Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Morning Glories

 
 
 
 
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I have always loved morning glories. My first garden was at our home in Mesquite, Texas. It was off in a little corner of the yard. My Dad put up a fence to keep out the Great Danes and my multitude of siblings. I tended that little garden for about seven years during middle school, high school and my freshman year of college. I grew squash, okra, tomatoes and Heavily Blue Morning Glories. The morning glories were planted against the fence. Next to the fence was my Dad's prized peach tree. Guess where the morning glories went? That's right, straight up into the peach tree. Dad wasn't happy, but Mom wouldn't let him pull them out because it was "pretty."

One day, Magillacutty, the giant and quite mentally challenged, Great Dane got inside of the garden fence and had a party by himself. I weighed maybe 90 pounds. He weighed more that 110. Guess how long it took me to wrestle him out of that little garden? The squash was destroyed, but the morning glories survived.

A few years ago, I introduced another invasive vine into my current garden. Thankfully, it has a predator- butterflies. Every summer, the Gulf Fritillary caterpillars chew down my giant passion vine. This morning, I was surrounded by clouds of these orange beauties. I would like to say that the butterflies will move on and I can clean up that passion vine, but we still had caterpillars at Christmas time last year.

Do not bring seeds of wild morning glories into your garden, no matter how pretty they are. They will be with you for the rest of your life strangling your other flowers and covering up your prized antique rose bushes.

10 comments:

  1. Morning Glories are so pretty! I am amazed at how much and how fast those Gulf Fritillary caterpillars eat the leaves. It's amazing!

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  2. Debbi, are you saying the seeds you buy at the store are ok and not invasive? I planted seeds in a clay pot. The vines are climbing up a rope I made for the fence. The foliage is beautiful, but they are not blooming yet. I am thinking they are waiting for a little cooler weather. Morning glories at the Arboretum are always blooming the prettiest in the fall.

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  3. My dad planted morning glories in his backyard several years ago. Since then, they've migrated from his backyard to his front yard and threaten more than just his rose bushes...

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  4. I don't think the morning glories I planted even came up this year. And I so love them. I'm glad someone's did. Their twining vines have always seemed a little magical to me. As though fairies hide in the leaves.
    Brenda

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  5. I agree on the morning glories. I'm always pulling them up when I see them! Fritillaries are pretty nonchalant about my passion vine this year. Maybe they forgot about it?

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  6. Debbi, I loved the story of the dao and the morning glories. Your heavenly blue is beautiful. So far one of mine has more white than blue blooms and the other one hasn't bloomed yet. Did you grow yours from seed? I did.

    BTW, I was thinking about you at work today and wondering if you are goig to do the seed exchange again this year? I know it's early, but I so enjoyed going through all the seeds and planting them. I have some great plants thanks to the seed exchange-including the hyacinth bean!

    You did such a great job of organizing it last year. :)

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  7. Shala, They will eat the vines down to a nub, but the have never killed mine off.

    Linda, Not at all. They all will grow all over the place. Here in my garden the wild seeds I introduced are just a lot more aggressive.

    Chuck b, Sounds familiar.

    Brenda, Mine are just now blooming and some are still germinating. I think they like the hot weather.

    Becca, Some lepidopterus(sp) told me that there is a certain variety of passion vine they prefer.

    Beckie, It looks like I will have enough extra seeds to do a late fall exchange. Then we can do it all again. But did you get the seeds I just sent out or are you talking about the progressive exchange Monica put together?

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  8. That is sage advice about avoiding wild morning glories. And it sounds like I had better keep an eye out for mentally challenged great danes, as well!

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  9. Ah yes, but they ate it last year! I think they're upset b/c I fed some of them to the fish. Maybe?

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  10. Debbi, DUH!!! I was thinking it was you that had organized the exchange, but it was Monica! I will have to ask her. I haven't gotten any seeds lately?? Will keep my eye out for them. Glad you are going to have seed to share again though. I remember those cute packets you made and did plant several things from you.

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