It's probably a little early yet for the flowers (mine haven't bloomed yet either). Morning Glories are annuals, but they will self seed if you let some of the seed capsules mature. You can either save them or just let them fall on the ground where they'll come up next year (what I do). At least that's true of "Heavenly Blue" -- those self seed for me and bloom true. Last year I planted a "Flying Saucer" and it did self seed, it just hasn't flowered yet so I don't know if the flowers will be true or will revert to a different color.

In my zone, morning glories bloom towards mid to late July. To get a head start, I normally buy transplants from the nursery even tho MG don't care much for being transplanted. They don't like to dry out, they don't like alot of moisture, and do better when put in soil that's not been fertilized or "fussed" with too much. This is from my own experience.

Which variety did you plant. Not certain there isn't a perennial,but they will definetly self-seed, some varieties more than others; and you could have hundreds of little glories next Spring if you let seed fall. Forgive me for not knowing the name of the smaller dark red/purple MG, but I planted that three years ago; and I swear one peeks out from among my Heavenly Blues ever since.

Morning Glories will bloom until frost nips them.

The dark purple MG I mentioned is Grandpa Ott. I was going to say that but thought I'd better look it up first.

I believe I have the Heavenly as well, I planted some crocus seeds as well and they have not bloomed neiter. I ddin't expect them to be so tall so they stick out oddly amoung the MG. Live and learn.It is nice that they will reseed. I love the vining effect. I do hope they come back. I'll plant more next year just in case. thanks.

Crocus seeds? Did you mean to say "cosmos"? I have never tried crocus from seed, I plant the bulbs in fall for bloom in early spring.

My father wanted a "blue vine" he saw wrapping itself around mailbox posts as he drove around last year.

I bought a few packs of MG seeds and he picked Heavenly Blue. It germinated quickly, got off to a slow start but is now growing up fishing lines behind the mailbox like gangbusters.

It definitely has a mind of its own...LOL. Some days I can go out there three times and I swear it's grown since the last time I was out there.

I found out with the first little vine how careful I have to be when trying to redirect it onto another line since I broke the tip off. Thought I'd ruined it for the year but it had another vine growing out of the top leaf by the next morning when I just had to check it.

In past 2 days it's gotten a little bushy as it split into three vines going up the 3 lengths of fishing line I ran from ground to top of post.

What do I do when it reaches the top of the first set of vertical lines on which it's growing? It's already reached the top of the mailbox post and that's about 3.5' off the ground. At the 8' listed on the seed packet I've got to figure out what to do with the other expected 5 feet.

Should I just let it take its own course or can I train it to go a certain way?

I'd rather not have it slump to the ground when it doesn't have anything to grab onto for a circular growth around the mailbox or back down then back up the mailbox post.

I'm pretty sure from what I've read it should have had a better support system but I worked with what I had.

Any experience you have to help me know what to do with this MG now that it's reached it's top vertical support would be much appreciated!

Where in Massachusetts is zone 4?

There is zone 4 in the Berkshires. But yes, in this case I do believe it's a mistake.

When it runs out of support at the top, it will continue to send out vine, looking for something to cling to. You many get what looks like a big Medusa hairdo and/or it will start to cascade back down. I've pinched back new growth on occasion so it doesn't wrap around my hollyhocks near the fence. Doesn't seem to bother a mature plant.

Faerycat - I planted Flying Saucers one year, it was beautiful.

These are self-seeding perennials for me. I grow the Japanese Morning Glories every year. They are beautiful!

Wow! echinaceamaniac - I looked up Japanese MGs. How unique.
Imagine a fence covered with three or more varieties, stunning.

Well, first I learned yesterday that I am in zone 6. The nursey told me zone 4. So confusing. I live in Winchester about 10 miles west of Boston. I went out this mornign and redircted a few of the vines amazingly a few of them managed to grab onto the handing vine in the flower boxes above and twisted itself around several times. I redirect all the time but I am very very gentle in doign so and they don't seem to mind the direction at all. I wish I had planted more. Theres always next year, I can't wait. Yes, sorry cosmos not crocus. They are about 6-12' fern like foliage no blooms yet there either though. I am waiting patiently. JP MG very pretty the blooms look large too. I'll have to try those next year as well. If I plant the seeds now will they come up quicker next year?

Thanks for the tips, schoolhouse.

I'll try to rig some lines around the mailbox and see where they go from there. The mental image of Medusa hairdo is appropriate. They are prolific growers from day to day in right conditions.

It's the only thing my father asked for in my garden binge
so I want it to bloom for him. I asked him what he thought I should do next and he said "Let it do whatever it does naturally."

I know this is the perennial forum but I wish I had more sunny places at my father's to plant Morning Glories even though they self-seed.

Star of Yalta and Grandpa Ott are beautiful colors. I have the seeds but nowhere to grow them with enough sun. I could rig up trellises between holly and evergreen bushes that get full sun for most of the day.

I've read these two varieties are prolific self-seeders but if any reseed and grow in the miserably dense clay soil I haven't dug up and repeatedly amended then it's kismet and they have a right to be there...LOL.

I might plant some seeds in largish containers around some lavender gladiolus half of which haven't made it through the clay in the spots between the bushes and see if MGs come up. Know it's kind of late in the season to start them but don't have anything to lose.

Thanks again.

Would anyone else suggest a clematis for newbie-NJ? I've never had one myself, maybe that would work better for her. Plus I was curious when you (NJ) said Dad saw a "blue vine wrapped around a mailbox". Many people plant clematis there, and one variety comes in a beautiful blue. (Maybe this should have been a separate thread.) Good luck with the MG's!

Schoolhouse, the vines Dad saw were there only seasonally without anything pruned still visible at ground level so I guessed they were MGs.

Funny you mention Clematis because Dad showed me a newspaper article on Clematis 2 weeks ago which led me to think he might want one of those also. Was looking for a smallish shade tolerant one to put up the fencing along part shade side of new Butterfly Garden. By that time he was in such a state over all the plants I'd put in he said "No more plants!"...LOL.

Be careful what you wish for. MG's are notorious vines and extremely vigorous. I planted a heavenly blue that took down a steel trells. It practically took over the rose garden. My mom's neighbor planted them along their joint chainlink fence years ago and the volunteers keep on coming and WILL NOT DIE no matter what we do. A clematis or something less invasive would be a better choice.

Morning glories are vigorous and grow well if not better in poor soil, but in my case at least I've not had them self seed to the point of being annoying. I do tend to dead head them though till near the end of the season, maybe that's why. I will admit that the first year I planted one it literally enveloped the two rosebushes on either side of it to the point you couldn't see them! The flowers were so gorgeous they made up for it though. Now I grow them in large pots with 5 foot pyramid trellises in them on either side of my driveway, and on a flat trellis against the wall by my mudroom door. That way I can still enjoy them without having them "eat" everything around them.

Oh my, now I'm rethinking the Heavenly Blue MG around the mailbox.

Guess it's too late to put in a smallish blue Clematis in its place? What's their growth rate? Thought I remember reading they not "vigorous" growers but maybe my father doesn't need to see his vision of a "blue flowering vine" quite all around the mailbox this year...LOL.

Took down a steel trellis...that's serious vine power!

This MG is planted in an amended bed since it's completely new and I couldn't take out all the compost, green sand and leaf mould that was already in there. Just my luck the potentially troublesome MG would be one of the things the deer/rabbits/groundhogs haven't eaten in the mailbox bed to date.

LOL. Be careful what kind of clematis you get -- some of them can be quite vigourous too! I have a jackmanii growing up my lamp post and it's at least as big as the morning glories -- there just isn't anything near it for it to grab hold of.
My Heavenly Blue put out it's first bloom this morning -- gorgeous!

Problem is I want some of so many things!

MG vine(s) are not cooperating with fishing line trying to train them down front of mailbox post after they've exploded up fishing line at back of post where seedling was planted.

Very carefully twisted 2 main vines down new lines but they always turn up at ends by next morning. 3rd top vine is still doing its reaching for the sky thing.

This is certainly an adventure but I don't want to do them in by trying to get them to do something they're just naturally opposed to doing.

I'll watch it for next few days and may just end up letting it do whatever comes naturally.

Another thread mentioned sale at Garden Crossings, which I personally think is outrageously priced normally, but they had a few "small" Clematis for about $8. that they say are suitable for containers and that might be something I can do behind mailbox next year if I find out how to overwinter tiny 5.5" plants they're offering.

My MG seedlings were probably started too late to have any hope of flowering this early. Sure is plenty of foliage! Some critter ate some lower leaves but there are so many no one will notice.

If this MG blooms I'm going to be one happy camper. I'll worry about any volunteers next year...

Your MG will bloom.