The pretty, funnel-shaped flowers of the morning glory tend to be particularly numerous on the climbing plants when planted in a warm and sunny spot in the garden. There is some debate about the lifespan of this valued garden plant, primarily centered around its ability to overwinter.

The morning glory is not hardy and usually quite short-lived

The hardy cultivar of the morning glory

Most varieties of morning glory (Ipomoea) are short-lived by nature, which is why the long shoots of these morning glory, for example, do not lignify. In their country of origin, Mexico, the morning glory can grow longer than one summer due to the lack of frost. In this country, on the other hand, the morning glory withers quickly from the first frost, which is why they are often uprooted and composted in autumn. The still relatively new cultivar Ipomoea "Blue Hardy" with its blue flower funnels is said to be an exception in terms of its ability to overwinter. The variety bred from the Ipomoea indica should sprout again every year after the winter and can thus reach a growth height of up to 5 meters.

Overwinter morning glory indoors

Even the morning glory varieties that are not hardy can theoretically be saved over the winter. For this, the potted specimens must be cut back vigorously before the frost and placed in a cool and bright place in the house. With a bit of luck and only a little water, you can get the morning glory to produce fresh shoots at the end of winter. However, the alleged advantage over fresh young plants in the morning glory is hardly worth the effort of care in winter.

Reasons for growing young plants from seeds

In the case of morning glory, there is actually no particular need for overwintering the plants. The artful climbers are easy to grow from seeds anyway and grow to a height of 3 or 4 meters within a few weeks. You can either purchase the required seed in specialist shops in constantly changing colors or harvest the seeds from the plants yourself. In addition, the following reasons speak against wintering in the house:

  • Plants and seeds are particularly toxic to animals and pets
  • unnecessary consumption of floor space in the house
  • fresh seedlings usually sprout healthier and stronger
  • Pests can accidentally be overwintered with

tips

When planting young plants or hibernated morning glory specimens outdoors from the end of May, you should ensure that the plants are gradually used to the outside temperatures and direct sunlight before finally planting them in the bed.

Category:

Indoor plants