fairythyme's Blog

I started the moonflower seeds today.  They need such a long growing season to bloom that in my Zone 5 you simply have to get a good head start.  This exotic, vining bloomer is one of my favorites.  It's also a favorite of night-feeding moths.  Of course, the local fairy population loves them too.  The botanical name is Ipomoea alba, a close relative to morning glories.  But instead of blooming in the morning, this blooms at night.  Huge, saucer-sized, pristine white blossoms that exude the most intoxicating fragrance.  Even the leaves are remarkable - large, heart-shaped and a rich deep green.   If you've never grown this show-stopper, you simply must give it a try.

 I soak the seeds overnight before planting them.  Some recommend cutting a little notch in each seed or lightly sanding it to start the process, but I've found simply soaking them, breaks down the outer layer.  They germinate quickly and are soon off and running.  In 3 - 4 weeks they'll be ready to transplant into larger pots.  Each pot requires a 2 - 3 foot support as the plant will start vining right away.  This vine cannot tolerate cold and certainly not frost, so it's important not to transplant it outside until temperatures are reliably warm.  If you wait to plant the seeds in the ground after the last frost date, there won't be enough growing season in Zone 5 for the plants to mature and bloom. There's nothing like the promise of little green sprouts to get one through another round of Winter Storm Watches (which we're under again here!!)