moon plant help

I am getting ready to start germinating seeds for some moon plants to put outside my house this year but have never worked with them. I was hoping for some suggestions about the best way to germinate the plants indoors, get them rooted and growing before placing them outside. We are also thinking about doing them as hanging plants along our car port but wasnt sure if they would do well this way. Any suggestions, recommendations??

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Permalink Reply by Doug on February 17, 2009 at 4:32pm

Let us know how it goes. I read an article a few years ago that suggested mixing moonflowers and morning glories for a continually blooming climbing display. I always wanted to do that...

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Permalink Reply by nikki talley on February 19, 2009 at 2:24pm

i looooove moonvinesss! :) i have done them for three years in a row (and will this spring too)...i have either placed them directly in the ground or started them indoors in some flats...they're fairly easy i'd say... :) and i did the morning glory & moonvine mix (mentioned by doug) and i loved it because you have blooms night and day! :) good luck and believe me they're not hard to grow for the beautifully fragrant large blooms you get in return. :) xxx ooo

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Permalink Reply by Shanna on February 20, 2009 at 8:45am

I will let you know how it goes and get some good pictures to post later in the season. I really like the morning glory/moonplant mix idea too. Thanks guys!!

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Permalink Reply by Doug on February 22, 2009 at 9:42am

I started some indoor seeds yesterday. I've never done this so it is an experiment. A few weeks ago I bought a couple of mixed seed packets at HD, I think, maybe Lowe's. They are the Burpee "Signature" series, and what I liked about them is that they combined four seed packets in one envelope. I bouth two, the "Trellis and Fence Garden" and the "Mailbox" mix. The trellis pack had both moonies and morning glories, as well as a climbing nastertium and something called Spanish Flag. I soaked the moonies and morning glories overnight and started them in little peat pods in one of those plastic "indoor greenhouses" this morning. In all, I started six dozen seeds yesterday and today! Can you tell I'm ready for spring?!

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Permalink Reply by Shanna on February 22, 2009 at 9:59am

I hear ya - I was going to start germinating the moon plants inside today and have done a great deal of yard work in the few nice days we have had. Its almost here - thats what I have to keep telling myself :)

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Permalink Reply by Shanna on April 17, 2009 at 12:23pm

well the moon plant germination was a total flop - we tried germinating about 20 plants and none of them survived. I guess I will have to try to get ahold of the plant already started and go from there. Any advice on where I might be able to find a moon plant??

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Permalink Reply by Doug on April 20, 2009 at 4:58pm

I don't know why, but Moonies are tough to grow. I've got a couple or three hanging on, for now. Try the herb festival at the Farmer's Market next weekend.

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Permalink Reply by Doug on May 1, 2009 at 1:53pm

Shanna,

I just came from the herb festival at the farmer's market. I did see one vendor with Moonflowers. They were $5.

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Permalink Reply by Doug on July 10, 2009 at 11:43am

Okay, I've got sort of an obelisk sitting over top of a pot that is covered with intwnined (entwined?) moonies and morning glories. Lots of vines, lots of leaves and ... no flowers. What gives? My passion flower vine started flowering this week, and is covered with buds, but none on either my moonies or my morning glories. Hmmmm.

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Permalink Reply by Doug on September 4, 2009 at 12:28pm

Well it is September and we've had two morning glory blooms this week. I think next year I'm going to start these guys from seed in early January, not late February. But hey, I've finally got flowers!

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Permalink Reply by Doug on October 28, 2009 at 7:38am

Final report on my moonplant and morning glory vine pot. I had four strong vines by the end of the season, two morning glory and two moonies. I finally got regular blooms; multiple daily flowers on the morning glory for about six weeks from early September to late October when the frost nicked the vines. I had a grand total of ONE moonflower all season. I can't call it a failure but certainly don't consider it a success, either. If I was grading myself I'd give me a C.

Anyone know much about moonies and have any thoughts on why I didn't get evening blooms? TIA~

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Permalink Reply by Mike on November 25, 2009 at 10:24am

I grew mine in 1/2 wine barrell that sat on concrete against the house in a protected corner. The exposure was to the west so they didnot get morning sun. Started the soaked seeds after the danger of frost was over so it must have been about the beginning of May. They grew as tall as my eaves and I had to keep them hanging down from the top of the trellis. Never counted the blooms but we had lots of them right up to frost. Had about ten seed pods of which some turned brown and dried before the freezing temps.