What If I'm Not There to Take Care of My Morning Glories?

Optimum Growing Conditions

• Morning glories thrive in a warm, sunny site that is sheltered from the wind and rain. These plants prefer light, well-drained soil, so add organic matter or peat moss until the soil crumbles when you squeeze a handful.

Mulch

• Mulching preserves the moisture in the soil, moderates the ground temperature and prevents weeds from growing. Apply a layer of mulch around the morning glory plants when you plant them or in the early spring. It's never too late to mulch, so add a layer at any time. Organic mulches include bark, wood chips, sawdust, straw and newspaper. Crushed stone and gravel, plastics and landscape fabrics are inorganic mulches. Organic mulches decompose over time and release nutrients into the soil for the plants.

Varieties

• Choose varieties from within the morning glory family that are drought-tolerant. Ipomea coccinea, Red Morning Glory, is a fast-growing, climbing vine with red flowers that attract butterflies. While it thrives in full sun, it is tolerant of drought. The Railroad Vine, Ipomoea pes-caprae, grows in inhospitable, dry locations such as exposed sand dunes and beaches. It grows to only a few inches high, but trails along the ground for up to 100 feet. Its pink to purple flowers open only once, in the morning, but the vine produces flowers throughout the growing season.

Containers

• Plant, or transplant, morning glories in containers. Choose nonporous containers to retain moisture and to prevent the air drying out the soil. Use nutrient-rich potting soil or a soil-less mix, and place the plants in the center of the container. Encourage the plants to grow up a support, such as a post or a trellis. When you need to leave your plants, move the container to a shaded site, and water the plants well. The morning glory can survive drought conditions for a longer time in the shade, although it will not bloom profusely there.