I have some moonflower plants growing outside. For the first six weeks indoors they did great.

But since they've been outside most of the larger leaves have gotten progressively limper and paler and thinner.

I hardened them off appropriately alongside scarlet runners, tomatoes, marigolds, and Clitoria (all of whom are doing great) so I don't think it's over-exposure to the sun.

I'm guessing it might be cold damage as it has hovered around 50ºF some nights and once or twice has gotten down to 48º.

Can anybody confirm this or provide your own feedback?

This is my first year attempting moonflower so I'm pretty much sailing unknown seas here.

At my house, moonflowers are just coming up...
very surprised that you are setting out sizeable plants.
I think as heat-lovers, maybe you jumped the gun.

clitoria is in bloom at my house.
Are you growing a locally sourced variety?
At my house... the clitoria was already there when I started planting...

This is my first time growing moonflower. Everything I read on the package and online said to put them out when I put tomatoes out (50º nights). Is that not correct?

Hmmm.
I put out tomatoes much sooner...
Like.. as soon as it seems to have stopped frosting.... I've only just planted the moonflower seed.... And what dropped from the vine? Just starting to come up also.

Still want to know about your clitoria....
Is this a local variety, or that clitoria ternatea that's getting all the raves?

I've always started moonvines outside, in the soil, once warm temperatures have arrived. I live in East Tennessee, and right about now is the perfect time to plant moonvines (and lablabs). In past years I've often planted the seeds too soon, with the result that nothing came up. They really want warmth.

Once the plants get going, they grow very quickly.

Thank you. I will try again and see what happens.

stone said:
Hmmm.
I put out tomatoes much sooner...
Like.. as soon as it seems to have stopped frosting.... I've only just planted the moonflower seed.... And what dropped from the vine? Just starting to come up also.

Still want to know about your clitoria....
Is this a local variety, or that clitoria ternatea that's getting all the raves?

I'm not 100% sure and I couldn't find the packages today to check. I know I kept them but I don't remember where I put them. One is blue and the other is supposed to be pale pink, although the picture on the packet was definitely not pink (it was purple).

Here's the clitoria that grows locally native.
Clitoria mariana

http://www.southeasternflora.c...

That's pretty! I know we had that in Kentucky and we're supposed to have it in PA but I haven't seen it since moving here.

Now I'm wondering what I did with the seed packets. No idea how I managed to lose both of them. Maybe I really did through them away.

It's been a while and I'm convinced that the problems are stemming from our long, cold, spring nights. It's been in the 40ºs at night for far, far, too long to be reasonable. Womp womp.

Wish me luck. I planted moonvine and lablab seeds a few days ago, and since then our temps have been down in the 50s at night. VERY unusual for East Tennessee in June. Just to be on the safe side, I planted only half my seeds. So if this crop fails, I have a backup.

They're super easy, but... To get extra insurance, I start my seed in nursery gallon pots.
The nursery pots mean that the soil is warmer...
Of course, a gallon pot is awful small, you couldn't grow them in such... I set them out almost immediately, wouldn't want them to get pot-bound.