Morning glories, or the ipomoea purpurea, are beautiful vine flowers that originate from Mexico. The morning glory plant produces heart-shaped leaves that range in shades of green. The trumpet-shaped flowers typically stay between one and three inches at full maturity and come in blue, purple, red, pink, and white.
You’ll typically notice the flowers start to bloom in the summertime, and they’ll continue to do so until the fall. Along with their vibrant beauty, morning glories are great for the planet, as they attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Morning glories grow best in hardiness zones two through 11 and prefer full sun, along with well-drained soil and at least one of the following soil types:
- Clay
- Loam
- Organic matter
- Sandy and rocky
Morning glories are easy to grow and self-seeding, so they spread quickly. So, if you don’t want them to spread, you’ll need to take the old flowers off their stems before the seed pods drop. Morning glories are also tenacious vines, so they will readily take over areas if given a chance.
Many people plant morning glories in their flower beds for a pop of color, but you might wonder if it’s possible to plant them in hanging pots too. Let’s dive further into this idea to see if morning glory hanging baskets are feasible for your yard, deck, or patio.
Can You Put Morning Glories in a Hanging Basket?
Morning glories grow best in areas where they can climb, such as near fences, trellises, and trees. However, they do rather well in hanging baskets too. Morning glories are popular for hanging baskets due to their fast growth rate and ability to produce an overwhelming amount of flowers.
Morning glory hanging baskets grow best if you hang them in open areas on porches because this allows the vines to grow over the sides of the basket, creating a magical appearance. You’ll often find that the vines will reach your porch floorboards.
To ensure your morning glories grow properly in a hanging basket, you’ll need one that is probably at least a foot in diameter; small baskets can hinder their growth.
How To Take Care of a Morning Glory Hanging Basket
Morning glories are one of the most low-maintenance flowers you can get, as they only require bare minimum care. To ensure your morning glory plant stays healthy, you will need the following:
- Hanging basket with an open top
- Good, well-drained potting soil (they can handle both acidic and alkaline soils)
- Full sunlight
- Water
- Occasional pruning
- Occasional fertilizing
You can often find morning glories at your local plant nursery or garden center, but you can choose to plant them from seeds as well. If you use seeds, you’ll want to plant them in the spring after the cold air starts to dissipate.
After your morning glory plants or seeds are in their basket, all you need to do is continue watering them to keep the soil moist at all times and allow them to have full sun. You’ll usually need to water them about once or twice a week. These flowers don’t require fertilizers, but you can use them occasionally if you want the plant to create more flowers.
Nature will do the rest for you, and you’ll only need to intervene when the plant needs pruning. Make sure to prune dead flowers off the plant, as this prevents bush-growing and self-seeding behavior and allows the vines to stretch out. You should also remove any dead or diseased leaves to prevent further spread.
Some morning glory pests to look out for include:
- Fungal issues
- Spider mites
- Aphids, ants, caterpillars, and beetles
To treat bug infestations, you’ll need insecticides or homemade remedies such as soapy water spray to deter the bugs from staying. To treat fungal infections, a plant fungicide should do the trick.
Something to keep in mind is that morning glories are toxic to humans and pets if the subject ingests large amounts of seeds. Keep these hanging baskets out of areas where your pets can reach them. Signs of morning glory poisoning include:
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Dilated pupils
- Hallucinations in humans
Conclusion
If you keep your morning glories healthy, they will typically grow up to ten feet long and six feet wide. They are annuals in most climates, so you may need to replant them every year. However, these flowers can surprise you and last through the winter if there isn’t a frost. Use this guide to help you decide if a morning glory hanging basket is right for your home.