How can ivy be cared for in winter so it survives the cold safely?

To get ivy through the winter safely, first keep the temperature and humidity suitable; it must not go below 4°C, and to keep good growth it needs to be above 15°C. If the indoor air is dry, mist the leaves, but there must be no standing water. In addition, keep the air circulating and provide plenty of light.

I. Distribution of ivy

Ivy is widely distributed, growing throughout the vast area from southeastern Gansu, southern Shaanxi, Henan and Shandong in the north, south to Guangdong (excluding Hainan Island), Jiangxi and Fujian, and from Bomi in Tibet in the west to Jiangsu and Zhejiang in the east. It is also found in Vietnam.

II. Propagation methods for ivy

The stems and vines of ivy root easily, so cutting propagation is usually used, and layering can also be used.

(1) Cutting propagation

1. Timing

Under greenhouse cultivation conditions, cuttings can be taken throughout the year. For home propagation, it is generally best to take cuttings in spring from April to May and in autumn from August to September.

2. Soil

Choose a loose, airy, well-drained sandy soil as the medium.

3. Procedure

In spring, hardwood cuttings can be used: cut sturdy woody branches from the plant into 15-20 cm long cuttings, leaving 2-3 leaves at the upper end. After planting, keep the soil moist and place the cuttings under side shade, and they will root quickly. For softwood cuttings in autumn, use semi-woody young shoots cut into 15-20 cm long cuttings with 3-4 nodes and aerial roots. After planting, shade them and keep the soil moist regularly; they generally root and survive 20-30 days after planting.

(2) Layering propagation

Bury the stems and vines in the soil, or press the stems and vines onto the moist soil surface with stones; after new roots grow from the nodes, cut them into sections of 3-5 nodes to encourage new stems and vines to emerge from the leaf axils. After another 30 days of cultivation, they can be transplanted into pots.