GOING TO WAR WITH MORNING GLORY IN MY GARDEN

MORNING GLORY AGGRESSIVELY CLIMBING AND CHOKING RASPBERRY PLANTS IN THE GARDEN

ESTIMATED READ TIME: 5 MINUTES

DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links from Amazon, AWIN, and Sovrn. As an affiliate partner, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Read my FULL DISCLOSURE HERE.

DO YOU WANT TO SUPPORT WILD WEST SUCCULENTS IN A SIMPLE WAY

Treat me to a one-time coffee or support the team with a monthly donation!
Your kindness helps keep my blog thriving and allows me and my team to continue sharing gardening tips, DIY projects, and creative inspiration.

Table of Contents

A QUICK GARDEN NOTE:

With the launch of Wild West Succulents, I finally have a little time to spend in the garden-and my first mission is clear: tackle the Morning Glory invading every corner of my garden.

These vines are relentless, wrapping around my lilac, raspberries, sunflowers, hollyhocks, herbs-basically anything in their path. While some may think they’re lovely, I see them differently. They suffocate my plants, tangle blooms so that the bees have no flowers or food, and create highways for pests. Plus, digging them up disturbs the Sempervivum and Sedum growing at the base of many of my plants.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress and the natural methods I used to keep Morning Glory invaders at bay. For now, my approach is simple: pulling at their base and unwinding their spiraling stem from all my plants.

Once my plants go dormant, the real battle will begin-fighting Morning Glory roots deep under the soil.

If you’re thinking about planting Morning Glory in your garden, take a look at this snapshot of the vines taking over my raspberry plants. Consider carefully before introducing them-mine came under the fence from renters who thought they were beautiful-and now I’ve been fighting them ever since!

GOING TO WAR WITH MORNING GLORY-GEAR AND QUICK BATTLE PLAN

If you’re gearing up to go to war with Morning Glory, here’s what I recommend bringing into the garden with you.

ESSENTIAL KIT

STURDY GARDEN GLOVES (LEATHER OR HEAVY NITRILE): PERSONALLY I WEAR BOTH AT THE SAME TIME-PROTECTS YOUR HANDS FROM CUTS, SAP, AND THE VINE’S GRIP.
HEAVY-DUTY GARBAGE BAGS OR GARDEN WASTE BAGS: TOSS PULLED VINES STRAIGHT INTO BAGS SO THEY CAN’T RE-ROOT!! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!!
BUCKETS OR A WHEELBARROW: FOR HAULING ROOTS/VINES AWAY FROM THE BED INSTEAD OF DRAGGING ACROSS THE SOIL.
PRUNING SHEERS (BYPASS TYPE): I LOVE MY FISHARS BYPASS SHEARS-TO CUT THICK VINES AND SNIP TANGLED STEMS FROM PLANTS WITHOUT TEARING AND DAMAGING YOUR STEMS
LOPPERS: FOR THICKER, WOODY STEMS THAT SHEARS CAN’T HANDLE
GARDEN FORK/DIGGING FORK: TO LOOSEN SOIL AND LIFT ROOTS WITHOUT DISTURBING NEARBY SUCCULENTS TOO ROUGHLY.
HAND TROWEL/HAND WEEDER: FOR CAREFUL ROOT REMOVAL AROUND DELICATE PLANTS LIKE SEMPERVIVUM AND SEDUM.
GARDEN KNIGE OR HORI-HORI (OPTIONAL): GREAT FOR SLICING THROUGH DEEP RUNNER ROOTS.
RAKE: TO COLLECT LOOSE VINE PIECES AND ROOT FRAGMENTS.
TWINE OR PLANT TIES: TO TEMPORARILY SECURE DESIRABLE PLANTS WHILE YUOU WORK SO THEY DON”T GET SNAGGED.
KNEELING PAD OR GARDEN STOOL: FOR COMFORT DURING LONG SESSIONS.

USEFUL EXTRAS

A PAIR OF SAFETY GLASSES: IF VINES SNAP OR DEBRIS FLY.
BOOTS: PROTECTION AND TRACTION IN MUDDY BEDS.
MULCH OR WEED BARRIER (FOR LATER): TO HELP SUPPRESS REGROWTH ONCE YOU’VE CLEARED AN AREA.
LABELS/FLAGGING TAPE: MARK AREAS YOU PLANT TO REVISIT (HEAVY ROOT ZONES).

QUICK 3-STEPS BATTLE PLAN

CUT AND UNTANGLE: Use shears/loppers to cut main vines at the base and around affected plants. Carefully unwind spiraling stems from blooms and branches.
PULL ROOTS (WHEN POSSIBLE): After cutting, use the fork and trowel to loosen and pull roots-try when soil is moist (easier to pull). Bag every piece you remove.
MONITOR AND FOLLOW-UP: Check the cleared area every 1-2 weeks fro regrowth. Pull new shoots small and shallow before they re-establish. Once dormant, dig deeper to remove stubborn runners.

DISPOSAL AND FOLLOW-UP TIPS

DO NOT COMPOST MORNING GLORY PIECES-THEY WILL RE-ROOT. BAG AND DISPOSE WITH YARD WASTE OR BURN IF ALLOWED.
REPEAT REMOVAL IS NORMAL-CONSISTENCY BEATS A SINGLE HEROIC PULL.
PROTECT YOUR GROUNDCOVERS: WORK OUTWARD FROM DELICATE SEMPERVIVUM/SEDUM, USING A HAND TROWEL SO YOU DON’T UPROOT THEM.

SOFT PURPLE BABY LILAC

Once I’ve fought back the vines, I’ll get to the fun part: planting my baby lilac to add to my lilac collection.

On a happier ending, I just had to share my lilacs first ever bloom!

See you in the garden!

-SIMONE

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE

Wild West Succulents participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, as well as affiliate programs with AWIN and Sovrn Holdings, Inc. These programs allow us to earn fees by linking to partner sites. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

We only recommend products we genuinely believe will add value. Your support through these links helps us create more helpful content on gardening, DIY projects, and crafts.

Thank you for your trust!

For our full copyright and disclosure policy, please see our ABOUT PAGE LINKED HERE

JOIN US TODAY!

Connect with fellow succulent lovers at Wild West Succulents.

Let’s grow together!