Morning glories, Ipomoea purpurea, are quick-growing vines, popular for their colorful flowers that open each morning from summer until the first frost of fall.
Reaching between six and 10 feet in height, this fairly aggressive plant can take over a garden if you aren’t careful.
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Fortunately, they are easy to grow in containers, which can be particularly advantageous if you are worried about them spreading.
With its vibrant green foliage and delicate purple trumpet-shaped blooms beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae) is a stunning vining plant that brings coastal charm to any space. While beach morning glory thrives naturally in sandy seaside environments you can successfully grow this beauty in a pot even if you don’t live near the ocean. Follow this comprehensive guide for tips on choosing the ideal container, crafting the perfect potting mix, proper planting techniques, and care for thriving beach morning glory plants.
Selecting the Optimal Pot for Beach Morning Glory
Choosing the right container is the first step to growing lush beach morning glory in a pot Consider the following factors
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Size – Select a pot at least 12” wide and deep to allow adequate room for root development. Beach morning glory has vigorous growth.
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Drainage – Ensure the pot has several drainage holes at the bottom to prevent waterlogged soil, which leads to root rot.
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Material – Pick a durable plastic or terracotta pot that won’t degrade from constant moisture. Avoid porous materials like wood or wicker.
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Shape – A classic round pot works well, but you can also use decorative pots like squat urns or cascading wall planters.
Crafting the Ideal Potting Mix
Beach morning glory thrives in loose, sandy, and fast-draining soil. Aim to recreate these conditions by making a customized potting mix.
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Use a base of potting soil amended with perlite and coarse sand at a 2:1:1 ratio for drainage.
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Mix in compost and coconut coir to provide moisture retention and nutrition.
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Adding worm castings gives a boost of nutrients for strong growth.
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Optional: layer an inch of pebbles or gravel at the pot bottom for extra drainage.
Step-By-Step Potting and Planting
Once you have the ideal pot and soil blend, it’s time for planting:
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Fill the container about 3⁄4 full with prepared potting mix, mounding it slightly.
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Carefully remove the beach morning glory from its nursery pot, gently loosening any bound roots.
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Place the plant in the center of the pot, spreading roots outward.
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Backfill with more mix, tamping down lightly to remove air pockets. Leave 1” space at top.
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Water thoroughly until it drains freely from the base after planting.
Sun and Location for Optimal Growth
Beach morning glory thrives in full sun. For potted plants, choose a location with:
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At least 6 hours of direct sun daily, ideally morning sun. South or west-facing spots are perfect.
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Shelter from hot afternoon sun and drying winds. Dappled midday shade helps.
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Warmth, as beach morning glory dislikes frost and temperatures below 50°F (10°C).
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Room for vertical growth. Beach morning glory can reach 6-10 feet tall when supported.
Proper Watering and Soil Moisture
Beach morning glory prefers evenly moist but not soggy soil. Follow these tips:
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Water deeply whenever the top 1-2” of soil becomes dry. Bottom-watering helps prevent foliage disease.
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Increase watering frequency during hot, dry weather to maintain moisture.
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Reduce watering from fall through winter when growth slows.
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If the pot feels light when lifted, it’s time to water!
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Well-draining soil prevents excess moisture. Tip away any water in the saucer after 30 minutes.
Fertilization for Growth and Flowering
Feed your beach morning glory every 2-3 weeks during spring through fall with:
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Balanced liquid fertilizer like 10-10-10, diluted to half strength.
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Granular slow-release fertilizer sprinkled lightly over the soil.
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Compost tea or fish emulsion provides organic nutrition.
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Ease off fertilizer over winter when the plant is dormant.
Training and Support for Vertical Growth
Beach morning glory is a vigorous climber. Provide a support structure like:
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A tall trellis or obelisk placed in the pot for stems to wind around.
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Sturdy garden stakes inserted around the pot rim to attach vines to with soft plant ties or twine.
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Adjacent fencing, rails, wires, or netting for tendrils to latch onto.
Ongoing Maintenance
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Prune back any leggy or damaged stems to keep growth compact.
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Check weekly for pests like aphids, treating any found with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap spray.
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Bring pots indoors or protect with frost cloth before cold weather arrives.
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Repot annually in spring, moving up one pot size.Trim roots if crowded.
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Remove spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming.
With proper care, your potted beach morning glory will flourish indoors or out, rewarding you with cascades of colorful blooms and lush foliage to enjoy for years to come. Turn your patio, balcony or garden into an oasis with this eye-catching coastal beauty.
Advantages of Container Growing
I love growing morning glories! They come in all sorts of colors, can add vertical dimension to the garden when trained up trellises, and pollinators love them.
The only downside is that because they grow rapidly and self-seed readily, they have a tendency to take over gardens.
Sometimes they can wind around and suffocate other plants.
Fortunately, container growing is an easy way to keep these vines under control, reducing the risk of a hostile takeover.
This also gives you the freedom to set them anywhere, like a balcony or patio.
Since this plant is a perennial in warmer climates, you can even choose to grow it indoors, or move the pots inside for the winter.
Look for a pot with drainage holes that is at least eight to 10 inches wide, and six inches deep.
Plant in a light potting soil that drains well. Adding some gravel to the bottom of the container will help ensure holes don’t get clogged.
You can start seeds indoors in the container about four to six weeks before the last frost, or start outside once the soil has warmed to 60°F.
Soaking seeds overnight prior to planting can help improve germination. Sow seeds at 1/4 inch deep and water well.
Once seedlings emerge, thin to no more than two or three plants per pot.
For more details on how to propagate and grow morning glories, read our full guide.
Set the planter somewhere that receives full sun, and that is sheltered from strong wind.
Be sure to set a trellis in the pot, or set the container next to or beneath something the vine can climb and whorl around, such as a fence or archway.
You can even find pots and planters that have a trellis built in, such as this one from Wayfair.
You can also plant them in hanging baskets and let them trail over the side.
Water two times a week or more during dry weather, and be especially attentive to soil moisture if you are keeping it indoors.
Tip: Morning glories work well planted with other climbing vines such as the moonflower, which blooms late in the day. Try planting both together in the same planter for flowers in the morning and the evening!
If you are keeping your morning glories indoors, remember that these vines need quite a bit of sun, at least six to eight hours a day.
They grow best in direct bright light and should be set in a sunny south or southeast facing window.
Make sure they have something to vine around so they stay contained. You may also choose to prune during the summer to slow growth and encourage blooming.
Deadhead spent flower heads and trim back lateral stems that sprout to keep vines from growing out of control.
Indoor plants should be watered with a fine mist during initial growth to keep the soil moist but not soggy.
Once plants are well established, water thoroughly a couple of times a week at the soil level, letting the soil dry out before watering again.
In late fall, cut plants back to about six inches tall and reduce watering. The vine will resume growth once spring arrives.
To encourage blooming, you may also feed plants every few weeks with a balanced organic fertilizer during the growing season, such as AgroThrive General Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, available from Arbico Organics.
Growing Morning Glory in Pots | Learning from Last Year’s Mistakes
FAQ
Do morning glories grow well in pots?
How often do you water potted morning glories?
Do morning glories like sun or shade?
Where is the best place to plant morning glories?
Can Morning Glory grow in pots?
Potting soil is a good option for growing morning glory in pots. It is specially formulated to provide the necessary nutrients and drainage for potted plants. A mixture of potting soil and compost can also be used to improve soil quality. Morning glory plants require regular fertilization to thrive.
How do you grow morning glories in a pot?
Fill your morning glory pot 2/3 full with soil mix, leaving room at the top for watering. Morning glories are called “glories” for a reason – they achieve their full glory when allowed to vine and climb upwards. Make sure to provide strong support for them to grow on. There are several options for supporting morning glory vines in pots:
How do you grow beach morning glory?
Thrives in full sun in dry to moist, well-drained, sandy soils. Drought tolerant, Beach Morning Glory can tolerate significant and ongoing amounts of salty wind and salt spray without injury. Virtually pest and disease free. Propagate by seeds or cuttings. Native to the coastlines of tropical and subtropical areas across the globe.
How big does beach morning glory grow?
Beach Morning Glory is excellent for beachfront homes and coastal landscapes. Grows up to 6 in. tall (15 cm) and 10-50 ft. wide (3-15 m). Will quickly spread to form a mat without being invasive. Thrives in full sun in dry to moist, well-drained, sandy soils.