Why Choose a Morning Glory for Your Home?

• Beautiful Flowers: Morning Glory blooms in vibrant colors like blue, purple, pink, and white, adding a cheerful touch to your garden.
• Fast-Growing Climber: It quickly grows up fences, walls, and trellises, turning dull spaces into colorful displays.
• Natural Shade: When grown on a trellis, it provides cool, natural shade in hot weather.
• Air-Purifying: Like most plants, it helps improve air quality by absorbing CO2 and releasing oxygen.
• Symbolic Meaning: Associated with love, resilience, and positivity, it brings a sense of renewal each morning.

How to Grow Morning Glory

Step-by-Step Process (Recommended for Home Gardeners):

• Select the Right Spot: Choose a location that gets 6–8 hours of direct sunlight. Ensure good air circulation to prevent diseases.
• Prepare the Soil: Use well-drained, fertile soil. A potting mix with coco peat, perlite, compost and pine bark works best.
• Prepare and Sow Seed: Soak seeds overnight or rub them with sandpaper to speed up germination. Plant them 1/4 inch deep and space 6–8 inches apart. Water gently.
• Watering: Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Water every 2–3 days. Use diluted rice water once a week for better growth.
• Provide Support: As Morning Glory grow taller, they may need support to stay upright. Use sticks to keep the plant straight if necessary.
• Fertilization: Use a low-nitrogen fertilizer every 3–4 weeks to encourage flowers.

Common Problems, Pests & Diseases

Urban Farmer’s Solutions for a Healthy plant:

1. Yellowing Leaves: This is often due to overwatering or poor drainage. Make sure the soil drains well and doesn’t hold excess water. Spray seaweed extract 2ml/20 drops per liter water.
2. Spider Mites: These pests can appear during dry conditions. They cause tiny speckles and webbing. Spider mites suck the cell sap from the leaves and make the plant weak. Spray neem oil 2 ml/20 drops or Mix 1 protec tab in 1 liter of water once a week for effective control.
3. Leaf Spot Disease: This can occur if the leaves are consistently wet. Ensure proper air circulation and avoid overwatering. Symptoms include small, dark spots with yellow halos on the leaves of the Morning Glory. Spray organic fungicide Tricho Shield 5 gm/half spoon or one protec tab per liter of water. Repeat the spray 7 days after the first spray for the best results.

Best Practices for Growing Morning Glory

Urban Farmer’s Expert Tips for Morning Glory:

• Sunlight: Ensure the plant gets 6–8 hours of direct sunlight for healthy blooms. Place it in a bright spot like a terrace or balcony.
• Train the Vines: Tie the vines to a trellis or strings to help them grow upward, improving air circulation and sunlight exposure.
• Deadheading: Remove wilted flowers to encourage more blooms and prevent energy from going into seed production.
• Pruning: Trim overgrown vines to maintain shape and avoid overcrowding, redirecting energy toward flowers.
• Homemade Nutrients: Use banana peel water or coffee grounds for a natural boost in potassium and nitrogen.

Recommended Products for Morning Glory

Urban Farmer’s Trusted Products for Morning Glory Plant Care:

1. Fertilizers:
   • Balanced Fertilizer: Add one grow TAB in a liter of water and spray on foliage every 15 to 20 days. It helps in boosting overall growth and improving leaf color.
   • Slow-Release Fertilizer: Insert one green fertilizer stick fully into the soil, 2-3 inches away from the plant stem. Repeat it after 60 days. A single application of one stick provides your plants with a steady supply of nutrients for up to 2 months.
2. Pesticides:
   • Neem Oil: Spray IFC Neem at 2 ml per liter water to acts as a natural pesticide to control spider mites and other pests.
   • Organic Insecticidal: Add one Protec tab to a liter of water and spray on the foliage to help manage pests like mealybugs and aphids.
3. Growth Promoters:
   • Silicon-Based Growth Stimulators: Spray Tabsil at 1 tablet per 5 liters of water to improve plant resilience to diseases and enhance overall growth.
   • Seaweed Extract: Spray Scuba seaweed extract 2 ml or 20 drops per liter water for spray. It is a natural growth promoter that helps improve development and overall vigor. Use it as a foliar spray or mix it with water for soil application once a month.

By following these detailed guidelines and incorporating the trusted products recommended by Urban Farmer, you can cultivate healthy and vibrant Morning Glory in your home or terrace garden.