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Hello, My name is Gabby and I am new to plant growing. I live on a college campus in Central NY where it snows all the time and can get pretty desolate and depressing. The campus is very small and plain but we have a huge greenhouse that always seems to to be colorful, friendly, and ever-changing. Inspired by this beauty, i decided to try and grow plants indoors. Not knowing anything about plants, I went out and bought some wildflower and morning glory seeds as well as Asiatic Lilly Bulbs. I chose them because they were colorful. With My morning glories, I nicked, soaked them, and planted some in 4" pots, and some in a quart container. They started growing really quickly at first, but the roots in the 4" pots grew out of the bottom. I quickly transplanted the plants into a larger 20 oz Solo plastic cup. (I was Desperate!) As the plants in the bigger container kept growing, the ones i had transplanted started to wither and die. I quickly went to visit a horticulture major on my floor who advised that the plant was in shock from being transplated and that i should wait a bit. It started to grow a bit, but this time the plant leaves began to turn yellow and wither again! (Before they withered but the leaves stayed green) Then suddenly my other plants in the bigger container stopped growing so fast and just sat there!
Because it was so cold out in March when i planted them, my plants didnt get much natural sunlight. They were left under a 110W lavender/blue incandecsant lamp and watered daily. If i was to put them near the window, they will catch a very cold draft and i was told that cold is bad for morning glories. Now that it is May, i finally began to put them in the window hoping that they would feel better. They all still seem to be very weak and withering into yellow pieces.
My Lillies are growing fine and are about to bloom pink flowers! I my wildflowers havent really grown past about an inch or two. What i am really concerned about are my Morning Glories. They are still very week and i dont know what to do. They have been fed Miracle Grow Plant Food Spikes since they sprouted up and i was told that our water is softened with sodium which is what i feed them.
I really dont know what to do. I wanted to plant some along our 4ft chain link fence but i am scared. Can someone tell me what i am doing wrong? Im so lost I dont wnat my babies to die yet!
bbbbbbbbb ~Gabrielle
Posts: 6 | From: Central New York | Registered: May 2003
| Logged: 136.204.209.76
posted
Gabrielle, To preface this, I live in S. Calif. and I don't know anything about planting morning glories inside or in your state. I do know that some people think of them as weeds; one being my father. When I was young I planted some along a chainlink fence because they were beautiful. But they are very hardy at least in Calif. and they would come up every year and then all over the yard because the seeds spread. Needless to say it took several years of Round Up to get rid of the problem. Is there any reason you can't plant the seeds outside directly in the soil when it warms up. Sorry I couldn't be much help. Catlover, Karen
bbbbbbbbb Posts: 7129 | From: California | Registered: Mar 2003
| Logged: 68.66.244.106
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I'll betchya if you went out today and planted a bunch more seeds they'd catch up with (and surpass) the others in no time. They say if you nick the seeds and soak them in water it speeds up the germination. It sounds like the first ones you started either didn't like the cold or the transplanting. Also- did you loosen the soil where you planted them down about six or eight inches, so they'd have nice loose soil to stretch their roots in? Try again and good luck!
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Morning glories don't like to be transplanted. It's best to sow the seed directly in the ground where you want them to grow. Just nick and soak the seeds as you did before, then plant and water well. They should germinate in 5 to 14 days and before you know it they'll be growing like crazy!
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I dont wnat my babies to die yet!
