Do You Cut Back Morning Glories in the Fall? A Detailed Guide

Morning glories are beautiful, fast-growing vines that can quickly take over your garden with their vigorously spreading stems and abundant cheerful flowers While their growth is appreciated in summer, it can become unruly and unattractive as fall approaches So should you cut back morning glories when autumn arrives? The short answer is yes, fall is an ideal time to prune morning glories.

Cutting back morning glories in fall helps promote lush new growth next season and prevents disease. It also keeps them looking tidy through winter. With the right technique, fall pruning sets your morning glories up for success when spring rolls around again.

In this detailed guide we will cover

• Why fall is the best season to prune morning glories
• What tools you’ll need
• Exactly how and where to make cuts
• Additional care tips to boost recovery
• How to prune different morning glory varieties
• Common mistakes to avoid

Why Prune Morning Glories in Fall?

Fall is the perfect time for most pruning tasks, and morning glories are no exception. Here are the key reasons you should cut these vines back as autumn approaches:

• Promotes vigorous new growth – Pruning in fall removes old, tired growth and redirects the plant’s energy into developing fresh shoots and foliage come spring.

• Avoids cutting off developing flower buds – Fall pruning doesn’t risk removing buds that will become next year’s flowers which can happen with pruning in spring or summer.

• Prevents disease – Getting rid of dead or damaged growth eliminates entry points for pests and disease. This is especially important going into winter.

• Keeps vines tidy – Cutting back long, unruly stems leaves your garden looking neat and orderly over winter.

• Makes supporting structures accessible – Removing excessive growth allows you to access supports and structures that need maintenance before winter.

How to Prune Morning Glories in Fall

When fall pruning morning glories, having the right tools and techniques makes all the difference:

Tools You’ll Need

• Sharp bypass pruners – Clean cuts heal quickest.
• Garden scissors – For smaller, delicate stems.
• Sterilizing solution – Prevent the spread of disease between cuts.
• Gloves – Protect your hands from scratches.

Pruning Steps

1. Wait until the vines have gone dormant after the first frost. Leaves will turn yellow or brown and start dropping.

2. Remove all dead or dying foliage first. Pick off any shriveled leaves by hand.

3. Use bypass pruners to cut back long, twisting vines to about 6 inches from the ground. Make cuts just above leaf nodes.

4. Remove small, tangled growth with garden scissors. Cut back to just above an outward facing leaf node.

5. Clean your tools with sterilizing solution between each cut to prevent disease transmission.

6. Remove all pruned stems and foliage from the garden bed to eliminate pest habitat.

Where to Make Cuts

The key is to prune each vine back to just above an outward facing leaf node. This is where new shoots will emerge come spring. Make your cuts at a 45 degree angle to allow water to run off.

Removing all growth down to about 6 inches from the soil provides the best balance between tidiness and promoting regrowth. Leave any healthy stems lower than this level intact.

Caring for Morning Glories After Fall Pruning

Pruning is only half the battle – proper aftercare is also essential:

• Water well after pruning to prevent stress.

• Apply a balanced fertilizer or compost to feed regrowth.

• Inspect plants periodically for signs of disease.

• Clean up fallen leaves and debris through winter.

• Check supports are intact and make any necessary repairs.

• Mulch around the base to insulate roots from cold weather.

• Hold off pruning again until necessary in spring or summer.

How to Prune Different Morning Glory Varieties

While the basic technique is the same, pruning requirements can vary slightly depending on the specific morning glory variety:

• Vining types – Need aggressive cutting back to prevent tangled, choked growth. Prune all long vines back to 6 inches.

• Bush types – Require less extensive pruning. Focus on shaping the plant and maintaining desired size.

• Perennial varieties – Can be cut back almost to the ground as they regrow vigorously each year.

• Annual varieties – Should not be pruned lower than 6 inches or regrowth may be compromised.

Get to know the needs of your particular morning glory variety when fall pruning. Perennial types can tolerate much more dramatic cutting back than annuals.

Common Morning Glory Pruning Mistakes to Avoid

While fall pruning morning glories has many benefits, improper technique can hinder your success:

• Pruning too early while vines are still actively growing. Wait until fully dormant after a frost.

• Leaving growth too long and letting vines become overly tangled.

• Making cuts incorrectly by pruning off developing leaf nodes and buds.

• Not sterilizing tools and spreading disease between plants.

• Cutting certain varieties back too severely so they can’t recover.

• Allowing cut foliage to remain in the garden bed over winter.

Fall is without a doubt the optimal time to prune back your morning glories. Cutting them in autumn encourages beautiful new growth, keeps them tidy, and prevents disease – leading to their best performance next year.

By following the tips in this guide, you can prune your morning glories correctly and set them up for success. Just be sure to wait until they are fully dormant, make cuts just above outward facing leaf nodes, disinfect tools between plants, and provide proper follow-up care.

With the right approach to fall pruning, your morning glories will thrive season after season, lighting up your garden with their cheerful flowers.