When Do Morning Glories Bloom?

A. JoAnn

6 years ago

A blue morning glory blossom with white star throat and yellow center

Morning glories (Convolvulus sp.) are some of the latest annuals to bloom.

Three times, I replanted seeds because the seedlings died.

The seeds must be soaked a day before planting to loosen the hard seed coat. This adds an extra step to growing them from seed. But, I was determined to include these old-fashioned beauties in my garden.

I have a “thing” for blue, and blue flowers, specifically.

So, now it’s mid-August and the vine is vigorous, reaching up to the top of the nine-foot arch, clambering over the similarly vigorous autumn clematis (Clematis paniculata).

Yet, there are no blooms.

Getting morning glories to bloom is a common problem. Here’s what I discovered.

Morning Glories Bloom as Late as 120 Days after Germination

Bloom time depends on the species, and I don’t recall the name of the one I planted.

Also, since I germinated them three times, I’m fairly sure these plants weren’t started until late April or early May. That means I should see blooms come September.

In a way, that’s a nice thing. The frothy clematis will be blooming along with the morning glories. Sounds great!

Also, later in the season, the garden begins to fade. Having new blooms to enjoy in the September landscape will be appreciated that much more.

Less Fertilizer Is Better

Once, I grew the most beautiful tomato plants you ever saw. The foliage was green and voluminous. The plants never drooped or spotted.

And we never got a tomato.

My over-zealous addition of fertilizer had cause this disappointment. The plants put all of their energy into growing, not reproducing. Fertilizing lesson learned.

Morning glories bloom best without added fertilizer. Though I use homemade compost in my garden, I don’t use added fertilizer on most plants, except potted ones.