Morning Glory in Zone 6a & 6b
Ipomoea purpurea
Yes, morning glory grows in zones 6a and 6b. Plant it outside May 9–May 16.
When to plant morning glory in zone 6b
Zones 6a and 6b share the same average frost dates, so this page covers both.
Method: Direct sow: Direct-sow outside. It doesn't transplant well, or doesn't need the extra time indoors.
| Start indoors | Not typically started indoors |
|---|---|
| Direct sow / transplant outside | May 9–May 16 |
| Estimated bloom | Jul 23–Jul 30 (~75 days after direct-sowing) |
Spacing: about 4 square feet per plant (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 8-10 ft.
Plant alongside it in zone 6b
These go outside within two weeks of morning glory in zone 6b, so one planting day can cover them.
- NasturtiumMay 2–May 9
- MarigoldMay 2–May 9
- Angelonia (Summer Snapdragon)May 9–May 16
- Bee BalmMay 9–May 16
- Black-Eyed Susan VineMay 9–May 16
- Chrysanthemum (Garden Mum)May 9–May 16
Morning glory is less a flower you plant and more a vine you manage. It starts twining and climbing within days of germinating, and in warm zones it will self-seed aggressively enough to become a recurring weeding chore rather than a one-season planting. The payoff is funnel-shaped blooms in blue, purple, pink, or white on a vine that will climb 8 to 10 feet given the chance.
How morning glory fits zone 6's season
Zone 6b's frost-free window runs about 173 days, from April 25 to October 15. Morning glory needs about 75 days from sowing to first bloom.
Morning Glory planting windows in every zone
Zone 6b is highlighted. Useful for comparing against a neighbouring zone, or for a garden somewhere else.
| Zone | Start indoors | Sow or plant out | Bloom |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2a & 2b | Not usually | Jun 3–Jun 10 | Aug 17–Aug 24 |
| 3a & 3b | Not usually | Jun 13–Jun 20 | Aug 27–Sep 3 |
| 4a & 4b | Not usually | May 29–Jun 5 | Aug 12–Aug 19 |
| 5a & 5b | Not usually | May 24–May 31 | Aug 7–Aug 14 |
| 6a & 6b (your zone) | Not usually | May 9–May 16 | Jul 23–Jul 30 |
| 7a & 7b | Not usually | Apr 24–May 1 | Jul 8–Jul 15 |
| 8a & 8b | Not usually | Apr 8–Apr 15 | Jun 22–Jun 29 |
| 9a & 9b | Not usually | Mar 1–Mar 8 | May 15–May 22 |
| 10a & 10b | Not usually | Feb 13–Feb 20 | Apr 29–May 6 |
| 11a & 11b | Not usually | Jan 15–Jan 22 | Mar 31–Apr 7 |
Bloom dates are about 75 days after the sow or plant-out date.
Zone 2 sows before zone 3 here, which looks wrong and is not. USDA zones rank winter cold, not season length, and zone 2 is mostly interior Alaska, where hard winters come with warm summers. More on what a zone measures.
Good companions
No well-established companions for morning glory.
Where to buy morning glory seeds
Botanical Interests · True Leaf Market · Burpee (each supplier's morning glory seeds)
Varieties we recommend, and where to get them:
- 'Heavenly Blue' (Ipomoea tricolor): The AAS award-winning classic since 1966, sold by Johnny's among others. Buy: Botanical Interests · True Leaf Market · Burpee Full notes
- 'Grandpa Ott's': Fedco describes this Bavarian heirloom's deep purple-violet flowers with a magenta star at the throat, climbing 8 to 9 feet and self-sowing, but not aggressively, per their listing. Buy: Botanical Interests Full notes
See why we recommend these suppliers →
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See it growing
Search YouTube for "growing morning glory" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)
← Back to the full zone 6b calendar · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →
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Growing Morning Glory in USDA zone 6b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a bloom.
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