Shade-tolerant green plants that stay evergreen all year round, and a single stem cutting can grow to cover an entire wall

Ivy (Hedera helix), a perennial climbing shrub, has leaves that stay evergreen through all four seasons, and its vines can grow to over two meters long, forming a big lush green mass that is very beautiful. It is a shade-loving plant that can grow well even in spots with insufficient light, and it likes a warm, humid environment.Even if your home has insufficient light, you can still grow ivy. To grow ivy, you don't need to spend a single cent buying it; you just need to pinch off a bit of stem and it will grow.

Soil

Ivy is not picky about soil; basically any soil can be used to grow it, and if it is loose, fertile, airy and moist soil, even better. Generally, you can mix leaf mold, garden soil and sand together for planting.

Propagation

The stems of ivy have some aerial roots. Simply cut off some healthy stems about 15 cm long that have aerial roots, keeping only two or three leaves. April and May in spring, and August and September in autumn, are the best times for cuttings. For spring cuttings, use older, harder stems; for autumn cuttings, use younger, semi-lignified stems.

For the cutting soil medium, choose a well-draining sandy soil. After inserting the cuttings into the soil, shade them and keep the soil moist, and in a little over 20 days they will grow roots and sprout and survive.

As long as the soil is moist and the temperature is suitable, it grows especially fast, and even with snow in winter, as long as the temperature does not drop below minus 5°C, it is basically fine; in summer it is also fairly tolerant of high temperatures.

Watering and fertilizing

It likes a warm, humid environment, so during the spring and autumn growing seasons it needs frequent watering, and the soil should be kept on the moist side. If it is not watered for a long time, it will drop leaves. When the air is dry, mist the plant appropriately.

In winter, reduce watering, and a slightly dry soil state is better. Normally you can apply some diluted organic fertilizer liquid once a month; frequent fertilizing allows the vines to climb more and faster. There is no need to fertilize in winter. Although it will drop some leaves in winter, in spring it will grow even more tender branches and leaves. It is very tough and easy to keep alive.

Repotting

If it grows too fast, you can repot it once every two years. When changing the soil, plant it with part of the old soil so it settles in faster and grows more luxuriantly.

Ivy likes fertilizer. With the addition of new fertile soil and plenty of nutrients, ivy very easily fills out its pot, and some flower lovers have grown it until it covered an entire wall on their balcony.

Ivy that has grown to cover an entire wall! Very beautiful, pleasing to the eye and lush!