How to Grow Ivy in Water? Cultivation Methods and Precautions
Ivy is a climbing shrub plant. It can often be seen in daily life and is a highly ornamental plant. When people grow ivy, the most commonly used method is soil cultivation. In fact, besides this, ivy can also be grown by water cultivation. However, during the cultivation process, there are also many points that need attention.
How to Grow Ivy in Water
1. Temperature. It prefers a warm environment, and the most suitable environment is 20 to 25 degrees. It cannot tolerate stuffiness and heat, but it has relatively strong tolerance to cold, so we can place it in a room, give it some ventilation in summer, and in winter keep its temperature above 10 degrees, and it must not be lower than 5 degrees.
2. Light. It relatively likes light, but it can also tolerate shade very well. So we can consider placing it in a semi-shaded place. In this way, its internodes will be relatively shorter, the leaves will grow more uniformly, and the color will be more vivid. In spring and autumn, we can still let it see sunlight in the morning and evening, and then choose a period of time to place it in a shaded place. This can prevent direct strong light, avoid sunscald, and also allow it to grow very vigorously.
Water Cultivation Methods and Precautions for Ivy
I. Water cultivation methods
1. For water cultivation of ivy, it is best to use the method of rooting cuttings in water. The roots grown this way are not only attractive, but there will also be no root damage that occurs when washing roots. Select tender ivy branches with aerial roots and insert them into a prepared transparent container. In about 10 days, water roots can grow. The water in the container should not be too much, and a certain portion of the roots needs to be kept in the air.
2. In the early stage of water cultivation, attention should be paid to changing the water frequently. It is best to change it with clean water once every 1 or 2 days, thereby ensuring the water body is clean and preventing the lower end of the branches from rotting. After about 10 days, ivy can grow white, tender aerial roots. After new roots grow, the water should likewise be changed frequently. After about another 2 or 3 weeks, water-cultivated ivy will show a lush growth trend.
3. During the process of water-cultivated ivy producing roots, do not give it light. Water-cultivated ivy needs to be placed in diffused light or a shaded place, and the temperature must be suitable, not too hot or too cold. Only after the roots have grown should light be gradually given. Ivy is a shade-tolerant plant and avoids direct strong light, so when water-cultivating ivy, it is enough to provide diffused light.
II. Precautions:
Water-cultivated ivy should avoid direct strong light in summer, and attention should be paid to ventilation and cooling. In winter in the north, the room temperature should preferably be kept above 10°C. At intervals, use clean water close to room temperature to spray-wash the branches and leaves once, so as to increase air humidity and keep the leaves clean and emerald green.
How to Make Water-Cultivated Ivy Root Quickly
1. At the very beginning, do not give it too much light. If it is kept in complete darkness for the first one or two days, its roots will grow especially fast and will emerge in less than ten days.
2. After that, we can give it diffused light. Be sure to remember not to give it strong light, because it itself does not like strong light. This is a major trick for fast root growth. Everyone can try it.
Common Diseases of Ivy and Their Control
1. Phytophthora blight. In the early stage of the disease, spray or drench with 25% metalaxyl wettable powder at 800 times dilution or 58% metalaxyl + mancozeb wettable powder at 600 times dilution. There are many choices, just buy them on the market.
2. Gray mold. Promptly remove diseased leaves and burn them. When the disease occurs, spray with 75% chlorothalonil at 500 times dilution. Once every 10 days, for 2 to 3 consecutive times.
3. Leaf spot. In the early stage of the disease, spray with streptomycin sulfate at 3000 times dilution, or 12% copper green emulsion oil at 600 times dilution, or 20% longkejun suspension concentrate at 500 times dilution.
The methods for water cultivation of ivy are actually not difficult, but the disinfection work must be done well, and the water quality during water cultivation also needs to be kept clean. Only in this way can the growth of ivy be ensured. If you want it to grow quickly in water cultivation, you can appropriately reduce light.