What are the key points for propagating and cultivating ivy? Explained clearly in one article
Ivy, also known as English ivy, common ivy, and British ivy, is an evergreen woody climbing plant in the genus Hedera of the family Araliaceae. It grows by climbing or creeping and can reach up to 30 m in length. It has aerial roots with clinging ability, but the clinging strength of the aerial roots varies depending on the cultivar and environmental conditions; young branches and buds have brown stellate hairs. The leaves vary greatly in size and shape; leaves on vegetative shoots are usually 3-5 lobed, with entire or nearly entire margins; leaves on reproductive shoots are not lobed, narrowly ovate or nearly rhombic. The inflorescence is a globose umbel, with white flowers. The fruit is spherical and black when mature.
It prefers a warm, humid, semi-shaded environment and fertile, moist, well-drained soil. It has poor drought tolerance and cannot tolerate direct sunlight, but it is very shade-tolerant and also cannot tolerate frost or a dry climate. In the north, it can only be grown in pots and overwintered in a greenhouse.
Propagation can be done by cuttings or layering. Spring and autumn are suitable times for raising seedlings. Cut the stem tip or stem sections, each with 3-4 nodes, and insert them into river sand or humus loam, keeping them moist and receiving about 50%-70% sunlight. Roots and new plants can form in about 1 month. Alternatively, wound the stem vine, bury it in potting soil, and once the root mass grows vigorously, cut it off and separate it to make a new plant; this method is layering.
Ivy is not strict about soil requirements, and humus loam is best for cultivation. For pot culture, however, the potting soil can be made by mixing garden soil, about 1/4 plant ash, and a small amount of base fertilizer. Using plant ash can both keep the potting soil loose and breathable and provide more potassium fertilizer to meet the growth needs of ivy. During the growing season, ivy can be given liquid fertilizer once every 2 weeks, or granular fertilizer once a month. For variegated cultivars, the proportion of nitrogen fertilizer must not be too high, so that the variegated leaves do not turn green. Green-leaf ivy can grow under both strong light and shaded conditions; variegated ivy must not be placed in prolonged direct sunlight in summer and autumn. In spring, when a large number of branches and leaves sprout, whether variegated or green-leaf, ivy should be placed in sunlight to receive sufficient light, so that the branches and leaves grow luxuriant and sturdy.
For potted plants on a pillar, prune and pinch back regularly. Ivy needs the most care during the plum rain season and summer high temperatures. For ivy placed outdoors during the plum rain season, any accumulated water in the pot must be poured off promptly to avoid the roots being soaked for a long time and rotting. During the summer high-temperature season, it is best to water in the early morning or evening, which can avoid a large difference between soil temperature and water temperature, causing root stress and injury and ultimately leading to plant withering and death. Under high temperature or poor ventilation, mites or aphids may appear on ivy; generally, they can be washed off with soapy water or sprayed with a 40% omethoate 1000-1500 times solution.
Cultivation and management of ivy
Cultivation and management of ivy will introduce ivy growing methods, how to grow ivy well, and problems and solutions in ivy cultivation
(1) Overview
Also called English ivy, a perennial evergreen climbing plant in the family Araliaceae. The stem is 3-5 m or longer and much branched. Young branches, petioles, and leaf blades have stellate hairs, and aerial roots are easily produced on the branches. Leaves on vegetative branches are 3-lobed, while leaves on reproductive branches are rhombic and entire. This plant has strong adaptability to the environment, with strong shade tolerance and cold tolerance, and is easy to cultivate. In recent years, some cold-tolerant cultivars have been introduced to the Beijing area from North America, and trial planting in the open air has achieved good results and is now being promoted. As an indoor potted foliage plant, ivy can be grown for ornamental viewing in a bright room for a long time. In a dark room, as long as supplemental lighting can be provided, it can also grow well. This plant can be used as a hanging plant placed on a tall flower stand, on top of a bookcase, or hung in front of a window; it can also be planted in a small pot and placed on a desk, tea table, and other places; it can also be given a support to make a topiary pillar; there is even the practice of using Fatshedera as a rootstock to graft a small tree-form ivy. There are many horticultural cultivars of ivy.
(2) Cultivation points
Temperature: It likes cool conditions but fears frost, and can grow indoors without heating. In the North China region, growth is poor during summer high temperatures, so it should be placed in a ventilated, cool place.
Light: Avoid direct sunlight in summer; in winter, shading is unnecessary, and the light can be stronger.
Water: Keep the potting soil moist during the growing period, and avoid water accumulation in the pot. In winter, reduce watering and avoid the potting soil becoming too dry.
Air humidity: In hot and dry seasons or indoors, frequently spray water on the leaves and around the plant, and clean the leaf surfaces regularly.
Repotting: Repot once about every year.
Propagation: Stem cuttings root easily.
(3) Problems commonly seen during cultivation
Leaf edges withered and yellow, stem tips bare and leafless: temperature too high, light too weak, and spider mites may also be present. Cut off this section of branch.
Leaves all turning green: the leaves of variegated cultivars turn green and the pattern disappears; the light is too weak and too shady; in addition, too much nitrogen fertilizer is also one of the causes.
Leaves on old stems have all fallen off and the stems are bare: too little light; the stems are too old and the basal leaves have fallen off. Cut off overly old branches.
Leaf tips dry and withered, growth hindered: air humidity is too low. Check whether there are spider mites, cut off the dried and withered branches and leaves, and increase the frequency of misting.
Cultivation and care of ivy
1. Introduction to ivy
Ivy is native to China and is distributed in the provinces and regions south of the Qinling Mountains. It is not only one of the main tree species for vertical greening, but also an excellent woody groundcover plant, and can also be potted.
Ivy has dense vines and leaves and is a very beautiful evergreen foliage climbing flower. It is one of the main tree species for vertical greening in Chinese gardens and is also an excellent woody groundcover plant.
Ivy is suitable for planting on buildings, walls, steep slopes, rock walls, and ground under tree shade, and can also be potted. Purple vines either climb on walls and trellises, or creep on the ground, or hang outside the pot, all creating elegant charm. Old leaves, new leaves, and newly born leaves interlace and set each other off, with harmonious color and tone. After flowering, the bright red berries of ivy adorn the vine, shimmering green and tinged with purple, dazzling and eye-catching. If a small specimen is taken and made into a bonsai and placed indoors on a tea table, flower stand, or writing desk, it can present abundant spring vitality throughout the four seasons.
2. Ecological habits
Ivy is an evergreen climbing vine in the genus Hedera of the family Araliaceae. The stem has aerial roots. Young branches are covered with scale-like soft hairs. The leaves are leathery, dark green, and have long petioles. Leaves on vegetative branches are triangular-ovate, entire or with 3 shallow lobes, while leaves on flowering branches are ovate to rhombic. The umbel is solitary or clustered into a raceme. The flowers are small, pale greenish-white, and slightly fragrant. The drupe is round and spherical, orange-yellow. The flowering period is September-November, and the fruiting period is April-May of the following year.
Ivy is extremely shade-tolerant and can also grow in full-light conditions. It can withstand a brief low temperature of -7°C. It is not strict about soil and moisture, but prefers warm, humid, loose, and fertile soil.
3. Cultivation points
Transplant ivy in early autumn or late spring.
After planting, pruning is needed to promote branching.
For pot culture, various supports can be tied to train and shape it.
To promote strong vines and lush leaves, apply light fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium at the right time and in the right amount.
4. Propagation
Ivy can be propagated by sowing, cuttings, layering, and other methods, among which sowing and cuttings are the most commonly used.
(1) Sowing
Mix leaf mold, garden soil, and river sand in a ratio of 3:2:2, sift and take the fine portion and disinfect it before use; disinfected fine river sand can also be used alone. After sowing, cover with soil particles twice the diameter of the seeds, and cover well with plastic film or glass, maintaining moisture and a bed temperature of 20-25°C. After germination, remove the film or glass. When the seedlings grow to 1-3 leaves, they can be transplanted.
(2) Cuttings
Take young shoots of the current year or relatively old branches and insert them in disinfected fine river sand from May to October. Keep the inserted soil moist, cover well with plastic film, control the temperature at 20-26°C, and control relative humidity at 80%-90%. Roots form in about 20 days, and the survival rate can reach more than 90%.