A Detailed Guide to Growing Ground Ivy: Methods and Precautions
Chinese people's knowledge of herbaceous plants ought to surpass that of any other country or ethnic group. In our daily lives, especially in rural areas, wild grasses are found everywhere; some have names, some do not, but for most people, even those that do have names will go unrecognized without systematic study.
How to Grow Ground Ivy
Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea) prefers a shady, damp environment and is not demanding about soil; generally, loose, fertile soil with good drainage is most suitable for its growth. It prefers a warm, humid climate. Its vitality is quite strong, and it does not need much pruning.
Ground Ivy Growing Methods and Precautions
1. Soil
When growing ground ivy, the soil requirements are actually not high; a well-drained, loose, fertile sandy soil is best. Keep the soil moist and add an appropriate amount of base fertilizer to make the soil fertile.
2. Light and Temperature
Ground ivy likes a shady, damp growing environment, and light should be appropriate. During care, giving it half-day sun or about 40% sunlight will result in vigorous growth. It likes warmth, and the suitable temperature for growth is 15°C——28°C. It dislikes high temperatures, and the wintering temperature in winter should not be lower than 5°C.
3. Watering and Fertilizing
Ground ivy likes moist soil, and during care it needs watering to keep it moist. As for fertilizing, in addition to applying sufficient base fertilizer at planting time, it also needs fertilizing once every one to two months, and after harvesting in summer and autumn it also needs timely topdressing.
4. Propagation
Ground ivy can be propagated by seed sowing, cuttings, and division, carried out from spring to autumn. Sowing can be self-seeding, but growth is relatively slow; however, with cutting propagation, growth is relatively rapid.
5. Pests and Diseases
Ground ivy has few diseases. During its growing period, snails and slugs sometimes bite and eat the stems and leaves, so they need to be caught and killed promptly to eliminate the pests.
6. Pruning
Actually, ground ivy has very strong growth and reproductive capacity and does not need pruning. Whether in hanging baskets or as ground cover, its shape forms naturally.
Ground Ivy Propagation Methods
1. Division
In spring and autumn, cut off vines that have adventitious roots and plant them directly.
2. Cuttings
Each year in spring, from March to April, when the temperature reaches above 15°C, carry out cuttings. Cut off creeping stems as cuttings, keeping three to four nodes per section, with a length of about 15-20 cm. Use a ridge for cutting, or make your own seedling bed for cutting. Insert the cuttings into the prepared soil at a spacing of about 10 cm between plants, with 2-3 nodes of the cutting inserted into the soil, then cover with a thin layer of soil and water with an appropriate amount of water. About 1 week after cutting, they will take root and survive.
Ground ivy can be propagated by seed sowing and by creeping stem cuttings. However, because its seeds are very small and not easy to collect, and the seedlings grow very slowly, cutting propagation is mostly used.
What Ground Ivy Looks Like
The stems and leaves are square-columnar in shape, thin and twisted, 10-20 cm long, 1-2 mm in diameter, yellow-green or purplish-red, with longitudinal ridges and short soft hairs, and adventitious roots at the nodes; the texture is brittle and breaks easily, and the cross-section is often hollow. The leaves are opposite, gray-green or greenish-brown, mostly shrunken, and when flattened are kidney-shaped or nearly heart-shaped, 1-3 cm long and 1.5-3 cm wide, with rounded teeth on the margins; the petioles are slender, 4-7 cm long. The verticillate cymes are axillary, and the corolla is pale blue or purple, two-lipped, up to 2 cm long. When rubbed, it has a fragrant odor and a slightly bitter taste. Those with many leaves, green color, and a strong fragrant odor are considered the best.
Ground ivy is a plant that most people may not recognize, but for those who understand it, it has very important significance, so the cultivation of ground ivy is gradually developing, and the technical methods of cultivation naturally continue to increase along with the accumulation of growing experience.