Bell Vine, Bell Morning Glory, Cobaea scandens – Planting & Care

Since the bell vine is one of the most common climbing plants, it is available ready to plant in numerous garden centers from May. Growing your own from seeds from the end of February/beginning of March is cheaper and can be carried out without any problems.

Before sowing, bell vine seeds are soaked in a bowl of water overnight to prepare for germination. The following day, the gardener scatters them in a seed tray filled with a nutrient-poor, well-drained substrate. A cheap solution is a mixture of two parts commercial potting soil and one part sand. If a mini greenhouse is available, small seed pots with the substrate and 3 to 5 seeds each are placed in there. At a constant temperature of 20° Celsius, the seeds will germinate within 2 to 3 weeks. During this time, the soil is kept slightly moist without completely soaking it. As an alternative to the mini greenhouse, transparent film that is stretched over the pots ensures a warm and humid climate,

The signal for the isolation of the seedlings is given by the first tender leaves. Until the young climbing plant comes out into the open, the strongest seedlings are cultivated in their own pots. In this phase it may already be necessary to offer the young bell vine a climbing aid in the form of a small bamboo stick that is inserted into the substrate.

plant

From mid-May is planting time. The bell vines you have grown yourself or bought ready-made can go out into the fresh air:

• Sunny, sheltered location.
• Cobaea scandens also thrives in light shade.
• Fresh, humus rich and well drained soil.
• Work in some sand, garden compost and horn shavings.
• The planting hole is twice as big as the root ball.
• Before planting, soak the root ball in a bucket of water.
• Plant bell vines 30 cm apart.
• Loosen the root ball a little with the rake beforehand.
• Observe the minimum distance to the climbing aid so that the plant grows upright.
• Put bell vine in the planting hole and dig in.
• Pour plenty.
• Remove bamboo stick and binding material.
• Distribute shoots on the climbing aid.
• Do not tie too tightly so as not to damage the shoots.
• Thin cords or soft rubber for low constriction tying.

Triggered by the touch stimulus with the climbing trellis, the tendrils of the bell vine curve around the sticks and in this way give the plant additional support.

Plant bell vines in pots

The bell vine also cuts a fine figure as a container plant. However, it does not grow as high in it as in the bed. The bucket must not be too small and hold at least 10 liters of substrate. A mixture of potting soil, sand, compost and a few handfuls of horn shavings is ideal. It is strongly advised to only use a planter that has a drainage hole for excess watering. A drainage made of gravel, perlite or potsherds is spread over this before the substrate, the trellis and the bell vine come in. For climbing plants in pots, the specialist trade offers special and very decorative scaffolding on which the bell vine can climb. With a little manual skill, the garden lover builds an individual construction, from which a lushly blooming sculpture emerges within a short time. If the bell morning glory is planted in flower boxes, the hobby gardener creates a nice privacy screen for the balcony and terrace with the hard-working climbing plant.

maintenance

If the location is chosen carefully, the Cobaea scandens needs little attention:

• Water regularly and plentifully.
• The bell vine is particularly thirsty in the bucket.
• Repot in the spring when the tub is rooted.
• Absolutely avoid waterlogging.
• Apply liquid fertilizer weekly from May to June.
• Fertilize less from July to prevent flowering laziness.
• Mulch in the bed and bucket to protect against drying out.
• Pluck faded flowers immediately.
• Occasional pinching forces branching.

In its native Mexico, the bell vine is a perennial climbing plant. In the local climatic conditions, however, it is mostly cultivated as an annual. It does not tolerate frost and dies at temperatures below 5°C. Since sowing again next spring is less labor-intensive than successfully overwintering, the majority of gardeners choose the first way. However, this does not mean that the Cobaea scandens cannot be accompanied through the cold season.

hibernate

As soon as the temperatures drop below 10° Celsius, the bell morning glory moves to its winter quarters in the bucket or flower box. All shoots are cut back to 50 cm beforehand. In the cold season, it needs a bright environment in which the temperatures range between 10° and 15° Celsius. During this time, the climbing plant only receives enough water so that it does not dry out and is not fertilized.

Since it is susceptible to infestation with spider mites during the winter in the house, the experienced gardener regularly takes a close look at his protégé. As early as February it is time to get the claw winds used to higher temperatures and some sunshine. At the same time, it is sharpened from time to time to stimulate renewed branching before it goes outside again after the ice saints. Where there is not enough space for the whole plant to overwinter, experienced hobby gardeners take a few cuttings from the bell vine in the fall and let them root on the warm window sill indoors during the cold season.

diseases and pests

The Spanish slug is the worst enemy of the young climbing plants in spring and summer. With this voracious pest, tender plants are at the top of the menu. Experienced gardeners therefore ensure protection right from the start and observe a few important rules of conduct to make it as difficult as possible for the snails to destroy the bell vine:

• Spray snail nematodes before planting.
• Set up traveling barriers from grit or wood chips.
• Protect individual plants with collar traps.
• Build snail fences and set up beer traps.
• Only water early in the morning.
• Collect all specimens every morning with the snail tongs.
• Ground coffee and coffee grounds are poisonous to snails.
• Attract predators such as birds, hedgehogs, toads and ground beetles.

The Indian runner ducks are among the most effective biological means of combating slugs. Wherever possible, these beneficial insects should be kept, because they hardly despise a garden pest, and certainly not the Spanish slug.

In addition to the snails, aphids and spider mites also attack the bell vine. Various biological methods have proven their worth in combating them:

• lacewing larvae
• parasitic wasps
• ladybug
• nettle manure
• soft soap solution
• hoverflies

The soft soap solution is a particularly inexpensive and easy-to-use control agent. It consists of 1 liter of water, 15 milliliters of pure curd soap and 15 milliliters of spirit. Like most environmental protection agents, the soft soap solution should be used repeatedly at intervals of 3 to 4 days.

Beautiful companion plants for the bell vine

The bell vine harmonizes very nicely with other annual climbing plants on larger areas:

• himmelblaue Prunkwinde – Ipomoea tricolor
• Black-eyed Susan – Thunbergia alata
• Climbing Bleeding Heart – Dicentra scandens
• Passionsblume – Passiflora
• Rosenkelch – Rhodochiton atrosanguineus
• Canary Capuchin – Tropaeolum peregrinum
• Duftwicke – Lathyrus odoratus
• Climbing roses of all colors

The mixed planting of the Cobaea scandens with the variety ‘Alba’, which produces pure white flowers, achieves an enchanting play of colours.

Fast-growing climbers, like the bell vine, are great for paving the way and filling in the gaps for slow-growing, perennials of the same species. Cobaea scandens is particularly suitable as a ‘vanguard’ for:

• Akebie – Akebia quinata
• Blauglöckchen – Sollya heterophylla
• Clematis – especially the hybrids
• Kletterhortensie – Hydrangea (anomala) petiolaris
• Climbing rose Compassion with salmon pink flowers
• Climbing Rose Dortmund – red flower with a white eye
• Winterjasmin – Jasminum nudiflorum
• Zierkiwi – Actinidia kolomikta

Climbing roses in particular take a long time to cover a trellis or facade. In the transitional period, the bell vine takes on the task of filling the existing gaps in a decorative way.

Conclusion
The bell vine is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and rewarding climbing plants that the garden lover can choose if an area is to be covered decoratively as quickly as possible or if attractive privacy and wind protection is to be created. The Cobaea scandens loves warmth and sunshine. If she then gets enough water, now and then a dose of liquid fertilizer, she is already satisfied and diligently climbs up. In frosty temperatures, she says goodbye in no time if the garden lover doesn’t take her to the winter quarters in time. If you want to save yourself this trouble, simply sow it again next spring so that it winds elegantly towards the sky again.