Ipomoea is short. curly flowers

For gardeners who use vertical gardening in landscape design, morning glory will come in handy.

This flowering vine densely wraps around the supports and even in the absence of buds it looks very decorative due to the dense foliage. Ipomoea flowers look like delicate funnel-shaped gramophones, reminiscent of a symbiosis of nasturtium and fragrant tobacco.

It is an annual climber. Its homeland is Mexico and tropical America. With quality care, the cultivation of morning glory is also possible in the middle lane.

What does the morning glory garden flower look like (with photo)

The plant reaches a length of up to 5 m. The leaves are ovate-heart-shaped, dull green, but beautiful, and the foliage is dense.

As you can see in the photo, the flowers of morning glory are funnel-shaped, large (up to 10 cm) picturesquely painted:

The corolla at the base is yellow-white, and the limb is pinkish at first, and then sky-blue.

Each flower opens only in the first half of the day - up to 12-13 hours. But in cloudy weather, the flowers are open throughout the day. Flowering is plentiful and due to the large number of flowers - long.

See what the red-blue morning glory looks like in these photos:

Faded flowers roll up into a tube, which is no longer blue, but raspberry. Therefore, the specific name of morning glory is red-blue. And this is not the only known species. There are at least two more of them, with pubescent leaves.

Ipomoea "Lyra"- with pubescent young shoots and gentle pubescence of leaves from the underside.

The flowers are beautiful - dark purple to purple. It grows well in the south, but does not bloom in the northern regions.

Ipomoea purple is not so thermophilic. She is native to Central and South America. Also an annual climbing plant up to 3 m long.

Shoots and leaves are pubescent. The flowers are purplish-red, but there are varieties and cultivars of many colors.

For example, a variety of "Guber" has a colorful corolla, and the limb is white.

These photos show the Ipomoea "Lyra" and "Gubera", the description of which is given above:

The best modern varieties of morning glory:

"Ruby Carpet"- with original deep-cut leaves and bright red flowers

"Grandee" with rich purple color of large flowers

"Blue Star" with blue stripes-rays on snow-white flowers

"Carnivals of Venice"- a mixture of bright flowers with variegated pink and purple stripes

As a climber, morning glory is extremely in demand. A disadvantage that has turned into a virtue is its one-year-old nature. But as a result, morning glory can be sown in different places every year.

It can be a trial indicator of the feasibility of planting a perennial vine in this place. For the duration of flowering and its airiness, it surpasses other vines. Blooms from July until frost.

Ipomoea cultivation: planting and care

When choosing a place for morning glory (wall, support, gazebo, balcony, etc.), preference should be given to southern, eastern and western exposures, northern ones are less suitable even in the south.

The place should be open, well-observed, not obscured by anything.

When growing morning glory, do not forget that these flowers are very fond of watering. It should be plentiful and frequent, especially during the hot period. But it is necessary to water in the afternoon, in the late afternoon.

The soil needs to be nutritious, but it is indifferent to fertilizing with fertilizers, and sometimes they even harm, especially nitrogen ones. The plant then begins to "rage" in growth, but does not bloom.

Fertilizers are useful when planting. If Ipomoea is grown through seedlings, then the soil is taken in the ratio: soddy land, humus, sand - 0.5: 1: 0.5, and for every 10 kg of the mixture, 20 g of potassium salt and superphosphate are added. Fertilizers promote intensive coloring of flowers, in particular blue color.

Agricultural practices for caring for morning glory flowers are shown in these photos:

Ipomoea propagates by seeds. They are numerous, since the attractive flowers are readily visited by bees and fertilization occurs without difficulty. But there is no time left for the seeds to ripen.

Already at the end of September-October, frosts are possible even in the south, which destroy immature seeds. Neither the ripening of seeds on plucked plants, nor the shelter of vines helps.

Ripe, full-fledged seeds are obtained only from the first flowers. There are very few of them, despite the abundant flowering and high-quality fertilization. Practical experience suggested the right decision.

• Firstly, to grow morning glory, you need to sow seeds very early - in late March - early April
• Secondly, sow in pots or other containers, moistening the substrate abundantly and covering with glass. Do not remove it until shoots appear. Thirdly, do not dive seedlings, but leave them in the same container

In this case, the morning glory will begin to bloom a month or more earlier than that sown in the ground or sown. With a decrease in the feeding area (thickened planting), morning glory gives few side shoots, but many flowers on the main one, as if compensating for the lack of abundant green mass.

Ipomoea blue is desirable to grow through seedlings, even in the south. Seedlings should be transplanted with a lump, Ipomoea does not like damage to the root system.

The use of morning glory in garden design

The use of morning glory in garden design is the widest. This is a plant of arbors, trellises, fences, pillars, large trees. Ipomoea can be planted with wild grapes, and then a dense wall of it is enlivened with delicate flowers. There are about a hundred of them for every square meter!

When wrapping supports, one should take into account such a biological feature of morning glory: the ends of its shoot grow, making circular movements counterclockwise, forming a spiral. They themselves are looking for support, describing more and more circles.

The rotation speed depends on the weather. Hot weather slows down growth. One rotation is usually done in 24 hours. Touching the support, the young shoot covers it and grows like a "screw".

Ipomoea loach wrapped around a bucket in a well during the night.
Do not tear the fleeting beauty?!
I will go to the neighbors for water to wash my face.
Matsuo Basho

What plant will help you make the gazebo in the garden more comfortable and beautiful? Or camouflage the shabby walls of the barn? Or hide the long unpainted balcony railings from view? Of course, it must be a liana. And it is better that it blooms with beautiful flowers. And just to take care of her.
All these requirements are met by a plant under the exotic and gentle name "Ipomoea".

• How to grow ipomoea seedlings and plant them in the garden in time?
• When and how to sow morning glory seeds in open ground?
• How to choose the best place for this creeper on your site?
• How to care for a plant during the season?

Read our article and you will know everything you need about morning glory.

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Planting and caring for morning glory

• Landing: sowing scarified seeds for seedlings in March-April, followed by planting seedlings in the ground in early June. You can sow the seeds directly into the ground in May.
• Bloom: from July to October.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• The soil: loose, nutritious, calcareous, not very fertile.
• Watering: regular but moderate.
• Top dressing: twice a month with mineral fertilizer solutions for cacti or flowering plants.
• Pruning: in September.
• Reproduction: seeds and cuttings.
• Pests: aphids, spider mites.
• Diseases: white rust, anthracnose, root, stem, soft or black rot.

Read more about growing morning glory below.

This haiku by the Japanese Basho is about the morning glory plant, or farbitis. Ipomoea (lat. Ipomoea)- a genus of flowering plants, the most numerous of the Bindweed family, with more than five hundred species. Its representatives are found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world and are both perennial and annual plants - bushes, trees and vines. There are among the plants of the genus Ipomoea and food crops - sweet potato and water spinach. The name "ipomoea" comes from two Greek words: "ips" - a worm and "homoios" - similar, that is, "worm-like", and this definition refers to the rhizome of perennials of the genus Ipomoea.

In floriculture, creepers of this genus are used, the flowers of which open in the morning before all other flowers, for which Ipomoea is called the "flower of the dawn." It is hard to imagine that the field bindweed weed, the nightmare of farmers, is a close relative of the luxurious morning glory, an ornamental plant that is so in demand among flower growers and gardeners.

Ipomoea flower - description

The ipomoea plant that grows in our gardens is the garden ipomoea, a liana sometimes reaching a length of five meters. Stems densely leafy, heart-shaped. The large, fragrant flowers on long pedicels, profusely covering the stems, open early in the morning and turn after the sun until they close at noon, although on a cloudy day they close only in the evening. The shape of morning glory flowers, simple or double, resembles a gramophone trumpet, their colors are for every taste: white, red, pink, blue...

Ipomoea blooms from early summer until frost. Perennial morning glory in tropical latitudes is grown in our gardens as an annual.

Growing Ipomoea from seeds

Ipomoea from seeds - sowing

Ipomoea is propagated by seeds that remain viable for three to four years after harvest. Ipomoea seeds are sown in the substrate in mid-May, but they are first scarified (violating the integrity of the shell) or simply soaked for a day in water at 25-30 ºC to swell. If the seeds do not swell, their shell must be pierced with a needle and soaked again.

Particular attention should be paid to the composition of the soil, and this is where difficulties arise, since each species needs a specific substrate. Species of African origin prefer soil for succulent plants with the addition of fine expanded clay, American varieties will not work with such soil, and you will have to make a mixture for them of two parts of leaf humus, adding to it one part of peat, vermiculite, coke fiber and half of fine expanded clay.

Seeds are planted in small cups with a substrate, two to four pieces each, and covered with glass or film to make a greenhouse. Water the soil as needed, ventilate, remove condensation, keep the 18-20-degree temperature regime, and the seedlings will appear in 10-12 days.

Ipomoea seedling

When the seedlings grow up to 15 cm in height, a cord is tied to the base of the sprout, the second end of which is pulled up and fixed: the growing loach will climb along this guide. As the seedlings grow, they will have to be moved once or twice to a large container by transshipment, so as not to damage or expose the roots. If you want to get more side shoots, you need to pinch the seedlings.

Ipomoea planting

When to plant morning glory

Planting in the open ground of the grown seedlings of morning glory is carried out in late May or early June. At this time, the soil has already warmed up and you can not be afraid of night frosts, which could destroy the young vine.

How to plant morning glory

Young shoots are transplanted by transshipment at a distance of 20 cm from each other and a support is immediately established above them: it can be a lattice of rods or a stretched fishing line.

You can sow seeds directly in open ground, bypassing the seedling period. They do this at the end of May after frost, choosing a sunny and calm area for planting. Ipomoea prefers slightly acidic soil and requires good drainage. Whatever method of planting you choose, be careful, because morning glory is very poisonous. That is why it is grown outdoors.

morning glory care

How to care for morning glory

Caring for morning glory is simple: water regularly, but moderately so that water stagnation does not form in the roots: from May to August - without waiting for the ground to dry out, and from September - after the soil dries.

Fertilize during the period of active growth every 2-3 weeks with fertilizer for decorative flowering plants or for cacti. However, an excess of fertilizers, especially nitrogen-containing ones, can lead to intensive foliage formation, but at the same time, morning glory does not bloom, so it is important to observe the measure when feeding. The concentration of fertilizers should be the same as for indoor plants.

From time to time, morning glory needs pruning: you need to remove damaged or sick-looking shoots, it is best to cut the vine in September, putting the plant in order before the dormant period. In the spring, pruning is carried out to thin out the bush, leaving no more than three stems in each. Sometimes you have to thin out morning glory during the growing season.

Ipomoea propagation by cuttings

Some types of morning glory are propagated vegetatively, using cuttings. For example, Ipomoea sweet potato. Cuttings 15-20 cm long with two internodes are cut from cut shoots, and the lower cut should pass at an angle of 45º 15 mm below the node. After removing the leaves from the bottom, the cuttings are placed in water.

How to collect morning glory seeds

When to Harvest Ipomoea Seeds

Experts recommend collecting seeds from the second and third bud. When the flowers wither and a brown box forms in their place, let it dry and open a little. This will happen in about a month. Pour the seeds from the box into a paper bag and write the name of the variety on it. As already mentioned, morning glory seeds retain their germination for three to four years.

Ipomoea after flowering

Ipomoea in winter

Ipomoea in our latitudes is grown as an annual, so in the fall, when the leaves wither and fall off, you can cut the ipomoea stems, dig up the ground by removing the rhizome. Next spring you will plant the seeds and you will have a new ipomoea.

Or it may happen that you don’t have to sow the seeds, since morning glory reproduces well by self-sowing, and if seeds from ripe boxes woke up in the place where it grew this year, then it is likely that next year they will begin to grow in this place young shoots of morning glory.

Types and varieties of morning glory

Of the more than 500 species of morning glory, only 25 are grown in culture. Let's briefly talk about the most popular of them.

It comes from Asia and Australia, its shoots grow up to 5 m long. They are so densely strewn with blue flowers that morning glory looks like a real carpet. The leaves are lobed, palm-shaped, carved.

In the photo: Ipomoea cairo (Ipomoea cairica)

An annual liana, the pubescent stem of which reaches 8 meters. Leaves glabrous, oval or lanceolate, opposite. Single red, dark purple, purple, blue, white or pink gramophone flowers up to 7 cm long. There are varieties with variegated and even double flowers. Ipomoea purpurea is considered to be native to the tropical zone of America. Varieties: Starfish, Scarlett O "Hara, Nochka, Giselle.

In the photo: Ipomoea purpurea (Ipomoea purpurea)

Or in Japanese asagao (morning face) - strongly branched annual liana up to 3 m long. The leaves are large, broadly oval, opposite, long-petiolate, dark green. Funnel-shaped flowers of red, pale or dark blue, pink or purple, up to 10 cm in diameter. This morning glory blooms from mid-summer to October. Varieties: semi-double Pikoti blue or red with white edging, hybrid Serenade - double corrugated flowers of dark red or lilac color 8 cm in diameter.

In the photo: Ipomoea Nile (Ipomoea nil, Ipomoea Imperialis)

Or Ipomoea red-blue (Ipomoea rubro-caerulea) - Native to the American tropics. Perennial used in cultivation as an annual plant. The stem reaches a length of 4-5 m. The leaves are large, opposite, heart-shaped, glabrous, wrinkled, petioles are long. Funnel-shaped flowers 8-10 cm in diameter are collected in bunches of 3-4 pieces: pale blue with a white tube, but when they fade, they become pink-purple. This morning glory blooms from early June until the first frost.

Some varieties contain psychotropic substances used in medicine. Popular varieties in floriculture: Pink Lollipop, Blue Star, Sky Blue, Flying Saucer.

In the photo: Ipomoea tricolor (Ipomoea tricolor)

An annual vine from the American tropics. The branched stem reaches a length of 2-3 meters, the leaves are large, heart-shaped, three-lobed, similar to ivy leaves. Funnel-shaped flowers with a diameter of about 5 cm are usually sky blue, sometimes with a white border, but there are red, burgundy, pink. They are collected two or three on a long peduncle. Blooms from July to mid-autumn. Variety Roman Candy with variegated white-green leaves is grown even as an ampelous plant.

In the photo: Ipomoea hederacea (Ipomoea hederacea)

Ipomoea moonflowering (Ipomoea noctiflora)

Also from tropical America. The stem is up to 3 m long, shoots up to 6 m, large heart-shaped leaves, fragrant white flowers are also large - up to 10 cm, open at night and close with the first rays of the sun, and those unfamiliar with this mystery of the moon-flowering farbitis ask why their ipomoea does not bloom. But on a cloudy day, the flowers close only in the evening, and you can appreciate their amazing delicate beauty. This morning glory blooms from July-August to October.

Quamoclites

These are morning glory with openwork carved foliage and small tubular flowers. Of the most popular in culture: cirrus quamoclit (Quamoclit pennata), Slaughter quamoclit, or cardinal liana (Quamoclit x sloteri), fiery red quamoclite (Quamoclit coccinea) and lobed quamoclite (Quamoclit lobata).

In the photo: Quamoclit (Quamoclit)

In addition to the described species and their varieties, such types of morning glory as Brazilian, palmate, Mauritanian, lobed and others are slightly less common in culture.

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To decorate arbors, verandas, fences in the country and loggias in the apartment, flower growers often use flowering climbing plants. One of these vines is morning glory, which is distinguished by long flowering and simple or double flowers of various colors that open in the morning. The plant is not very capricious in its care and cultivation, therefore it is popular among gardeners who decorate their summer cottages with it.

Description of Ipomoea perennial

The plant belongs to the Vyunkov family, which are naturally found in the subtropics and tropics. There are more than five hundred species of this loach, which is cultivated as a perennial in warm countries, and in the regions of our country it is grown in open ground as an annual plant.

Liana is distinguished by heart-shaped densely leafy stems that can grow up to five meters in length. They are abundantly covered with beautiful fragrant flowers formed on long pedicels. The buds open in the morning and on a cloudy day they close in the evening, and on a sunny day they turn after the sun and close in the afternoon. The flowers are like a homophonic trumpet and can be single or double. There are many varieties of morning glory with a wide variety of bud colors.

From the dissected or heart-shaped leaves of the loach, a green mass is formed, against which delicate buds look very beautiful. The plant has a tap root, which is why it was called "ipomoea", which in Greek means "worm-like".

In autumn, large morning glory seeds are formed in a closed fruit box, which, after cracking the fruit, fall to the ground and sprout easily. Therefore, several generations of loach can grow in one growing season.

Types and varieties of morning glory

In horticulture, several dozen species and varieties of this flowering loach are used. The most popular are:

Ipomoea variety

Ipomoea Kvamoklit

Liana with light green dissected openwork leaves and small pink, white or red flowers up to one and a half centimeters in diameter. It blooms from mid-summer to autumn and loves moisture. Insufficient watering can lead to a delay in the development of the plant and the crushing of its buds. The most common Quamoclit varieties are Fire Red, Lobe, Motley, and Slaughter's Quamoclite.

Ipomoea moonflowering

The loach is distinguished by shoots up to six meters long and a stem up to three meters high. It has large heart-shaped leaves and large, fragrant, white buds up to ten centimeters in diameter. Flowering begins in July and continues until mid-autumn.

Ipomoea purpurea

A plant with a long pubescent stem, opposite, lanceolate or oval bare leaves and single flowers up to seven centimeters in diameter. Gramophone-shaped flowers can be pink, white, blue, purple, deep purple or red.

Ipomoea "Flying Saucer"

- an annual plant is distinguished by large variegated flowers, the diameter of which can reach fifteen centimeters. The petals of the flower have purple-blue and white stripes. Blooms all summer until frost. When planting in a pot and providing supports, this species can be grown as an indoor morning glory.

Ipomoea blue

A powerful plant with a thick stem, from which shoots grow, forming a sprawling bush. The plant blooms only after it has gained the necessary mass of foliage. Under favorable conditions, blue flowers on the bush bloom in mid-July. Flowering continues until frost.

Ipomoea Batata

is a herbaceous plant up to thirty centimeters high. The overgrown bush in diameter reaches one or two meters. Depending on the variety, the leaves of this variety may have a light green, purple, bronze or green-purple color. Ipomoea Sweet potato can be propagated by cuttings or tubers. A low plant can be planted in a pot and grown as an indoor crop.

Ipomoea terry Serenade

Liana with a stem up to three meters long, rich green leaves and as if corrugated buds from pale to deep red. The plant needs good lighting, otherwise it will lose its decorative qualities.

Ipomoea Nile

A strongly branched liana with a stem up to three meters in length, dark green, broadly oval large leaves and funnel-shaped flowers up to ten centimeters in diameter. Semi-double buds come in a variety of colors and can be purple, dark blue, blue or red. The variety blooms from mid-summer and with good care, flowering stops only with the onset of frost.

Growing Ipomoea from seeds

Ipomoea planting methods In order for beautiful delicate flowers to bloom on the liana in the summer, it is recommended to grow it in seedlings at room conditions. For this, seeds are sown in April-May. The culture is growing rapidly and in three weeks it will be ready for planting in open ground, so the timing of sowing depends on the region.

Seeds must be pre-treated. In order for them to ascend, it is necessary to break the integrity of their shell, that is, to stratify. You can simply soak them for one day in slightly warm water, and if they do not swell, then gently pierce them with a needle, then knead them again for a day in water.

Before sowing seeds, it is necessary to choose the right soil, which for American plant species should consist of the following components

leaf humus- 2 parts;
coconut fiber- 1 part;
vermiculite- 1 part;
peat- 1 part;
fine expanded clay- 0.5 parts.
African varieties prefer soil for succulents, to which small expanded clay is added.

Each seed is placed in a separate peat or disposable cup, which is covered with a film or glass on top. Seedling containers are placed in a warm place with an air temperature within +20 degrees. Every day the soil should be ventilated and monitor its moisture content.

After about ten days, seedlings will appear, the care of which consists in the timely watering of the soil and the garter to the support, after the small bushes grow to fifteen centimeters. As the plants grow, the transshipment method is transplanted into larger containers and pinched so that side shoots form on the main stem.

Landing in open ground
How to propagate morning glory Young grown plants are planted on the site when there are no frosts and the earth is well warmed up. The distance between the bushes should be from twenty centimeters. A support is immediately fixed near them, as which you can stretch a fishing line or install a lattice of rods.

At the end of May, morning glory seeds can be sown immediately in open ground, but in this case it will bloom later. The site for the vine is chosen calm and well lit. The soil for planting morning glory should be slightly acidic and well-drained.

Features of care

When caring for morning glory, special attention should be paid to its watering, which should be moderate, but regular. From excessive watering and stagnation of water in the roots, the plant may begin to rot. However, poor watering for vines is also dangerous. Therefore, in spring and summer it is watered without waiting for the soil to dry out, and in autumn only after the soil has dried.

During the growing season, the crop requires regular top dressing, for which you can use fertilizers for succulents or flowering plants. You can water the bushes with nutrient solutions or spray their leaves in cloudy weather. Fertilizers should contain phosphorus and as little nitrogen as possible. When making a large amount of nitrogen fertilizing, only the green mass will grow well. Flowering may not occur or be inconspicuous.

Ipomoea reproduction

Bindweed can be propagated in two ways:
seeds

cuttings.

seed propagation

How Morning Glory Flower Grows Morning glory seeds can be bought or harvested from plants grown outdoors. They are formed in a brown box, which should dry out and open slightly. The fruit is formed on the site of faded buds, and the seeds will be ready for harvest in about a month. They should be stored in a paper box or bag. Seed material retains its germination capacity up to four years. We described how to sow morning glory seeds a little higher.

cuttings

Ipomoea Sweet potato and some other species can be propagated by cuttings that are cut from cut shoots. Each cutting should have two internodes and be about twenty centimeters long. Below the knot, about one and a half centimeters, a cut is made at an angle of forty-five degrees. The segment is placed in a container with water, after cutting off its lower leaves.

After five days, and sometimes even earlier, roots appear on the petiole. It is planted in a container with soil and grown at a temperature within +22 degrees. The stalk will take root in seven to ten days

Diseases and pests of morning glory

A plant with a fleshy stem and large leaves is very attractive to pests in the form of spider mites and aphids. Aphid settles on the shoots, and the spider mite on the underside of the leaves. They feed on the juice of the plant, because of which it begins to turn yellow and dry out. You can get rid of the tick by spraying the bushes with water, and from the aphids - by treating with soapy water. But if the vine is heavily affected by pests, then the use of insecticidal preparations will be required.

Among diseases, morning glory is often affected by:

White edema - the disease is not infectious and appears in case of frequent waterlogging and hypothermia of the soil. They mainly affect indoor and greenhouse plants. Manifested in the form of bumps and blisters on the leaves. Over time, the leaf plates dry out and fall off.
Viral diseases can be different. They are not treatable, so damaged plants are cut and burned, and the soil under them is treated with special preparations.
Fungal diseases - soft, black, table, root rot, anthracosis, white rust. Liana can become infected with them through the ground. Plants are treated with fungicidal preparations, after cutting off rotten areas.
In order for morning glory to grow well, bloom beautifully for a long time and not be affected by any diseases and pests, you need properly selected, disinfected soil, a well-lit drained area and proper care.

For many years, Ipomoea Sweet potato was grown exclusively as an edible crop, and only in recent decades has it been cultivated by gardeners as an ornamental flower. Most often, in the middle lane and in the south, the plant is grown in open ground.

In the flowerbeds, Ipomoea creates vivid pictures due to variety of colors leaves. Despite the fact that the flower is a perennial, it is planted as an annual. In open ground, the culture is planted after frost stops.

A more common way of growing is planting in pots and hanging containers to decorate terraces and arbors. Ipomoea is least often cultivated in a house on a windowsill. Since it is demanding on light and open air.

The plant fell in love with flower growers for its simple cultivation and decorative effect. In addition, it is a universal flower, the roots of which eaten and used for medicinal purposes.

Ipomoea Sweet Potato, or Sweet Potato, is native to Colombia and belongs to the tuberous climbing plants. Outwardly, it is a winding liana, which reaches a length of 5 meters.

The leaves are small, heart-shaped. The coloring of the leaves can be of different colors: from light green to maroon.

Lateral roots form edible tubers.

The color of the fruit is yellow, pink or purple. It blooms in mid-summer with white, pink and lilac inflorescences.

Varieties for growing on the balcony

There are more than 7000 varieties. They, in turn, are divided into three large groups:

1. Feed
2. Dessert
3. Vegetable

Basically, they are all cultivated in the open field, but there are some varieties that suitable for growing indoors or indoors.

These include the following:

1. Kumara Red- This plant variety is very demanding on light and heat. It is possible to grow it at home with an additional light source. The plant is large, has voluminous and lush leaves. Tubers are oval, yellow.
2. - refers to early varieties. It has large leaves and inflorescences with a pleasant aroma. Deep red fruits.
3. - Another early variety that can be grown at home. It is disease and pest resistant. It has a powerful bush with dark green leaves.

The main advantages of a flower

The plant fell in love with flower growers for many reasons. The main advantages of Ipomoea Batat is that it is well used in landscape design and able to decorate any area.

In addition, the plant is unpretentious and requires a minimum of care. The versatility of the plant and its use not only for decorative purposes, but also in cooking and medicine also makes it popular.

Rules for planting morning glory sweet potato

Ipomoea Sweet potato seedlings are planted in beds after the air temperature outside is set within 20 degrees, and the soil is not lower 15 degrees.

The soil composition should be sandy or loamy, with a low acidity content, although it can grow in any area.

The soil

The soil for the flower must be prepared in advance, preferably in the fall. The soil is dug up and after that humus is introduced into it. You can also add potassium and superphosphate. If the soil is in an area with high acidity, it is limed a few days before fertilizing.

In the spring, before planting, the soil must be loosened and a solution of ammonium nitrate added to it.

How to plant in open ground

It is customary to plant in open ground already prepared seedlings. To do this, dig shallow holes, up to 15 centimeters. Leave a distance between them not less than 30 centimeters. The seedlings are buried so that a pair of lower internodes are in the ground.

In order for the seedlings to take root faster and better, it is necessary to remove all the leaves, leaving only 1-2 top ones.

Planted plants are compacted in the ground, watered and covered with jars or plastic transparent containers until new leaves form.

care requirements

Planting and caring for a flower is not difficult, it is only important to remember that it is very warm culture.

Temperature

Ipomoea loves warmth and dies at the slightest frost.

Therefore, the optimum temperature during seedling germination and for an adult plant is 20 degrees and above.

Can only be planted in the ground after established warm weather, by the middle or end of May, for the middle lane and the end of April for the southern regions. In autumn, Ipomoea is dug up and brought into the house in a bright and warm place.

Watering

The flower requires little water and is considered drought-resistant. Abundant moisture is needed for the plant only in the first month of life.

The soil should always be slightly moist. Starting in mid-summer, you can reduce watering to a minimum, once a week is enough. If the summer is rainy, then watering is not necessary.

If white blisters appear on the leaves of Ipomoea, you should immediately stop watering, otherwise it will die.

Top dressing and fertilizer

During the period of tuber formation, sweet potatoes need fertilizer, as a rule, this is August. The composition of top dressing at this time must include potassium. It is ideal to use wood ash as a fertilizer.

To prepare the solution yourself, you need the following components:

• Ash glass.
• 10 liters of settled water.

reproduction

A decorative flower is propagated in two main ways: tubers and cuttings.

tubers

In autumn, the tubers of the plant dig and store to a cool place. When buds begin to form on the tuber, usually in December, it is transferred to boxes with soil.

After germination, the shoots can be separated and rooted in different containers. In spring, plants are planted in open ground or left in pots and exposed to fresh air.

cuttings

In February, when the shoots grew on the tuber, they cut off and placed in water. After a few days, when the roots appear, they can be planted in the ground.

Beneficial features

The tubers of the plant contain a lot useful elements which makes them beneficial to humans. The composition of the fetus includes proteins, carbohydrates, iron, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, vitamins A and C, as well as many other components.

The starch of the plant is often used in medicine. They treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, increase immunity, strengthen health in general. Vitamin B6, which is part of the tubers, helps with vascular diseases. And the content of ascorbic acid helps the body fight cancer cells.

With caution, it is worth using the plant for patients with gastritis, stomach ulcers, as well as for lactating and pregnant women.

Use in floriculture and cooking

Ipomoea has been used in floriculture recently, but over the years it has already established itself well among gardeners. Cultures of different varieties grouped in one area. They are planted in pots and hanging pots on terraces and in arbors. The flower goes well with Petunias, cereals and chlorophytums.

Vegetable varieties are widely used in cooking. They taste like reminiscent of potatoes. The tubers of the plant are dug up in the fall and stored in a cool place. They can be fried, boiled, some varieties are consumed raw. In addition, tubers can be preserved for the winter.

Thus Ipomoea Sweet potato is used not only as an ornamental plant, but also as an edible crop. They decorate houses, city flower beds and window sills.

Wanting to decorate their summer cottage, or maybe just a balcony, many owners prefer bindweed plants. This is not surprising. After all, such plants very beautifully frame objects located on the territory of the site, dissolving Ipomoea has been familiar to mankind for a long time. It is considered one of the most delicate varieties of plants that you can choose to decorate your summer cottage.

Many poems are dedicated to this indescribably beautiful plant. And this is not surprising. Anyone who has ever seen the freshness of her delicate buds will fall in love with this miracle of nature forever. Different species are distinguished by bright colors of flowers. Every year, breeders create new varieties of this plant. Because of this, the coloring of the buds takes on a wide variety of options.

general characteristics

Leaves and flowers look indescribably gentle on the stem. Ipomoea (photo below) can outshine many garden plants with its beauty.

The name of the plant comes from the merger of two Greek words, which in translation sound like the phrase "like a worm." This is due to the appearance of the underground part of the flower.

However, not all nations have the name of the plant sound so prosaic. Its beauty reflects the English name, which in translation into Russian means "glorifying the morning." In Japan, Ipomoea is called "morning face". This is no coincidence. The flowers of this family are distinguished by the peculiarity of blooming with the first rays of the rising sun and closing at noon. If the day is cloudy, the plant does not close its buds until the evening.

This group includes a variety of flowers. Ipomoea is the largest genus of the bindweed family. They include about 500 varieties of herbs. It even includes some types of shrubs and trees. The plant in the wild lives in the temperate and tropical latitudes of Eurasia, Africa and America.

The root of the plant is taproot, rarely tuberous. The stem of almost all species is curly (creeping). This is the one that loves abundant watering. The plant blooms in summer and even in autumn. Ipomoea has a lot of buds, but the duration of the existence of each of them is no more than a day. Therefore, she throws out all the new flowers.

The fruit looks like a spherical box. It contains from 4 to 6 seeds of a rather large form.

plant nature

Bright flowers look very beautiful on various objects of the site. Ipomoea (photo below) is distinguished by certain features of agricultural technology.

They must be taken into account by everyone who is going to grow a plant in their own area. This is an annual liana. It grows very quickly, letting out a mustache and clinging to the vertical supports it encounters. If there are fences, trees, threads, wire or nets pulled up on the site, hedges, morning glory will cling to them. With proper care, the vine blooms very profusely. Some species may even collect buds in paniculate groups.

In the wild, morning glory flowers can have a size of 5 to 15 cm. But artificially bred varieties have buds up to 20 cm. This enhances the decorative qualities of the plant.

If the weather turned out to be rainy, the bud remains closed throughout the day. Pollination occurs in corollas closed with petals. But on a sunny day, the plant is pollinated by insects. In the wild, even birds (hummingbirds) or small animals (bats) can participate in this process.

Depending on the variety, today there are morning glory intended for the conditions of the backyard, as well as indoor plants. Therefore, when purchasing seeds, it is necessary to clarify in what conditions this species should exist.

Varieties

There are a huge number of plants belonging to the genus Ipomoea. Even individual families stand out among them. These include various flowers. Ipomoea kvamoklit, koloniktion, farbitis are the most common.

Farbitis flowers are very popular today. One of the most common varieties is Havently Blue. Its flowers are blue in color. In their center, yellow-blue colors predominate. These are very beautiful flowers.

Coloniction (also called moonflower) is distinguished by white flowers. They exude a subtle sweet aroma. Most morning glory can not boast of this. A feature of the moonflower is the ability of the buds to bloom only for one night. But the flowering period can continue until the frost.

Ipomoea kvamoklit looks quite elegant.

The foliage of plants of this variety is similar to openwork feathers. Against this background, flowers stand out with bright red stars. Ipomoea quamoclit Slaughter looks like a feathery plant with fiery red buds. The dense curtains they form will decorate any area.

Popular varieties of morning glory

Ipomoea is famous for its variety of species. A photo of flowers in the garden is presented below. There are several of the most popular plant varieties that are worth considering in more detail. This will allow you to choose the right variety of vines.

Ipomoea Cairo is characterized by very abundant flowering and high density of leaves. If you want to decorate the objects on the site with the most beautiful natural carpet of flowers, you should give preference to this particular variety.

The sky-blue ipomoea opens its buds. Flowers have a long stem and are able to turn towards the sun. The buds are azure. And ipomoea purpurea is characterized by a rich expressive shade. Its stems are very long. They can reach 8 m. The buds are pink, red, purple, lilac.

Ipomoea Nile is characterized by very fast stem growth. The buds of this plant can be of various colors. These are pink, and blue, and lilac shades. There are also buds of dark, saturated flowers.

Many artificially bred varieties are now used everywhere for decorative purposes. The variety of shapes and shades is difficult to retell. Everyone can choose a plant to their liking.

Ipomoea reproduction

Flowers which is a simple and exciting activity, most often grown from seeds. In warm climates, they can be sown directly into the ground. But in the middle latitude, it is still better to resort to the seedling method. Otherwise, the plant may simply not bloom.

Seeds should be soaked for a day in a small amount of water before planting. During this time, they should swell. If this does not happen, the seeds can be pricked with a needle. This process is called scarification. After that, the seeds are again soaked for a day.

It will not be difficult to organize a small greenhouse. Soil is simply poured into a small container. Pre-swollen seeds are planted in it. Then they are covered with glass or polyethylene. The container is regularly ventilated. As the soil dries out, it is watered.

The first shoots appear 1-2 weeks after planting. As soon as the first leaves appear from the ground, the film or glass is removed. When the plant has about 4 full leaves, it can be transplanted into the ground. This is done together with a clod of earth at the root system. It should be large enough, as Ipomoea does not like transplants.

Then for seedlings it is necessary to provide support. Otherwise, the stems will become intertwined with each other. It will be almost impossible to unravel them later.

When can you board?

Many owners tend to have these flowers on their site. Ipomoea, which is planted in open ground on the site, involves breeding seedlings. The whole process should start from March-April. The plant grows very fast. Therefore, after 3 weeks it will be completely ready for transplantation. It makes no sense to breed seedlings in advance.

Before planting seeds in greenhouse soil, it is necessary to calculate what ambient temperature can be in 3 weeks. If it should not (according to forecasts) fall below +10 degrees, then you can get to work.

The plant does not tolerate frost. Its normal climate is warm, humid weather. A line of +10 degrees is critical for most types of morning glory. In exceptional cases, the vine can withstand extreme temperatures for it up to +2 degrees. But this happens quite rarely.

It is best to plant seeds in open ground at a time when the night temperature does not fall below +10 degrees. This is most often typical for April-May.

How is planting in the ground?

You can plant flower seeds directly into the ground. Ipomoea sprouts well, but before that, the seeds must be soaked for a day in water. If the weather was appropriate, seedlings will appear in a week.

After the first shoots have broken through the thickness of the earth, there is a rapid growth of morning glory. Near each creeper it is necessary to put a support. Ipomoea is regularly pinched. This is done when the stem has about 4 full leaves. This contributes to the rapid emergence of new shoots from the sinuses, which make the flower voluminous. Ipomoea, planted and cared for properly, blooms faster and grows thicker.

Regardless of whether seedlings or only seeds are planted in the ground, the distance between each individual plant should be at least 20 cm. This will provide the required space for the plant's root system, allowing it to receive the necessary nutrients from the soil.

Breeding on the balcony

These flowers decorate the balcony very beautifully. Ipomoea can be planted in a pot. If there is not enough light, the plant will produce extra leaves, and flowering will be poor. Therefore, it is necessary to properly consider its location.

The balcony should also be glazed. On its open varieties, the wind can easily damage the stem and leaves of the plant. It is necessary to ensure proper protection of morning glory. Under such conditions, the plant can be planted in large pots, as well as long boxes. When planting, it is necessary to calculate the density so that each morning glory has at least 2.5 liters of soil.

Under such conditions, proper care is extremely important. Full watering, bait and careful handling will allow you to grow a plant of indescribable beauty even on the balcony.

Plant diseases

It happens that the plant does not throw flowers. Ipomoea curly is susceptible to various diseases. To prevent this, it is necessary to ensure proper care of the plant. The most common pathogens are aphids and spider mites.

To keep your plant alive and well, it is necessary at the first sign of aphids to treat the leaves with an appropriate insecticide. The sooner this is done, the sooner morning glory will be able to restore its strength.

The second dangerous pest for the presented plant is the spider mite. He makes himself felt with a thin cobweb. It appears on the leaves of the flower. You can also see small dots. Here pest control is quite simple. Just spray the leaves daily with cold water.

plant care

Ipomoea is considered a rather picky plant. A flower, the care of which does not require much effort and time, will be grateful to its owners for the right actions. Ipomoea will thank them with its wonderful flowering.

Initially, it is necessary to provide proper support for the vine. You can install a vertical grid or wire for these purposes.

The soil should always be slightly damp. Too strong or, conversely, poor watering is equally dangerous for the plant. In order for morning glory to please the eye with an abundance of buds, it should be regularly fed with a frequency of 1 time in 5 days. Fertilizers should contain little nitrogen and a lot of phosphorus. This stimulates its flowering.

Due to improper care, the plant can quickly wither. It can hurt, which will affect flowering. The immunity of the plant after suffering hardships becomes very fragile. Therefore, it is better to take care of it correctly and in a timely manner.

Many people tend to have presented flowers on their site or balcony. Ipomoea produces unusually beautiful buds. They will delight the owners for a long time. Not requiring special care, morning glory is a picky plant. This is a great solution for decorating any backyard or even a balcony. The rapid growth rate will allow you to hide even the shortcomings of the surrounding objects and fill the world around with harmony and indescribable beauty.