It’s a shame that so many gardeners confuse this annual morning glory with the invasive weed, Convovulus arvensis, because this variety will not take over your garden. Instead, it will produce a lush abundance of big, intensely blue flowers from midsummer on. Follow this handy How to Grow Morning Glories from seeds and you will be delighted with these amazing blooms.
Latin
lpomoea tricolor
Family: Convovulaceae
Difficulty
Easy
Season & Zone
Exposure: Full sun
Zone: 3-8
Timing
Direct sow where they are to grow 1-2 weeks after last frost. This would be mid to late April on the coast. You can try sowing some indoors in peat or coir pots 3-4 weeks before last frost, but they do not transplant well. If starting indoors, chip the seeds and soak them in warm water for 24 hours, and then provide a constant soil temperature of 21-30°C (70-85°F). The seeds should sprout in 5-21 days, but may be longer outdoors. Be patient.
Starting
Sow seeds 5mm (¼”) deep. Space or thin to 30-45cm (12-18″) between plants.
Growing
Make sure to provide some support for these tall vines to climb up. Moist, well drained soil that is not too nitrogen-rich is ideal. Excess nitrogen leads to large, bush vines with fewer flowers. Dry soil is tolerated. Pinch the tips of the plants as soon as you see them start to climb in order to produce branching growth.