I was looking at the new flower buds on Blue Silk. Some of them have variegated sepals and bracts, which I think is kinda cool to see.

It has been cool temperature at night lately. I guess technically it still is spring. I just potted a number of germinated seeds and they are outdoors now.

Gerris2: I am about to make a planting, plants from seed in (basement hatchery) now about 10" high. I just read that they could take up to 120 days to bloom? Does that sound reasonable to you, from your experience? I want to train same to go up strings in front of three or four fruit trees, to fill in the void between ground level and first fruit tree branches. I would hate to wait 120 days for a bloom though? Thanks

Hi Frank. Wow that's exciting having your plants ready to go out!

What species or variety names are you growing?

With Ipomoea nil species, it typically flowers up when days become shorter (or nights become longer) such as what happens after the summer solstice. To shorten the wait for flowers, the plants can be put into darkness for longer periods for a few days. Some folks use light-tight boxes if the plants are small. What you could do is turn off lighting at 6 p.m. and then turn them on 12-13 hours later.

I don't know if light treatment works for Ipomoea tricolor or Ipomoea purpurea or other species.

120 days seems extreme, but may be accurate if you live in a more northerly latitude location.

I gave each of my plants some Espoma Oganic Flower-tone fertilizer. Its NPK formula is 3-4-5. It sure smells like poultry poo but it goes away overnight. It has beneficial microbes in the mix.

How often do you use that Joseph? Is it the kind you mix in the dirt and water in?

Yes the label says to do that but I just placed an amount the looked close to the dosage for the size of the pot and watered it in. It is often called SWAG haha.

How often, you cry? I guess once a month. I try to add worm castings tea more frequently.

I'm afraid it takes longer for the smell to disappear. 🙃

I had to stop using fish emulsion on my inside plants because of the cats...the smell lasted for a few days and they went crazy!

We have marauding tapdancing raccoons, so I can't use fish emulsion fertilizer either.

Babies!

This one should be Black King Ipomoea nil.



This one should be a purple flaked Ipomoea purpurea.



This one should be a blue-purple speckled Ipomoea nil which came to me to help grow out, cultivar name 'Sunday Silence'.



I say "should" because morning glories are like a box of chocolates, you never really know what you're gonna git.

An Ipomoea albivenia that sat out dormant last season has resumed active growth this year. It has a nicely shaped caudex. It is from the same seed packet that gave rise to red tube flower I. albivenia.

Not exactly morning glory related.

A natural enemy of aphids is the Syrphid fly as a larva. I found this fat green one, with white spots on top, feeding on a dense patch of aphids infesting a milkweed plant. I thought it was kinda cool seeing biological control of pests in action. The fly larva can be best seen in the second photo.

I had to go to the feed store today for straw and chicken food so I picked up a bag of the flower tone...will put it in all my containers tomorrow. Thanks Joseph

My plants haven't crashed and burned so I guess I didn't overdo it.

I had 2 seeds of 11 year old seed packet germinate of Berry Ice! I am away on business travel this week, so I hope they survive the intense heat. I put them in indirect lit area with a prayer.

I hope your seedlings are alright!

Been using fish oil but I have the same problem as Ronnie too now with the cats. Thanks for the tip on the flower tone, ill be picking some up too!

Thanks, Kelli, good luck!

Hey I am new here. I am wanting morning glory to train. I only have one. Does any one have any extra seeds?