Ipomoea do not particularly attract japanese beetles...

The different species of Ipomoea will behave differently as per successfully self sowing in New Jersey...

Ipomoea purpurea will shed lots of seeds that will sprout in the Spring...deadhead or remove seedpods before they mature if you don't want volunteers...Ipomoea nil will reseed,but usually not many sprouts...Ipomoea tricolor will not self resow much,if at all in NJ...

The packages are often mislabeled as to correct botanical identity...

What types did you purchase or trade for (?)...

Generally the vines do well if given a sunny location and adequate water...

Regards,

Ron

Here is a link that might be useful: Ipomoea tricolor cultivars in the PlantFiles

I sure have something eating the leaves on mine! They look like fine lace.

About the only pest I get on my MG's is the Golden Tortoise Beetle. It chews holes in the foliage but the beetle is so pretty that I don't mind and it really doesn't do much damage.

I get JBs all over my morning glories. It's not their favorite, but if you have JBs, they're going to eat whatever's there (for the most part). So MG might not attract them, but if the JBs come for anything else, they'll munch on the MG (and everything else they can stomach) while they're there. (At least, in my experience.)

Same experience as glassmouse. JBs will eat poison ivy! I hate them. filix

Not mine so far. I have two ladders upon which I grow several vines(usu. heavenly blue, can never resist them!) every year. I've never had a problem with JBs on them or any MGs I've grown. I'm growing some picotee and split personality this year. Hopefully JBs won't bother them.

(Now, geraniums and hibiscus, we will never grow enmasse again. Doesn't matter that geraniums put them in a coma, you still have to see them, pick them off, and live with lousy looking leaves.)