English Ivy Care
English Ivy Care is easy as they don’t have any complicated requirements, read on to find out how to care for them…
English Ivy Care Summary
| Light needs: | They’ll do well in low light all the way up to bright indirect sunlight too. |
| Watering needs: | Check them once a week but only water them if the top half of soil is still wet. |
| Fertilizer: | You don’t need to feed buy you can feed once a month in spring and summer with a balanced fertilizer. |
| Soil: | A well-draining potting compost that is rich in organic matter. |
| Humidity: | The medium to high end of normal household humidity is ideal. |
| Temperature: | 15°C to 20°C (59-68°F). |
| Where to buy: | Try our list of Rare Plant Shops. |
| Other names: | Hedera helix, the common ivy. |
| Common issues: | Overwatering. |
Introduction
Welcome to our guide to English Ivy Care. English ivy is a classic climbing and hanging houseplant that is much loved and easy to care for.
Light Needs
English Ivy is perfect for low light areas of your home, they do not need much at all, but they can also adapt to bright indirect sunlight too.
How Often to Water
Let the top layer of soil dry out before watering your ivy again. You can go to water them once a week but leave them if the top half of soil is still wet, so as to avoid root rot.
Fertilizer
You don’t need to feed your ivy, but you can encourage growth by feeding them once a month in the spring and summer growing months with a balanced fertilizer.
Soil
Ivy like a well-draining potting compost that is rich in organic matter.
When To Repot
Although ivy grows fairly quickly it’s roots do not and it will not need repotting very often. You can pot it up a size every two or three years in spring.
Humidity
English Ivy like to be a little bit humid, the medium to high end of normal household humidity is ideal. You can mist them when you water them, which will also help keep the leaves clean.
Temperature
15°C to 20°C (59-68°F) is the ideal temperature range for English Ivy. But they can tolerate up to 35°C (95°F) and down to 10°C (50°F).
How To Propagate English Ivy
Take stem cuttings, and root them in a jar of water. The cuttings should be 5 cm or a couple of inches long, you can strip leaves from the bottom half of them, so there are no leaves in the water. Once they are rooted in a couple of months you can pot them up into soil. Or you can leave it in water, ivy can live there indefinitely as long as you keep it topped up and keep the leaves out of the water so it does not go cloudy.
Is It Toxic to Cats?
English Ivy is toxic to cats if eaten, Contact a vet immediately if this is the case.
English Ivy Vs Boston Ivy
Boston ivy has larger leaves, whilst English ivy has smaller and more delicate leaves. Both are good plants outdoors, but I prefer English Ivy for indoors due to it’s prettier shaped leaves.
English Ivy Indoor Care
They are really tolerant to most indoor conditions, just don’t let them dry out for too long as the leaves can crisp up en masse.
Do English Ivy Like to Be Misted?
They like humid air, but it is best to keep them in a humid location and not mist them as misting only increase the humidity for a small period of time.
Do English Ivy Like to Be Root Bound?
They are ok to be root bound. The main issue with crowded roots for any plant is root rot, because water can get stuck between tight roots and then cause rot.
Is English Ivy Poisonous?
It is poisonous when eaten for humans and pets. It can cause vomiting and severe stomach pain.
Is English Ivy Fast Growing?
It can grow very quickly if given the correct growing conditions. At maturity it can grow over 2 or 3 meters a year (8 feet or more).
Can English Ivy Grow in Water?
They can grow indefinitely in water alone. Make sure you keep the water topped up and try to keep leaves out of the water to avoid the water going cloudy. If it does go cloudy you can change the water.
Can English Ivy Grow in Full Sun?
If can grow in some direct sun, especially if acclimatized gradually. But it will likely get scorched if given full on midday sun. If midday sun is not too strong, it can be ok as it grows very quickly and the burned leaves will be replaced with new growth.
Can English Ivy Grow in Low Light?
Yes it can thrive in low light conditions. I have have one on a kitchen shelf and it does well.
Where To Buy An English Ivy
They crop up for sale all over the place in florists and garden centers. If not, try Etsy.
Other Names for English Ivy
Hedera helix, the common ivy.
English Ivy Care FAQs and Common Problems
English Ivy is fairly tough and and is easy to care for, the main issue with them is overwatering so be careful to water regularly and only if the to layer of soil is dry.
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