I was hoping someone from a similar climate zone would jump in and share their helpful hints with you, but summer
is a very busy watering time for everyone!

Impomoea alba appreciates the ground to be well drained and a fare amount of humus incorporated into the soil at
planting time. It also likes the strongest light location available to flower freely. Ample amount of water each and
every time you water.

Whether in a pot or the ground, once the seeds germinate and form at least 4-6 true leaves, after watering add a very very
weak solution of fish emulsion to the water and water it again with that. Try it!

my moonflowers were doing great over half of ten germinated.Now the leaves are folding over, not sure why,checked for bugs.I found a little ant hill,put a little mexican chili powder down(keeps everything else away). We'll see. I know they are getting enough water,they seem to do better when I don't pay much attention to them.I planted with organic humus and manure ,also planted my seeds in a circle something I learned in another post.Please let me know how yours are shining

I live in So. California, and I planted 2 packets of Moonflower seeds. I have seen nothing yet and that was in early to mid-spring. I followed instructions to the "t" but I don't know if I'm looking at it right.
Any help would be so appreciated, I'm a garden "newbie."

Thanks,
JohannaLeah

From what I've learned, here, there are quite a few different kinds of plants that are called Moonflowers.. I received some seed pods at a local perennial swap this year that the woman said were Moonflowers and had no trouble, whatsoever, getting them to sprout... Tossed them in and pot and watered and all of them germinated, I was pulling out the seedlings by the handfuls... lol

The type I have is the plant, not the vine, and I don't think it's the kind that grows into a bush, they're only about 2 feet high and each plant has only one stalk, doesn't bush out at all... Mine started sprouting in about a week, I even started another pot of them last week and they're already about 3 inches tall... If yours haven't sprouted yet Johanna I don't think they ever will... I know how disappointing that can be but there's always next year...

Rita

I feel y'all's pain. I planted Burpee Moonflower, Giant White. Had only one germinate and it's languishing. Less than 15" when I expected 15'! Wrote Burpee and got a polite letter back subtly saying I must have done something wrong.

First summer planting at my new home. Have yanked hundreds of morning glory seedlings. Had I known, might have left them.

Rosie in Sugar Hill, GA

I'm not at all familiar with your region; I hope it isn't too late to try again. I'll share my experience with you in detail, in case some part of it helps. This year was my first attempt at Moonflowers and I, too, planted seed. My first batch of seedlings was destroyed by animals, so I had to do this twice.

Either "nicking" (you won't believe what I did the first time, so I won't go into it here...) or sanding a small spot on each seed (with a nail file or sand paper) will allow water to more easily penetrate their tough seed coats. After the scarifying, soaking them for 24-48 hours really gave mine a boost toward germination. (I put the scarred seeds into a dark vitamin bottle then filled it with slightly warm water.)

After they soaked -- some were starting to sprout already -- I planted them 1/2" deep in peat pellets in a Jiffy brand mini-greenhouse. That felt a little funny, since the peat pellets are only about an inch and a half to two inches tall, fully expanded. The seeds are so large, I was wondering where on earth the root could go.

I followed the Jiffy instructions as to when to prop open, then later remove, the cover. Since it was already hot here (early July) I put them outside really early so they could grow in natural temperatures and I let them grow in the pellets until they were about 10" tall. My first planting of about 80 seedlings were all destroyed except for 6 test plants which were older and 5 - 6" tall when I set all of them out. The larger the plant, the better its survival chances, so I let batch number two get gigantic. At least for peat pellets.

The package said they prefer poor soil, so I added very little in the way of soil amendments: just a little bit of Miracle Gro potting soil mixed with existing soil. I put down and still keep a light layer of cayenne and crushed red pepper on the ground around them to discourage squirrels, but of this second batch, I've only lost one plant.

These were Burpee seeds: Moonflower, Giant White, Calonyction. My original 6 test plants were Ferry Morse.
Of the orginal 6, 4 survived the animal attack.
Of the second batch -- 41 plants (in the ground) -- I only lost one. I have a dozen more back up plants in 6" pots in case any more on the fence line die. I had a germination rate of about 90-95% in the Jiffy tray using the above steps.

If there are any of the above things listed that you didn't do, you might want to try again and include those things.

The place I worried most was concerning water for seedlings. I was really afraid I'd blow it there. Too little, too much. I was so glad when I could finally get them out of the peat pellets and into the ground!

My plants went in the ground July 14 and some are now about 1 1/2 feet tall, twining up the chain link fence.

I have friends in my region who say they have successfully just tossed the seeds in the ground without any of the above; some who say they just soak and plant; none that went the indoor/outdoor route plus scarifying/soaking like I did, but I'm a stickler for package directions and a newbie to boot. At least all my plants pretty much came up.

Hope there's something here you can use and that you haven't given up on trying them this year. Good luck!

I planted over 50 datura and got 3 to strout they seem to germante really slow and with this texas heat thats bad.I also planted 50 Tatula and nothing .I did the baggy method they sprouted and I planted them and they never came up throw soil .

I have been "fighting" with these plants for years and now have it down to a fairly good routine. I nip the end off each seed with a small knife, soak them two (2) days, and either plant them in peat pots or directly in the soil. Either way I'll have plants in a few weeks. The really ironic thing is I ordered lavender moonflowers last fall (kept the seeds in the fridge all winter) and not knowing anything about these, did the exact same thing to start them. Three days after planting them in peat pots, they were peeking out of the soil. I couldn't believe it!! That was so fast for a moonflower I was shocked. I am holding my breath they continue to do well and am in a state of rabid anticipation awaiting the first bloom.

I have always germinated both morning glories and moonvine by putting them in a small cup and pouring very hot water over them, letting them soak overnight. Most times they have sprouted the next day. Then I just plant them, and they are up in less than a week. If it is early in the season, I plant them in paper cups or peat pots, if after the last frost date, I plant them where I want them to grow. I always like to start them pretty early so they get some good growth before they go outside, or they won't bloom until July or August.

Moonflower (datura) is very slow to germinate, and keeping them too wet will rot them. It may take up to 3-4 weeks. I usually start them in seed germinating mix and pot them on into 4" pots when they get their first true leaves, and then outdoors when the last danger of frost is past. They need full sun and really good drainage. I often grow mine in a pot so I can take them inside for the winter, or at least until the seeds ripen so I can start new ones for next year.