Shibori Needed

I have finally gotten my garden row of morning glories started. It's this way every year- I have to balance working for a living with gardening. Someday it will be different. Here is a list of what I am growing so far: Kikyo Lace, Keiryu, Flying Saucers, Blue Jishi X Ten Ten, Indigo Feathers, Ishidatami, Shibori Purple X Gray Lady, Purple Flaked Hige, Matsukazi, and White Feathered Hige. These seeds came from the group swap, and these have germinated nicely. I am having more trouble with the germination of these: Blue & Blue Shibori (from a Japanese seller), Tie Dye Blue (from a commercial seller), and Bluish Purple Flaked. On all seeds I soaked them for twenty four hours and then planted in starting mix.

What I would like to add to my grow list is some shibori, deep blue streaks on white. Can anyone offer me just a few seeds? Better yet, does anyone have a couple of started plants they can send me?

Send me a SASBE and I will send you some seeds, Cibarius. That was quite a nice photo of a Stilt-legged Fly, one of my favorite insects.

Cibarius - Glad to hear the seeds from the swap are doing great! I look forward to seeing your blooms! Don't forget to fertilize them, too! :-)

Nice of Joseph to offer you some seeds. I sent you some Purple Flaked seeds that may be what you are wanting "deep blue streaks on white" ... The color is blue to purple stripes on white blooms. But it is an I. purpurea so watch for all those seed pods! ;-)

I was trying to photograph an MG leaf when the fly landed. It was only 3mm long. So I focused on it and took a couple pictures. I was using a Canon 50mm macro (not a zoom lens). You can see that it resolved the fly's legs and the hairs on the edge of the leaf. I hope to capture some other insects this way during the summer.

Thanks for the offer.

I am beginning a switch to organic fertilizer this year. I have used FlowerTone in the furrow that formed my row and then filled in with prepared soil. I didn't think morning glories needed much fertilizer, similar to sweet potatoes. But I can give them a nitrogen boost (blood meal) later if necessary.

Cibarius - Just remember that most MGs are annuals. You want the get the best bang for your effort. I strongly recommend Bloom Booster (by MiracleGro) with some Fish Emulsion added together when you mix up a gallon or two of water. I fertilize every 3 weeks with that concoction! :-)

If you use blood meal or bone meal you may have a problem with raccoons, dogs, or cats or any other meat eating mammals. :-)

The vines do need phosphorus for flowering, indeed. Overdoing the phosphorus however has been reported to have an inhibitive effect on seed production. You will get a good flower display, agreed. I have been using beneficial bacteria from compost tea and a soil amendment of mycorrhizal fungi, coupled with a very low phosphorus organic fertilizer this year, and the plants are quite healthy and flower budding is ocurring as well. You can experiment to see which method works for you.

Joseph

is this one the one you want? I might have a planted one in a pot somewhere .. this one came from Bluespiral..

Joe,
Thank you for sending the Matsukaze seeds. After they arrived I realized that I already had some Matsukaze plants started and in the ground. Those seeds were from gardener2005 in the seed swap. However, I went ahead and germinated the seeds you sent. I soaked them 24 hours, as usual, and then planted them in pots of starting mix. Three of the four germinated. You can see the young plants in the photo. As soon as my first batch of corn is finished, which will free up some garden space, I will set these plants out also. That should be in about two weeks.

Between what you got from the other and my seeds, you ought to get the flower patterns you were seeking. Have fun!