Well, let me tell ya somethin’ about them mornin’ glories. Them purdy flowers, they sure do grow fast, don’t they? Like weeds, some folks say, but I think they’re kinda nice to look at, all them colors twistin’ and turnin’. But come fall, things change, ya know?
Do you cut ’em back in the fall? That’s what folks wanna know. Well, it ain’t so simple, see? It depends on where ya live, I reckon.
- If you’re in one of them warm places, where winter don’t bite too hard, those mornin’ glories, they just keep on livin’. They’re perennials, they call ’em. Like them old roses that bloom year after year. In those places, yeah, you gotta cut ’em back.
- But not right away, mind you. Wait till the frost comes and kills off all them leaves. Then, when it’s late fall or early winter, you go ahead and chop ’em down. Don’t be shy, just cut ’em down to about six inches or so. They’ll come back, don’t you worry. Come spring, they’ll be shootin’ up again, all green and full of flowers.
Now, if you live up north, where winter’s a real bear, them mornin’ glories, they’re just gonna die off. They’re annuals, like them petunias you plant every year. No need to cut ’em back then, ’cause they’re done for. Just pull ’em up and throw ’em in the compost, if you got one. Or leave ’em be, they’ll rot away on their own, I guess.
But even up north, them mornin’ glories can be tricky. Sometimes, them seeds, they fall on the ground and stay there all winter. Then, when spring comes, they sprout up again, like little surprises. So, you might see some new ones comin’ up, even if you didn’t plant ’em. That’s just nature doin’ its thing, I reckon.
So, when’s the best time to trim ’em, if you gotta trim ’em? Well, like I said, wait till the frost kills the leaves if you’re down south. But if them vines are just gettin’ too big and outta control during the summer, you can trim ’em then too. It won’t hurt ’em, just don’t go crazy. Just snip off the parts that are in the way, or the parts that are lookin’ scraggly.
Some folks, they like to plant them mornin’ glory seeds early in the spring. They start ’em indoors, in a warm place, or maybe in a greenhouse if they got one. Then, when the weather warms up, they plant ’em outside. They give ’em somethin’ to climb on, like a fence or a trellis, and them vines just take off. They grow and grow, and pretty soon, you got flowers everywhere.
And remember, them mornin’ glories, they like water. Keep ’em moist, but don’t drown ’em. And when they start flowerin’, you can give ’em a little somethin’ to eat, like that plant food stuff you buy at the store. That’ll help ’em bloom even more.
But the main thing is, don’t be afraid to cut ’em back in the fall if you gotta. It ain’t gonna hurt ’em, and it’ll help ’em grow better next year. Just like prunin’ a tree, ya know? You gotta cut it back sometimes to make it stronger. It’s the same with them mornin’ glories.
So, that’s all I know about cuttin’ back them mornin’ glories. It ain’t rocket science, just common sense, I reckon. Just watch ’em, see what they’re doin’, and give ’em what they need. And they’ll give you plenty of purdy flowers in return.
Tags: [Morning Glory, Pruning, Fall Gardening, Plant Care, Annuals, Perennials]
