My Moonflower Garden

My moonflowers are growing wild! I thought they were nice, gentile little bushes that flowered for a year and then died off. Wrong! This year they came up from the root of last summer's plant and they were off and running. We have them planted along the side of the yard and the bushes are nearly 5 feet high and spreading.


They have trumpet shaped flowers as large as saucers and have a fragrant aroma. Once they are finished blooming, they produce a large 3" in diameter seed pod that is vicious....full of spines and when they dry, they get hard and remind me of those mines that were used in WW2 to sink ships. You do not want to fool around with them unless you're wearing gloves, leather preferred.

They are self seeding....when the pods dry, they burst open and dozens of little seeds are released. This spring, little plants have shown up in areas of the yard that were nowhere near the mother plants. They like sun, the flowers bloom at night (I think) but are in full bloom in the morning and early afternoon. (husband calls them the "one night wonders") By afternoon the flowers have begun to wilt...some die but other hang in there until the next day.

1

Sow the moon flower seeds in the spring after all danger of frost is gone. In frost-free areas, the seeds can be sown in the fall to early spring. You can also start the seeds indoors in a well-lit area, 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost.

2

Prepare the seeds the night before you are going to plant them. Moon flower seeds have a thick husk and need to be chipped before planting. The seeds are about the size of a kernel of corn, so this is not difficult to do. You can take a metal file and file the seed. Or you can take a sharp knife and score the seed. You can also take a pair of nail clippers and nip one of the edges of the seed.

3

Put the seeds in a cup and cover with warm water. Let them stand overnight. This, along with the chipping, will help the seeds germinate quicker.

4

Select a sunny location to plant the moonflowers. They need as much sun as they can get. If you can, plant them in a place where their fragrance can be enjoyed. Also take into account that this is a climbing vine and will either need something to climb on, like a porch rail, a lamp post, a trellis, or even twine or floral wire.

5

Plant the seeks ½ inch deep. Gently tamp the soil down on top of the seeds. Carefully water the soil so as not to move the seeds. Keep the ground moist. Seedlings should appear in 7 to 14 days, depending upon the soil and weather conditions.

Read more: How to Grow Moonflowers | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2296251_grow-moonflowers.html#ixzz0x3YOenjE