if
they are the annual ones. I think they will flower very soon.
Sowing them too early in Spring is a risk, as if put outside too soon
they die of cold. On the other hand, I have some in flower which have
self-seeded from last year! Timing is important.
Once they do flower it is very easy to save seed. I have not bought
any seed for some years.
Have you fed them with tomato food?


Pam in Bristol

In article , Uncle Marvo
writes


Are they still in pots? Indoors? Maybe that's why they're not
flowering. They like growing where they've been sown too. But also, I
would have planted them much more earlier. HTH

Yes, but the pots are those degradable ones made of cardboardy stuff, and
they in turn are in the ground. They're outdoors, growing up a wooden frame.
I think you're right, planting them earlier rather than forcing might be the
solution. Ah well, next year!

Thanks


I have always transplanted mine without a failure yet. However they are
late to flower and mine have only just started to flower and they are
climbing up a south facing wall.
Give them another week or so. Aren't there any buds yet?

janet
--
Janet Tweedy
Amersham Gardening Association
http://www.amersham-gardening.net

"Uncle Marvo" wrote in message
...
Morning Glories.

I planted a few this year using a method I read about in the paper in
early June, which was to soak them in warm water for a few hours, then
plant two in each small pot with compost, then pick out the weakling. The
resultant plants have grown up poles to a height of four feet or so but
refuse to flower.

When I was in Spain last week there was a magnificent display of them just
rambling all over the top of a wall, not climbing or anything. Hundreds of
the superb blue flowers I was looking forward to.

Any ideas on why they don't flower? I used two different packets of seeds
from two different suppliers, different varieties too, but no flowers on
either. I suspect I should put them in earlier without soaking, but the
article indicated that they should flower either way.


All I can do is more or less reiterate (iterate) what other folk have said.
The annual (heavenly blue) is a real prima Donna.
Sow April (indoors) and plant into final position at the end of June will
give flowers late July until the first frosts.
The above assumes you transplant several times.
In my area a late June semi chill or a slight breeze will bugga the lot :-)