What do the morning glory vines look like when they are dying? I know if the roots are kept to wet they will get root rot. I also know snails can devour them and cutworms can snip them off right at the soil line and poof they are goners.

Karen

Snails/slugs or cutworms might be the culprit then because I find little stems with no leaves on top. What do cutworms look like? This year I'm bringing on a war of beer saucers against slugs in my garden because they have been eating a lot of stuff.

Also for the ones that manage to get beyond the level of the pests and grow 2-3 feet tall, they still don't seem to prosper. Any ideas there?

Thanks for your reply.
Mary

This site link has info about cutworms. The worms can nibble around the plants damaging and severing roots causing them to be stunted and their frequent feedings take their toll on plants.

Other causes for stunted growth in morning glories is too much shade not allowing them to get a good start or very poor hardened dry clay soil.

Here is a helpful link. Cutworm remedies

Here is a link that might be useful: Pests including the cutworm

What kind of morning glory are you trying to grow? If it is Scarlett O'Hara or another in the group Ipomoea nil, it may be too early for you to start them outdoors. This species is a sun and warmth worshipper, better to wait until May when the ground is warmer.

Snails and slugs love morning glory seedlings. Once the seedlings mature a bit, snails and slugs will leave them alone. Use an iron phosphate type of snail killer. This breaks down over time into iron and phosphorus, both of which are good for plants. Iron phosphate snail bait isn't bad for the environment and doesn't kill birds and pets.