Looking at the gazebo, drowning in pretty bell flowers, it is rare for anyone to remember their name. Usually they are simply called garden loach. And this beautiful herbaceous vine has the same beautiful name – ipomoea.

 Ipomoea is a culture belonging to the family of convolvulus. The flowers are funnel-shaped (they are also called "gramophones"). The stem can reach 8 meters, but on average does not exceed three. The leaves are heart-shaped. The diameter of the flower can reach 15 cm. 

 Like any other plant, ipomoea has its own nuances in cultivation. Let's talk about how to properly prepare seed material for cultivation. 

 To increase the chances of germination of seeds, they are usually soaked in water heated to 45-50 ° C for 12 hours. Then carefully pierce each seed with a needle and leave it in water for another 12 hours. Swollen seeds are dried with a napkin.

 If you sow a plant indoors, use a pot of peat that can be buried in the garden if you want to take the plant outside. Ipomoea can be successfully sown on the street.

 Prepare the soil with good drainage. The adult plant is very tolerant of poor soil conditions, but the seeds need a well-draining nutrient medium. To do this, mix 1 part of perlite with 3 parts of soil or 1 part of sand with 2 parts of soil. Do not mix sand with clay heavy soil. There is no need to grow them in a very rich, fertile land — this can lead to fewer flowers.

 Plant each seed in a hole with a diameter of 1.25 cm and lightly cover with soil. If you plant them directly on the garden plot, then it's a good idea to plant seeds at a distance of 5 cm, and then expand to 15-30 cm from each other as soon as the seedlings reach 7-8 cm in height.

 To make the seeds grow faster, you need to cover the crops with plastic wrap or glass to create a greenhouse effect. 

 Ipomoea loves sunlight. Therefore, flowers should receive as much direct sunlight as possible, especially when the seedlings are still young. Keep indoor plants near the window. The ideal soil temperature for germination is about +20–30ºC.

 Keep the soil moist until real leaves appear. A young plant may not germinate or die if the soil dries out. Germination lasts for 5-21 days (but usually within a week). Seedlings are less vulnerable when the first real leaves appear.

 As soon as the seedlings reach 15 cm in height, put a peg or a trellis to lift the vine. In addition, plant seedlings in a hanging basket, allowing the vines to cascade along the edge.

 Adult plants are quite tolerant of dry soil. They may even not require watering at all in humid or cool climates. In hot weather, water once or twice a week. Excessive watering can lead to the growth of stems with a small number of flowers.

 Do not use too much fertilizer. Fertilize first when your flowers are first planted. And then – no more than once a month. If you enrich the soil too often, you will stimulate the growth of foliage, not flowering.

 Ipomoea is characterized by rapid growth and very early flowering. A couple of months after the seeds of the ipomoea are sown, you will admire a dense flowering carpet of colorful "gramophones".

 Due to its rapid growth and unstoppability in flowering, ipomoea has become very popular in landscape design. It is very good to decorate problem areas on the site: high fences, gazebos, lanterns. With the help of a long vine, you can easily close an unsightly wall or "drown" a one-story building in greenery. It goes well with campsis, wild grapes, ivy, hops.

 If you follow all the growing tips, your garden will delight you with the amazing beauty of the ipomei, and none of the guests or neighbors will remain indifferent.