Ipomoea perennial: planting and care in the open field, variety selection and cultivation

Ipomoea annual (perennial) is used to decorate suburban areas. Planting and caring for this plant does not require much attention. Ipomoea dies in winter. It is advisable to grow this beautiful flowering crop in seedlings. Sowing seeds in April-March, in the middle of summer you can admire the lush flowering carpet.

Description

Ipomoea perennial (from lat. ipomoea) is a climbing flower liana from the Bindweed family. Native to South America and Africa. Grows in tropical and subtropical forests. Some varieties of morning glory are shrubs or small trees. There are over 450 species.

The climbing plant is very popular with gardeners. After all, its fast-growing vines, strewn with bright fragrant flowers, create a long-awaited shade in the summer. Used to decorate the landscape, as an ampelous plant grown in hanging planters. Commonly called bindweed.

The name in Greek means "like a worm". True, we are not talking about stems, but about structural features of the root system. Ipomoea can be annual or perennial. The winding stem of this plant sometimes reaches 3-8 meters in length. The leaves are greenish, heart-shaped, with a pointed tip, or openwork, strongly dissected.

Flower - funnel-shaped. The corolla consists of petals fused with each other. Its diameter reaches 5-20 centimeters. The buds open in the morning on a sunny day. On cloudy days and at night they roll up. Flowers are single or double. Flower petals can be white, pinkish, red, purple, yellowish, blue.Coloring - plain or variegated.

Flowers appear in June-July. Pollinated by insects or wind, after which black seeds appear in closed boxes. Ipomoea can bloom before the onset of cold weather. This is not a frost-resistant crop, it does not tolerate cold, it quickly dies in winter.

Features

In many regions of Russia with severe snowy winters, only annual morning glory is grown. This climbing plant blooms well and profusely from July to the first autumn frosts. Ipomoea flowers bloom quickly in the morning, and fade in the evening. True, long-term lush flowering is achieved due to constantly renewing flowers. Flowering - remontant and continuous.

This is a completely unpretentious, but poisonous culture. Propagated by seeds. Ipomoea is sown in open soil only in May. For seedlings - at the end of April. From the moment of sowing to the appearance of flowers, it takes about 2-3 months.If the bindweed does not bloom for a long time, then it is not properly cared for. In this case, you need to reduce the amount of top dressing.

Ipomoea is too sensitive to direct sunlight. Prefers diffused lighting. In northern latitudes, it can only be grown in greenhouses.

Types and varieties

About 25 species of morning glory are grown in horticulture. Usually, the following varieties are planted in summer cottages: Purple, Tricolor, Sweet Potato, Nile, Kvamoklit. Very rarely bred Ipomoea Cairo, Moonflowering, Palmate.

Purple

Climbing annual. The name in Latin is Ipomoea purpurea. Popular with gardeners. Growing fast. It has many small flowers and lush green foliage. The stem can reach a length of three meters. One inflorescence can have up to five flowers. The flowers are funnel-shaped, consisting of five fused petals, up to 4.9 centimeters in diameter.They have different colors: blue, pink, purple, red. Popular varieties: Gypsy, Blue Venice, Beauty of Moscow, Crimson Rambler.

Ivy-shaped

Annual crop with a thin, long, curly stem that reaches 2.5-3 meters. The leaves are simple, divided into 3-5 lobes, similar to ivy leaves. The flowers are funnel-shaped, grow on stems one at a time or are collected in inflorescences consisting of 2-3 flowers. The diameter of the flower is 4.95 centimeters. The color of the petals is from blue to purple. The most famous variety is Roman Candy.

Nile

Annual, highly branched vine. Can reach a length of 2.5-3 meters. The flowers of this plant are large, they can have a diameter of 9.5 centimeters. Painted in pink, blue, reddish, purple. Popular varieties: Pikoti, Serenade hybrid.

Quamoklit

This is a very beautiful annual.It is also called cypress liana. Stems wrapping around any support can grow up to 3-5 meters. The leaves are green, openwork, reminiscent of a fan. The flowers look like stars. They can be white, pink, reddish. Ipomoea blooms from mid-summer to October.

Red

Fast growing culture. During flowering, it resembles a Christmas tree decorated with bright red flowers. The stem reaches 3-5 meters in length. It has openwork, feathery leaves, similar to a fern. The flowers look like red stars, each 2-4 cm in diameter.

Admiral

Climbing liana with reddish flowers in the form of stars on a green background of dense openwork foliage. Blooms from late July to late autumn.

Blade

Climbing annual. The stem grows up to 2.5-3 meters in length. The leaves are openwork. Inflorescences are spike-shaped, 19-25 centimeters long, consist of 8-12 flowers, similar to reddish, yellow, white drops.

Twinkling Stars

Climbing annual cypress vine. The stem can grow up to 2.5-3 meters. The leaves are pinnate, openwork. Flowers look like colorful stars (scarlet, white, pink).

Slaughter

Liana, growing up to 2-3 meters in length. It has an exotic form of dissected leaves, similar to palm ones. Flowers - small, red, with a diameter of 2.5 centimeters. Bloom early in the morning.

Cirrus

A fast growing vine that looks like a cypress. Leaves - dissected, like a fern. The flowers are scarlet, reminiscent of stars.

Sky Blue

An annual plant belonging to the Tricolor species. It has large (up to 9.5 centimeters in diameter) sky-blue flowers. Curly vine can reach 4.2-5 meters in height. The plant is densely covered with heart-shaped greenish leaves.Flowers are arranged in pairs or 3 pieces. They open at sunrise and close in the afternoon.

Moonflowering

The stem grows up to 2.5-3 meters in length. The leaves are heart shaped. White fragrant flowers reach 9.5 centimeters in diameter. Flowering is exclusively nocturnal. With the first rays of the sun, the snow-white flowers close. True, in cloudy weather, the flowers may open in the afternoon, in the late afternoon.

Cairo

The stem grows up to 4-5 meters in length. Has cut leaves. Flowers - soft lilac, with a dark center. The diameter of the flowers is 9.2 centimeters. Flowering is profuse. Ipomoea looks like a green carpet with delicate purple flowers.

Tricolor

Annual. Stems grow up to 3-5 meters in length. The leaves are greenish, heart-shaped. Flowers in diameter reach 8-10 centimeters. The flowers have a mixture of colors - bluish-pink, with white cores. Varieties: Milky Way, Heavenly Blue, Royal Ensign.

Blue Star

Annual climbing plant. It has strong stems, 2.5-3 meters high. The flowers are funnel-shaped, blue, with blue stripes inside. The flowers open in the morning, at night and in cloudy weather the flowers close.

Variegata

Climbing liana with variegated leaves and lilac or lilac-white flowers. The leaves are three-lobed, greenish-white. The stem is 1.5-2.5 meters long.

Growing

Ipomoea is a heat-loving plant with a long growing season. It is planted by preliminary germination of seedlings or by sowing seeds immediately on an open bed. Some varieties can be propagated by cuttings. The choice of planting depends on the type of morning glory and the climatic features of the region.

For seedlings

Fast growing small-flowered annuals (Purple) can be sown directly into the ground. They will have time to bloom by mid-summer. Large-flowered species (Nile) - characterized by slow growth. They bloom later, so it is better to pre-sow these varieties for seedlings. Sowing plants immediately on open ground is practiced only in warm climatic zones. In a temperate continental climate, it is desirable to grow morning glory in seedlings.

When to plant

At the end of April, morning glory seeds are sown for seedlings. This culture has a tap root system that does not like transplants. It is advisable to sow the seeds in separate peat cups.

Preparation of seed

Before sowing, morning glory seeds should be soaked for 23 hours in warm water. If the seed coat is not wrinkled, it is slightly pierced with a needle (scarified). Then the seeds are soaked again in warm water.

Soil selection

For planting, they take a purchased fertilized soil mixture (for succulent crops) or prepare the land on their own. Mix garden, leafy soil with peat and sand, add a little superphosphate, ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfate and wood ash (5 grams per 1 liter of irrigation liquid).

How to plant

In each peat tablet put 2-3 seeds to a depth of 1-2 centimeters. Put on germination in a warm place (18 degrees Celsius), cover with a film on top. Shoots appear in 8-14 days. During development, seedlings need to be regularly looked after: irrigate the land, organize ten-hour daylight. When the seedlings grow up to 16 centimeters, they need to be tied to a support (peg) so that they stretch upwards.

Rules for planting seedlings in open ground

Growing up young seedlings are planted in a permanent place by the end of May.By this time, the soil should warm up to 10 degrees Celsius, and the weather outside should be warm, fifteen degrees. For morning glory, choose a well-lit and calm place. The plant is transplanted by transshipment. Ipomoea with an earthen lump or in a peat tablet is buried in a specially dug hole. Land for planting is pre-fertilized with organic matter and superphosphate.

Shanks

Ipomoea is propagated by cuttings. To do this, cut shoots 16-22 centimeters long. Each should have 2 unblown buds. The bottom cut is made at an angle of 45 degrees. Stems without leaves are placed in water and wait for the roots to appear. With the advent of roots, the cuttings are transplanted into fertilized, slightly acidic, loose soil.

How to care

Transplanted seedlings are tied to a support or trellis and guided. Ipomoea should grow in a certain direction: up or twist around the arc.At the time of growth, she is constantly looked after: watered, fertilized. When morning glory reaches the desired height, pinch the top of the main shoot. After this procedure, side shoots grow more actively.

Irrigation

Immediately after planting, Ipomoea is watered abundantly. It is necessary to ensure that the earth does not dry out, and the plant does not suffer from a lack of moisture. In hot weather, Ipomoea is watered 2-3 times a week. 5-10 liters of water are poured under the bush. It is important to ensure that the soil does not become waterlogged and swampy, otherwise the morning glory will begin to rot.

Weeding and loosening

The earth near morning glory should be loosened regularly. Remove soil crust. Let the roots breathe. It is desirable to remove weeds so that they do not take away nutrients.

Feeding

Once every 15-20 days morning glory is fed. For top dressing, complex fertilizers are taken (for example, for cacti or decorative indoor flowers).The plant in the process of growth must receive a sufficient amount of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Three times per season, 20-35 grams of complex fertilizer diluted in water (5 liters) are applied to the soil.

Cutting

In the process of development, morning glory shoots need to be formed, directed, cut off excess or broken branches, pinch the top in time. Before winter, the stems of heat-loving annuals are completely cut off.

Pest control

Ipomoea is attacked by insects. The main enemies of this plant are aphids and spider mites. If morning glory is not protected from these insects, it may die.

Spider mite

These are tiny red insects that settle on the underside of the leaf. They weave webs on the plant. They feed on leaf juice. Can cause wilting and slow growth of morning glory. Against them, insecticides are used (Actofit, Fitoverm) and spraying with cold water or garlic infusion.

Aphid

A tiny soft-bodied light green insect. Settles on leaves in colonies and feeds on plant sap. May cause yellowing and wilting of foliage. Spraying with a soapy, garlic solution or insecticides (Spark, Aktara, Biotlin) is saved from aphids.

Peculiarities of winter care

The stems of the annual ipomoea are completely cut off before winter, the earth is dug up, and the roots are removed from the soil. The following year, seeds are sown, from which new annuals grow.

Propagation by cuttings

Ipomoea can be propagated by cuttings. To do this, cut off the top branches and put in water. Each should have several unblown buds. The lower leaves are removed. Branches are cut at an angle of 45 degrees. When the roots appear (usually for 5-6 days), the plants are transplanted into the ground.

Diseases and treatment

In cool and rainy weather morning glory can get sick. The leaves on the plant may turn yellow or dry out. Rare or frequent watering, lack of nutrients in the soil can provoke the disease. Ipomoea will not get sick if care is properly organized, and a sufficient amount of mineral supplements is applied to the ground for preventive purposes.

Fungal

Ipomoea can get sick with anthracnose, white rust, various rot. The infection comes from the soil. Ipomoea will not get sick if it is treated with a fungicide (Fitosporin, Topaz), and a sufficient amount of mineral additives is added to the ground.

White swelling

This is a non-infectious disease that most often affects greenhouse crops. It develops with frequent watering and low temperatures. Greenish or yellow-brown bumps, blisters appear on the leaves. Soon the leaves turn yellow and fly around.Ipomoea will not get sick if proper care and watering is organized. To increase disease resistance, the crop is regularly (2-3 times per season) fertilized with phosphorus and potassium.

Collection and storage of seeds

Ipomoea seeds are harvested in autumn (October). After the flower fades, a box with seeds appears. For several (four) weeks, it ripens. The box is cut off when it turns brown and opens slightly. The seeds are scattered and dried. Seeds are stored in a paper bag for 3-4 years.

Combination with other plants

Ipomoea is used for vertical landscaping of a garden plot. It goes well with nasturtium, climbing rose, clematis. There should be a distance of 1 meter to a neighboring plant.

Landscape use

With the help of morning glory, you can decorate the area near the house, balcony, gazebo.Flexible vines of this culture can take any shape. They will perfectly braid an arch or a fence. With the help of a green lush carpet and bright colors, you can cover up unsightly places on the facade of buildings. Ipomoea looks spectacular in hanging pots.

Answers to questions

Question: is it possible to save stems with roots dug out in autumn until spring?

Answer: the roots dug out of the ground with shoots will not be saved until next summer. They will rot. It is advisable to sow seeds every spring for seedlings and grow new plants.

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