A Detailed Guide to Ivy Cultivation Methods and Precautions
Ivy has different meanings in different regions, but they are all relatively positive symbols. Ivy is grown in many places, one reason being its beauty, and another being that it can not only purify the air and beautify the environment, but also serve as a money-making tool for ivy growers. Ivy is currently favored by many parks, tourist attractions, and other places, and more and more people are now buying ivy for their homes. Below, let us learn how farmers cultivate ivy.
1. Soil Selection
Ivy is a moisture-loving shade plant, so the planting site should be chosen in an area with relatively sufficient water sources and relatively high soil moisture. Secondly, the light at the planting site should not be too strong. If conditions permit, large-scale cultivation can also be carried out indoors. The soil at the planting site should be quite fertile, so that the ivy will grow better. Therefore, after choosing the planting site, sufficient organic fertilizer should be spread on it. If conditions permit, it is best to use farmyard manure as the base fertilizer. Finally, plow the land deeply and turn the fertilizer into the deeper soil, which can improve soil fertility and also help retain fertilizer.
2. Cultivation Conditions
In fact, ivy has a strong ability to adapt to the environment, but in order to improve the economic benefits of planting, growers do exercise certain management over its growing conditions. First, the air circulation near the planting site should be relatively strong. Second, the average growing temperature should be between 20 and 25 degrees. Third, although it prefers shade, it still needs a certain amount of light. If it is planted in the open field, a sunshade shed needs to be built.
3. Scientific Planting
The most common methods of ivy propagation are cuttings propagation and layering propagation. Generally, growers with several years of planting experience basically use these two methods for propagation, while some growers will use seed propagation or division propagation when necessary. Because ivy has relatively strong vitality, it can basically be propagated in all four seasons. During propagation, the soil at the planting site must be very fine and very loose, so the success rate of propagation will be much higher.
4. Fertilization Methods
The growth of ivy requires a large amount of nutrients. Later topdressing is mainly based on nitrogen fertilizer to promote the growth of ivy branches, but the amount of nitrogen fertilizer should not be too much, otherwise it will affect its appearance and instead reduce its economic value. If a large number of spots appear on ivy leaves, it is generally because too little potassium fertilizer was applied or no potassium fertilizer was applied, so timely supplementary fertilization is needed, and the spots will generally gradually fade in about half a month. If ivy leaves turn yellow, then an appropriate amount of foliar fertilizer needs to be sprayed, and an appropriate amount of urea should be added at the same time. Spring is the period of the most vigorous growth for ivy, when the required nutrients are greatest, and generally fertilizer needs to be applied about once every half a month.
5. Watering Methods
Ivy is a plant that is extremely intolerant of drought. Throughout its entire growing period, it needs a large amount of water, and the moisture in the soil generally needs to be kept above 70 percent, except of course when it is relatively cold in winter. When planting, we first need to water the soil at the planting site thoroughly, and then carry out planting. Because the workload of planting ivy on a large scale is relatively heavy, each watering is generally done by sprinkler irrigation, which not only saves time but also saves water resources.
6. Precautions
Ivy is actually very easy to keep alive. In hot weather, attention should be paid to cooling it down, generally by watering once in the morning and once in the evening. Secondly, the temperature at the planting site should not be lower than 5 degrees, otherwise it will freeze to death, so in winter greenhouse technology needs to be used for insulation. Next, although it likes moisture, that does not mean it should be watered every day; water only after the soil has dried. Also, although it likes fertility, fertilizer is generally not applied in summer and winter. Finally, although it likes nitrogen fertilizer, nitrogen fertilizer should not be applied excessively, otherwise it will affect its plant shape.