Ivy cultivation methods and precautions
Ivy is a rather popular large indoor potted ornamental plant, especially when placed in relatively spacious living rooms, studies, and sitting rooms, where it lends an elegant, simple style with a touch of southern charm. It is a world-famous new-generation indoor foliage plant with a graceful, neat plant shape. Let us take a look together at how to cultivate ivy!
Ivy's growing environment
Ivy is a shade-loving climbing plant, though it can also grow in full-light conditions. It grows well in warm, humid climates and is not cold-tolerant. It is not demanding about soil and prefers moist, loose, fertile soil; it is not salt-alkali tolerant.
It often climbs on trees at forest edges, roadside plants under the forest, rocks, and house walls, and is also often cultivated in gardens.
Ivy propagation methods
1. Seed propagation
For ivy seed propagation, simply collect the seeds when the fruit ripens, pile them for after-ripening, soak and rub them, wash the seeds clean and dry them in the shade, and then they can be sown; they can also be stored in damp sand and sown in spring the following year. After sowing, cover with 1 cm of soil and cover with grass to retain moisture. When the seedlings emerge, set up a shade frame, and in the second spring transplant or thin the seedlings and then grow them into larger plants.
2. Cuttage propagation
The cuttage propagation method for ivy is to use young shoots with aerial roots during the growing season, which root most easily. After cutting, set up a closed plastic-film arch shed and provide shade, keeping the air temperature at 80%-90%, but the bed soil should not be too wet, so as to avoid rotting of the cuttings. Roots form in about 30 d.
3. Layering propagation
Ivy layering propagation is done in spring and autumn, using the wavy layering method; after girdling the part buried in soil, it roots very easily. It is a relatively simple propagation method.
Ivy cultivation methods
1. Temperature should be suitable: Ivy likes warmth, and the suitable growing temperature is 20°C-25°C. It fears heat and is not cold-tolerant. Therefore, when keeping it indoors, pay attention to ventilation and cooling in summer, and in winter the room temperature should preferably remain above 10°C, and must not be lower than 5°C.
2. Light should be moderate: Ivy likes light and is also fairly shade-tolerant. Grown under semi-light conditions, its internodes are shorter, leaf shape is consistent, and leaf color is vivid. Therefore, it is best grown indoors in a bright place. If in spring and autumn you can each time place it outdoors in a shaded spot for a period, so that it gets more sunlight in the morning and evening, it will grow vigorously with bright green leaves. But be careful to prevent direct strong light, otherwise it is prone to sunscald.
3. Watering should be moderate: During the growing season, water according to the principle of watering when dry and letting it dry between waterings; do not let the potting soil become excessively wet, otherwise it easily causes root rot and leaf drop. In winter, when room temperature is low, especially control watering and just keep the potting soil slightly moist. In the dry winter climate of the north, it is best to spray-wash the plant once a week with clean water close to room temperature to maintain air humidity; then the plant looks lively and the leaves are tender green and glossy.
4. Fertilization should be reasonable: For home cultivation of ivy, the potting soil should be a culture soil mixed from leaf mold or peat soil plus 1/4 river sand and a small amount of bone meal. During the growing season, apply a dilute cake fertilizer water once every 2-3 weeks. Generally, do not fertilize in summer and winter. When fertilizing, never apply too much nitrogen fertilizer, otherwise the patterns and patches on the leaves of variegated varieties will fade to green. The ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium should preferably be 1;1;1. In the peak growing season, you can also spray the leaves 1-2 times with 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution, which will make the leaf color even more beautiful. But note that when applying liquid fertilizer, avoid soiling the leaves, so as to prevent leaf scorch.