Rich Soil May Be Poor Choice For Morning Glories

By Phran Novelli

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - I've been asked recently why some 'Heavenly Blue' morning glories weren't blooming, even though the vines had plenty of sun and loads of leaves…just no flowers.

It could be because many plants are still running late - lots of gardeners say things are flowering later and vegetables are taking longer to ripen this year. But it's also possible that these morning glories had too much of a good thing.

Morning glories can flourish in really lousy soil, which is why you often see them winding around telephone poles and wires by the side of the road. Fertilizing vines like these can encourage lots of green leaves to grow and actually discourage the plant from flowering.

While the morning glories in question hadn't been directly fertilized, it could have spilled over when nearby plants or even the lawn were given a boost. Or the garden soil may have been enriched with manure or compost at some point in the past.

Like people, some plants are picky eaters and simply don't thrive on a rich diet.