Morning Glory Care
Ipomoea purpurea
A fast-growing annual climber whose showy, funnel-shaped flowers open in the morning and close in the afternoon. It needs a support such as a fence or pole to climb; excessive nitrogen fertilizer produces leaves but prevents flowering.
Frost-tender (protect from frost) · 2 °C / 36 °F
Monthly care calendar
Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.
January
- General care: It is out of season.
- Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 2 °C.
February
- General care: Plan or prepare climbing supports (trellis, stakes, twine) for next season.
- Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 2 °C.
March
- General care: Prepare the planting area. To make seeds germinate more easily, soak them in water overnight or lightly scarify the seed coats.
- Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 2 °C.
April
- Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days. Water newly planted plants more often than established plants during the first year; the root system is still shallow.
- Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
- General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
- Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
May
- Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week. Water newly planted plants more often than established plants during the first year; the root system is still shallow.
- Fertilizing: Not required, it tolerates poor soils. If very poor, apply a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus fertilizer once a month.
- Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering. Extend flowering by regularly removing spent flowers. Train it onto a support structure; shorten branches that grow too much.
- Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
- General care: Suitable period for planting and transplanting. Apply mulch 5-7 cm thick over the root zone; it conserves soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Do not press mulch against the stem.
- Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
June
- Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
- Fertilizing: To encourage flowering, a high-phosphorus (bloom-boosting) fertilizer can be given.
- Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
- Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
- General care: Flowering begins.
- Pests & diseases: Look for aphids (green or black clusters of small insects) on fresh shoot tips. If there are only a few, you can knock them off with a strong jet of water.
July
- Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
- Fertilizing: A flower-promoting fertilizer may be given once a month.
- Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
- Plant protection: Check the undersides of the leaves for spider mites in hot, dry weather.
- General care: Flowering continues.
- Pests & diseases: Check for spider mites.
August
- Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. Water so that the soil is wetted 10-15 cm down from the surface.
- Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
- Plant protection: Continue checking for spider mites.
- General care: Flowering continues.
September
- Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
- Pruning: Regularly remove spent flowers at the base; this encourages new flowering.
- General care: Flowering continues.
October
- Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days.
- General care: It is removed at the end of the season; it is replaced with seasonal planting.
- Pests & diseases: Powdery mildew may appear.
November
- Watering: If needed, very little.
- General care: With the first cold, the plant deteriorates. It should be pulled up and cleaned away at the end of the season.
- Pests & diseases: Do not put diseased plant residues in the compost.
- Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 2 °C.
December
- General care: It is out of season.
- Frost risk: If frost is expected, cover with frost fabric; if in a pot, move to a sheltered place. Damaged below approximately 2 °C.
The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.
Want reminders for every plant in your garden? Our garden-care app with monthly task lists and frost alerts is currently available in Turkish; the English version is on the way.
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