For those needing a fast-growing vine to hide an unwanted view, beautify a trellis or arch, or climb up a teepee or pole, Morning Glories can't be beat.  These are vigorous, easy to grow plants that wind themselves around anything of substance, and can grow 12 feet or more in the first couple of months after the seed sprouts, providing visual impact as well as fragrance.  Flowering is profuse, and lasts all summer long, which is quite a feat if you consider that each individual flower only lasts one day.  The flowers on most types close in early to mid-afternoon, which is a shame, but the attractive heart or ivy-shaped leaves by themselves still make a reasonably attractive addition to the garden.

Morning Glories require full sun and average soil to do their best.  Too much shade or a soil that is too rich will produce all leaves and few flowers.  Seed can be started inside in flats six weeks before the last frost date, or can be started outside after the soil has warmed.  Seeds take a week or so to sprout.   Soaking the seeds in a glass of warm water will help with germination, as the seed coats are fairly hard.   Seedlings do best in warm soil and therefore should probably be started indoors in the colder zones so the wait for blooms will not be as long.  Morning Glories are not frost tolerant, and will be killed by the first hard frost, but they often self-seed, so you probably won't have to buy new seed every season. 

As far as maintenance, Morning Glories like it on the dry side and will not tolerate soil that drains poorly, so do proper soil preparation and take it a little easy with the watering once the plants are mature for best bloom.  If you want Morning Glories to climb a chimney or wall, you will have to provide wire or string, as they need something to wind around as they climb.   Morning Glories have very few pest problems, but occasionally may play host to aphids or spider mites. 

Morning Glories seeds contain a weaker hallucinogen version of the well-known drug LSD, so keeping the seeds away from kids and pets is a must.  It takes quite a few to get a mild LSD high - 100 seeds or 4 packs or so, and if overdone, rather than a mild high this substance will cause severe nausea, diarrhea, and sleeplessness followed by extreme fatigue, so if you or anyone you know is inclined to try this, please advise against it. 

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