Japanese morning glories

I grew two different varieties of Japanese morning glory from seed this year both of them from Baker Creek Heirloom seeds. The first of them was the Split Second morning glory, a beautiful double pink.  It is unusual looking and almost looks like a pink peony. The second was the Imperial Japanese morning glory and each plant was unique in color but most were some shade of blue or pink.

   (Split Second morning glory)

I started the seeds inside 4 weeks before my last frost. I clipped off the ends of each seed with a toenail clipper and then put them in an old no longer used Tupperware container inside of a damp paper toweling. I placed the container on the highest shelf in my house near a heat vent and closed the lid and checked on them once a day. Every single one germinated within 4 days. I planted them in trays under lights in my basement until after frost then planted outdoors.

    Imperial Japanese morning glory

I did not have any problems with transplanting them and I did not lose any seedlings. The one thing I do to adjust my seedlings to the outdoors is to start by putting them on my porch for one hour each day and then up it by one to two hours then start over at one hour in the sun. I do not have any problems hardening off my seedlings with such a slow transition period.

   Imperial Japanese morning glory

Next year I have my eyes on getting some turquoise morning glories and possibly some others. I love to try to grow new varieties. A friend is giving me some seeds for some blush black eyed Susan vine and I want to try growing them in a hanging basket next year.

    Pink Imperial Japanese morning glory