Altough I can't give specifics for Zone 8 as to 'when,' they most certainly can be started via WS method.
Here in Z5, I do mine in May. I'll might choose to soak the seed overnight, or I might simply sow them into a jug of 'near mud.'
They sprout quickly during warm temps, and can be planted out when they first start to get their true leaves. They don't mind being transplanted when you're doing it this small.

I've also done them the exact way you mention in your last paragraph- dug out an area at the base of my vine pole, and sowed them in there. But when I do them that way, I DO soak them overnight first.

Here's a pic of one of my vine poles:

{{gwi:357256}}

I have some of the same questions you, as I have never grown any. Plus, how quickly will they cover a fence? Should they be planted out sooner rather than later if they don't like to be moved? Do I really have to wait to sow these little gems?

These are pretty important plants for me this year, I really need them for some shade at the pool. Last year, I cooked myself a few times!!

Hopefully someone with experience will chime in for us!

I ws them last year they transplanted fine. They reseed like weeds here in Ma. I did file some of the seeds unfortunatelt rabbits chewed them. They grew back but really late so not many blooms before fall

In zone 6 I sow them later, maybe around April. I found that if I sow them earlier, they are growing all over the place before I can put them out, bec. they really like warm weather.
In my zone they won't flower before deep in the summer anyway.

I've also direct sown them with success. You do know that once you have them, you'll always have them? They keep returning year after year.

elen

I direct sow mine right where I want them. Cover with a cloche made from a two liter bottle. Plant them the depth of the seed. I always wait until the last frost is done. They do much better if it's warming up already.

Last year, before wintersowing, I tried starting them in containers and transplanting them. Those got about 4' off the ground. The ones direct sowed went up about 15'. Same with the moonvine.

I planted Scarlet OHara and Moonvine in front of the chimney to cover a wire trellis I built. They got so heavy they pulled the trellis off the brick.

{{gwi:357258}}

So happy to see this post,as i too,am hoping to cover a very large area this year,i have already made the mistake of WSing all my Japanese MGies,a couple of months ago,so, i have to be very careful what i do now.
Zone 5- Illinois-April 1st?????????????
May 1st??????????????
Thank you,
cAROL

I'm in NC, zone 7. I won't be sowing MGs until early April with a last frost date of mid/late April. I did sow one container. That was a mistake. Haven't seen any germination yet, but if they do, they'll get moved to the hoophouse.

Last year my best MGs were volunteers that had started in a hanging basket that was left out over the winter! I just left them there and moved the basket to the foot of the trellis. They did great,maybe because they got warmer than the ground???

MMQC,
Ooooooooohhhhhh! I want a vine pole like yours! You have more than one? Are they all made the same....more pictures available?

Mechele

I have a vine pole about that size in my front yard. One of my birch died and I left the trunk. I have tried honeysuckle and scarlet runners without too much luck.

The really good news I have two possibly three more trunks to work with in the back. When do these stop being design features and start being dead trees? :)

I have started Virginia creeper up one (in my dreams I see tendrils streaming off the artfully left branches) and a wild clematis (old man?) on the other.

Hi Mechele-
Thanks for the compliment on my poles. I actually have two of them; the other one is about 30 feet away from that one above. I got the directions over at bhg.com...there are two styles over there, but I liked this "signpost" one- it's on page 2. It's made out of pressure-treated wood, and stays out all year. It's mounted into one of those big gray 'post' thingys that you can get at Home Depot. The whole thing might have cost me about $15 to make.

Here's the other one. Obviously the pix were taken early in the season before the vines covered them.

{{gwi:357260}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Better Homes & Gardens Vine Poles

thanks alot for all replies. i will wait till april to start these.

mmqchdygg,
i liked the vine-pole and your garden. mine are just basic poles and now i am thinking of having few marigold around the pole. i guess they can also grow in unprepared bed. i have such a small garden and after seeing all pics, my wishlist of plants is growing!

Whooooooooooooo,Beautiful garden MM,i love the design.
cAROL

just1more -
I would not WS my MGs again, it only got about 5' tall. This time I plan to wait until the last week of April to direct sow both the MGs and the Moonvine.

Stupid question time...Iris did you have a MG that was supposed to get taller? There are several varieties (Picotee and Early Call are two that I can think of off-hand) that only get ~5' tall.

I'm also in Z5, and typically WS mine...I've done them as late as June 1st and no lack of growing power going on.

I can't think of anything better for a trellis or an arbour than mg's. Mine don't bloom until september (spring sown in containers), but I start the trellis with scarlet runners which grow fast, satisfy the hummers coming through, and provide a base for the morning glories to twine up.
Here's the scarlet's starting..
{{gwi:353533}}
This is the same trellis two months later, from a different angle, with the morning glories..
{{gwi:357262}}

I've sown my MG two years ago and they've been coming back every year. Assuming they reseed so well, I think it wouldn't be a problem to WS these.

Token28001: I've never thought to put a cloche of some sort over the seeds. I've written that down :)

That vine pole looks so simple to make and i'm just imagining a whole column of flowers!

Wendy, your garden is so colourful and vibrant! Do you remember what the name of the white MG is? Pearly something?

WOW! Lovely!!!

How many mg do you plant at the base of your pole?

I've planted a LOT at the base of mine...sometimes a dozen or more. And I always have some other smaller thing on the outside ring because of that notation that MGs like their feet cool, so I'll plant something like the small red cosmos, gazanias, or a shortie zinnia on the outer ring.

Having that many vines going at once sometimes is a little bit of a chore to get them trained up the pole...they want to flop all over everywhere else, but they mind well.

Wendy2- those are beautiful...and HUGE blooms! Are those flying saucers, and heavenly blue, or a diff't variety? Gorgeous!

There is a white called pearly gates, perhaps that's it. I did MG's last year DS some that never came up and transplanted some from my mom's. They all did well. I also started some in the spring with good success. Nicking the seed and soaking. I had some come up in two days.
I was impatient to see blooms. Mine seemed to need about four feet of vine before starting to flower. Then they just kept going.

Heavenly blue, flying saucers, and unfortunately can't remember the name of the white. It had a pale blue 'star' in the centre.

w

can MG tolerate shade?

I have morning glory sprouts in a 3" pot. It's a month to last frost. Should I put these in a larger pot or plant them in just thawed ground with a cloche. I have some scarlet runner sprouts as well.

Daisy, they can take shade, they just need some sun. I had all mine in shade last year and they did fine.