Morning glories are beloved vines that can quickly cover fences, arbors, and trellises with their fast growth and trumpet-shaped blooms in shades of blue, purple, pink, red and white. However, sometimes these vines produce abundant foliage but no flowers. If you’ve been growing morning glories but they refuse to bloom, there are several common reasons why this may happen.
Too Much Fertilizer
One of the most common causes of morning glories not blooming is overly rich soil. While many plants thrive with fertilizer and nutrient-dense soil, morning glories prefer poor to average soil conditions. Their long taproots are adapted to seek out nutrients deep in the soil. When the soil is too fertile the plants divert energy into leaf and stem growth rather than flowering.
Avoid using manure or other organic fertilizers when planting morning glories. Go easy on chemical fertilizers as well. It’s better to start with an unamended soil and only add a balanced fertilizer later in the season if the vines show signs of nutrient deficiencies.
Insufficient Sunlight
Morning glories thrive in full sun. They need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day to bloom prolifically Morning glories that only get a few hours of sun in the early morning or late afternoon may not flower well
Check the sunlight patterns in your garden. If the morning glory location gets shade from trees, bushes or structures for much of the day, try moving the vines to a sunnier spot. You can also prune back encroaching branches to open up the area to more sunlight.
Too Much or Too Little Water
Consistent moisture is important for good morning glory growth and flowering. But take care not to overwater or underwater these vines.
Soil that is too soggy from frequent shallow watering or heavy rains can lead to root rot and other problems. On the other hand, letting plants dry out too much between waterings causes stress.
Aim to water morning glory vines deeply once a week. More frequent light watering encourages shallow roots, while thorough weekly soakings promote deep root growth. Add a layer of mulch around the base of the vines to help retain soil moisture.
Late Blooming Variety
Some morning glory varieties, like the popular ‘Heavenly Blue’, bloom in mid to late summer. If you planted one of these types, the vines may just need more time before they start flowering.
Check the catalog description or plant tag to find out when your morning glory variety normally blooms. Have patience for a couple more months if yours is a late-bloomer. You can also try starting the vines indoors next year to get a head start on the season.
Other Causes
There are a few other potential reasons for morning glories not blooming:
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Planting too late – Morning glories started more than 8 weeks before your first fall frost date have the best chance of flowering.
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Leggy seedlings – Spindly, stretched out seedlings often don’t bloom well. Sow seeds where they’ll grow or use a heat mat for strong starts.
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Root disturbance – Transplanting or frequent cultivation close to the vines can impede flowering.
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Dry starts – Seeds and new plantings need consistently moist soil to establish well.
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Pests – Aphids, spider mites and other sucking insects can interfere with flowering.
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Diseases – Fungal issues like powdery mildew and wilt can weaken plants.
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Poor support – Morning glories bloom best when climbing up a structure.
Getting Morning Glories to Flower
If your morning glories are staying green but not blooming, here are some tips to spur flowers:
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Move to full sun – At least 6 hours/day is best. Morning and afternoon sun is better than just morning or afternoon.
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Check soil fertility – Avoid over-fertilizing. Add phosphorus fertilizer if soil is very poor.
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Improve drainage – Make sure soil drains well and isn’t constantly soggy.
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Water thoroughly – About 1″ per week, taking care not to overwater.
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Control pests – Inspector for aphids, mites and other sap-sucking insects. Spray off with water or use insecticidal soap.
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Treat diseases – Remove affected parts. Disinfect tools between cuts. Space plants for airflow.
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Add support – Install a trellis, fence, strings or other structures for vines to climb.
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Pinch tips – Pinching back long vines encourages branching and flowering.
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Wait for late varieties – Have patience with Heavenly Blue and other late bloomers.
Enjoy the Flowers
With proper care, most morning glory vines will reward you with an abundance of colorful, delicate blooms. Check growing conditions first if your plants are all leaves and no flowers. A little patience may be needed for some late-blooming varieties. But in most cases, a few simple fixes will have your morning glories flowering in their full glory.
Expert Q&ASearch
- Morning glory plants only live for one year and then die. However, they do drop seeds that may allow them to grow back the next year. [15] Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0 .
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- In your area, morning glories may not be allowed. Check with your nearby garden center to find out. Some states label morning glories as invasive species. [16] Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0 .
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Plant your flowers in a sunny spot.
- Morning glories require full sun to produce flowers. They will only open and bloom if they are in direct sunlight. If you want to plant morning glories, make sure they get at least six hours of sunlight each day. You should put morning glories outside or near a south-facing window if you keep them in a pot so they get as much sunlight as possible during the day. To make sure your morning glories do well, never move them. Instead, plant your seeds where you want them to grow this season. If the leaves are brown around the edges and look white instead of green, they may have been burned by the sun. It can be fixed by giving it some shade in the afternoon when it’s hot. [2] .
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Plant questions: Morning glories not flowering
FAQ
How do I get my morning glory to bloom?
Why is my morning glory all leaves and no flowers?
Can I use Miracle-Gro on morning glories?
What is wrong with my morning glory plant?
When do morning glories Bloom?
If your new morning glory plant hasn’t flowered yet, be patient. Morning glories can take a couple of months, up to 120 days from seed to flower, to burst out in blooms, especially if you planted the vine from seed. They are one of the last annuals to bloom in most regions, often in August or even early September.
Why is my Morning Glory not blooming?
Too rich of a soil is often the reason for a morning glory not blooming, as rich or over-fertilized soil produces lush, beautiful foliage at the expense of blooms. Sunlight – Morning glories love full sunlight and a vine located in shade may not bloom. If the vine is young, you may be able to successfully transplant it to a more suitable location.
Do morning glories flower?
The added bonus is the funnel-shaped, brightly colored blooms, so when there are no morning glory flowers, the effect is rather ruined. Getting morning glories to flower is actually a lot simpler than you might think, however. Read on to see how to get blooms on morning glory vines. Morning glories have been popular flowers for centuries.
Why is my Morning Glory drooping?
Get a soil moisture meter if possible. Leaves droop and turn yellow when the plant is given more water than it needs. The affected plant can no longer absorb the nutrients needed for blossom formation. Morning Glory plants could also fail to bloom in the case of phosphorus deficiency.
Why do morning glory buds not open?
Morning Glory buds don’t open when the plant gets too much of the wrong fertilizer. Increased Nitrogen content in the soil is not tolerated by Morning Glories. Do remember that the ‘Heavenly blue’ variety of Morning Glory takes a lot of time to come to flower than the other varieties. Buds also don’t open when the soil lacks moisture.
Do morning glory vines Bloom?
Some vines bloom like crazy when the vine is allowed to sprawl on the ground, but morning glory flowers do best with a support system. Provide a trellis, fence, arbor, or other sturdy structure. If your new morning glory plant hasn’t flowered yet, be patient.