A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2004 Hyacinth Bean Vine

I have some hyacinth bean vine seed pods that I pulled from the vine last October while visiting a university. I would like to start this vine growing on an arbor in my new flower garden area that I am designing. My question is... can I start the seeds now indoors while it's Winter and plant then plant them come spring? (I'm just dying to get started on SOMETHING !) Also, I've read this it takes sun. The arbor will be between two trees leading into the garden area. I have cut out several trees to get more light in the garden area, but I don't think it will get full sun, only partial. Will this work? If not, what other flowering vines would do well. I think I live in zone 7b, Northeast Texas. Any help/information/suggestions would be appreciated.

sraye

sraye~

Hi! I have been growing purple hyacinth bean vines for a few years now. I did start them indoors the first year here in March, and they were a long very tangled mess by the time I was able to plant them out in May. When does your growing season start? I wouldn't give them too much time to grow indoors. As for sun, mine only grow in full day direct sun, so I'm afraid I can't help you with that one.

Good luck!

Renee has those too!!!!

Yep, I do have those. I plant them on the walls of latice on my front garden. I just put the seeds in the ground after frost. One year I started them about a month ahead and then transplanted them. It didn't make that big of a difference. You really need a STURDY structure for them, well, at least I do, mine are in full sun as well. I'm sure they would be fine in partial shade. Maybe just not as long. Mine grew to over 20 feet. Also I cut mine down in the fall and clean up all the seed pods, I'm afraid of a jungle if I let them drop.
They really are pretty, and fill in really well! to a nice dense foliage with bright purple flowers and shiny seed pods. Again don't start too early or you will have a heck of a time trying to untangle them. Good luck with them!

A lady at our lake lot had some in partial shade is lake fork area they only go on weekends so don't get watered regular either.all I noticed was was less flowering than mine.I didn't plant any last year as was busy with settleing in.I've started some in cups already... they just poked up sunday.I'll plant out in a month.my others had morning sun but hottest part of day were shaded and had 4 pms at base of them.I'd say one seed will vine out 5-6 ft(I think a squirrl transplanted it.I didn't plant it there)

njoynit,

A neighbor where we used to live planted these. She meant them to grow and intertwine into a chain link fence to cover it. They didn't grow all that much....are they an annual in zone 6? Since they only have a short time to grow, if they are an annual would that be the reason? They were in full sun.
Thanks for the help!

I am in zone 6 as well, and mine grow like mad. Maybe her dirt wasn't very fertile. I had mine in a raised bed, with really good dirt and manure, and in full sun. Barb, if you want PM me your email and I'll send you a picture.