Just Say No: Morning Glories

There are times in our lives where we look back to advice a family member has given us and Kick ourselves for NOT taking heed to their wisdom/experience. Every person out there has done this in some way or another, and this particular time; for me, was my eldest brother’s warning. A warning I ignored even though the guy is essentially a master gardener.

Morning Glories taking over bed of Black-eyed Susans.

I had just moved into my current home as a renter (I purchased the house 2 .5 years later) and upon my first spring in this house, I wanted to create a garden of the flower variety. In my excitement and naïveté I wanted it All and I wanted it Fast. Upon speaking to my brother and explaining what I wanted to do, he told me, ” Do Not Plant Morning Glories, they will take over and become the Bain of your gardening experience!” Yeah, I thought, he doesn’t know; these flowers are blue and pretty and prolific; it’ll be fine.

Morning Glory Seedlings; just days after hand clearing along fence.

Boy, oh boy! Was he Right and I was Wrong! After 15 years working this garden/yard, the only plus from planting those few morning glory seeds way back when is that I think of my dear brother and his kind advice EVERY SINGLE TIME I pull a seed start out of my flower beds! When I till soil only to see days later 50 new morning glory seed starts, I clearly hear his advice in my head. And, especially when I’m struggling to unwrap their vines from my perennials or bushes, I vow to always honor his gardening directives! This has become my battle: EVERY year, Battling and grappling against the onslaught Invasion of what I once thought was so pretty.

Now, these “lovelies” have spread to my back yard in great swaths across flower beds and giant bushes, overtaking anything it can, searching and burdening down it’s host in great mass; similar to our local invasive wild grape vine, or English Ivy, or daresay: Kudzu. Ugh.

Taking Over.

I’m not a big chemical user in my garden. And if I do use it, it’s targeted, and even then I’m uncomfortable with the environmental impact of said weed killers; especially with all the new research. So, I’m left hand picking, pulling, and cleaning; which is pretty much Impossible when it comes to Morning Glories. To battle this well established seed would be a daily project beginning in the early spring until the late fall. Unfortunately, I’m not the super diligent gardener ~ the enviable one who is out deadheading and weeding every day~ hence my preference for planting low maintenance perennial flower /flowering bush beds. This yard/garden is close to a 1/2 acre in little ‘ole West Asheville, and it is a struggle just to keep your normal variety or weeds and seedlings at bay, let alone: “these guys!”

So, take it from me – since I’ll still be pulling up and dealing with the scourge of morning glories many, many years from now: Do Not, I BEG you, do not plant them. Please, take this passed along advice as they have no Place in our flower beds or vegetable beds and they Will take over.