Friday, June 22, 2007

Calling all gardeners -- 411?

I planted some four-o'clocks at the same time this spring that I planted some morning glories.

I grew morning glories sucessfully last year and am intrigued with how they really do bloom in the morning. I've heard people rave about four-o-clocks and how sweet they smell when they open in the evening. I thought it would be neat to plant both this year, so that one would bloom in the morning and one in the evening. The morning glories are in the front of the house and the four-o-clocks are at the back.

Well, my morning glories are not quite as glorious this year as last year, but they are pretty and are blooming. I couldn't find the pretty blue color I had last year, but do enjoy this year's white with slight red stripe. It's been a tough year here keeping everything watered and fresh, as we've had a little drought -- so my poor morning glories sometimes get the last attention in the yard.. The four o'clocks are green and growing, but they are moving very slowly. They are just now ready to begin twining up something, while the morning glories have reaching the top of my mailbox. There are no flowers on the four o'clocks yet.

It's odd that the four o'clocks are growing more slowly than the morning glories, as they are growing just outside my kitchen window, and I run out to water them more frequently. I have them in containers placed so that they will wind up the deck fence and railing. Is it ok to have them in big pots?

Do four o'clocks bloom later in the season than morning glories? Or, am I doing something wrong?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are the 4 o'clocks in the shade? Here is a link that might help:
http://www.gardenersnet.com/flower/fouroclock.htm

Jean

Mimi said...

Hi Jean,

My 4 o'clocks are in full sun. But, I have two ideas from the link you sent me: fertilize and thin them out.

Thanks for the help.