If you want seeds to set on the vine, don't pinch. If you don't care about harvesting seeds, you can snip them off.

Thanks! It is still early in the season, so I'll get seeds later. Will snipping off the blloms encourage more flowers? I don't remember MGs from my childhood only lasting 1 day. Is this normal? I remember vine absolutely covered with flowers day after day, not 1 or 2 flowers per day which never re-open.

carolina...it is normal for their flowers to last only 1 day. But they are replaced with new flowers every morning. I don't think it is necessary to deadhead them either, I never do and the vine comes out with new blooms every day. I have read that MG's bloom better with low soil nutrients...so don't fertilize them. How old are the vines? Mine didn't start to bloom until about a month after the seeds sprouted. The first day they had only 1 flower but now a month or so later, they are covered with them. Hope this helped!

Thank you gardeniarose! That was exactly the info I needed. Mine are probably 1.5 months-2 months from sprout, but only one has bloomed, the first bloom appeared this week. So I'll stop deadheading and learn patience. I don't fertilize, but did start them in potting soil from Miracle grow, so until that built-in fertilizer wears out, I guess I'll have more leaves than flowers.

carolinabeach - deadheading may encourage the vine to continue blooming longer into the season,but that deadheading would not be applicable until August or September...

There are many different nutrients 'lumped' under the fuzzy term 'fertilizer' and this causes confusion among many gardeners especially when used in a very fuzzy way with regard to morning glories and 'fertilizer' causing excessive leaf growth with delayed flowering...

There are two groups of nutrients grouped under the term fertilizer

1)Macro-nutrients
a)Nitrogen
b0Phosphorus
c)Potash

2)Micro-nutrients such as trace minerals

The ONLY nutrient that causes excessive leaf growth with regard to morning glories is the Nitrogen.

Phosphorus WILL NOT cause excessive leaf growth and is often the main ingredient in various bloom(!) boosters(!)...

Potash will not delay flowering and helps to build healthy plant immune systems.

The various trace minerals willnot delay flowering and some growing mediums may be lacking in certain trace minerals which can impair flowering and fertility...Liquid Kelp is very good as a trace mineral supplement...

Fertilizing with Phosphorus,Potash and trace minerals will NOT delay,impair or otherwise hurt flowerin and might help to induce flowering.

Enjoy your Morning Glories(!)...

TTY,...

Ron

P.S. A steady supply of Nitrogen is especially helpful to prevent(!) the lower leaves from falling off or becoming discolored...they fall off and become discolored because the Nitrogen(!) needed by the newer growth is removed from the older growth,which causes the older growth to die or become discolored...

You will never(!) see ratty or discolored leaves on the lower parts of any Japanese show quality asagao...GEE(!) I wonder why(!)...Guess What(!)...they fertilize their plants..just like Dr.Yosiaki Yoneda recommends on his authoritative website for Japanese Morning Glories...

Here is a link that might be useful: Morning Glories Database and Encyclopedia