Mistakes To Avoid When Growing Blue Daze Ground Cover

With its dense foliage and charming blue flowers, Evolvulus glomeratus 'Blue Daze' is a gorgeous ground cover you can use to fill a hot, sunny patch in your garden. This cultivar of the Brazilian native Evolvulus glomeratus is in the same family as morning glories but isn't nearly as aggressive. Since it's not a true vine like the infamous common morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea), the trailing plant doesn't spread as far or climb like its more vigorous cousins. So, you can enjoy similarly vibrant blue blooms without worrying that the plant will take over your entire yard. It's not especially cold hardy, surviving as a tender perennial only in zones 8 through 11 (although you can still grow it as an annual in colder climates).

However, if you want to add this non-aggressive morning glory lookalike to your garden, it's important to avoid common mistakes that could destroy the plant. The most important mistake to steer clear of is planting 'Blue Daze' in soggy or slow-draining soil. Doing this can cause root rot or fungal diseases that can kill your plant. Instead, make sure to place this gorgeous ground cover somewhere with excellent drainage and plenty of sunlight. When given the conditions and care it needs, 'Blue Daze' will put on a long-lasting show of bright blue flowers from early summer through to your first frost.

There are two conditions that 'Blue Daze' doesn't like: shade and wet soil. Of these, wet soil is the most harmful. This flowering ground cover is prone to fungal diseases and root rot. If you make the mistake of planting it in slow-draining soil, 'Blue Daze' can quickly succumb to these diseases. 

To avoid the mistake of accidentally situating this ground cover in soil that doesn't drain quickly enough, perform a percolation test before planting. Dig a hole about a foot deep and a foot wide. Then fill the hole with water and let it drain. Once it's drained, fill the hole again and measure the depth of the water. Come back 15 minutes later and measure the depth of water one more time to see how much it's dropped. Multiply the difference in depth by 4. That's the average amount of water that drains in your soil in one hour. If your growing medium drains 1 to 3 inches per hour, you have good drainage. If it's on the low end of that range, work about 2 inches of compost or other organic matter into the soil to enhance soil permeability and aeration.

Planting 'Blue Daze' in a shady location is another error you should avoid. This heat- and light-loving ground cover grows best in full sun and temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Some shade won't necessarily harm the plant, but it won't bloom as vigorously. You can also help 'Blue Daze' bloom more by planting it in nutrient-rich soil or applying a slow-release organic fertilizer and mulch to poor soil.