Enjoy Moonvine In The Evening Garden

Moonvine (Ipomoea alba)


Moonvine (Ipomoea alba)is a fast growing tropical vine. Its dark green heart shaped leaves stay clean and pest-free the entire growing season. Pure white 6-inch wide flowers open non-stop from early summer until frost. Each showy white flower lasts one day, opening in late afternoon and withering late the following morning.

Plants may be purchased in the spring at garden centers. Moonvine is tropical vines and safe to set out when tomatoes and vegetable vine crops are also being planted. Moonvine can be trained on a trellis or permitted to ramble along the ground.

Grow in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. Transplant seedlings into garden and feed biweekly with water soluble fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro®, Daniels®, or Hyponex®. Vines generally grow 10-15 feet long, but up to 40 feet is not uncommon under optimum growing conditions.

Moonvine’s white flowers radiate in the evening garden. Purple pods form where once flowers bloomed. The pods contain plenty of viable seeds which can be collected and saved for next year’s garden.

Start seeds indoors in early spring or direct sow into the garden in late spring. The seed coat is very hard and should be nicked with a knife or soaked overnight in warm water. Plant seeds 1/2 – 1 inch deep and 6 inches apart. Cull out most seedlings to permit a few to prosper.

Beware that seeds and plant foliage are poisonous to cattle and other foraging animals.

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