How to Care for an Ivy Topiary
Ivies (Hedera spp.) are popular topiary plants because they are fast-growing and easy to train to grow around a wide range of wire frame shapes. Commonly kept as indoor plants, ivies can survive for many years if given the right care, and they are rarely afflicted with pests or diseases. You can also keep ivy topiaries as outdoor potted plants in warmer temperatures. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Water spray bottle
- Garden hose
- Hose-end sprayer
- Scissors or pruning shears
- Planter pot
- All-purpose potting soil
- Insecticidal soap (optional)
Instructions
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Place your ivy topiary in bright, filtered or indirect sunlight. Maintain air temperatures around the plant of 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, no warmer. Keep the ivy away from drafts, including heating or air conditioning vents.
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2
Water your ivy topiary lightly to moderately two or three times per week to keep the soil evenly moistened at all times. Don't allow the topiary to dry out. You can submerge the ivy topiary's pot in water once per week, allowing the water to drain out afterward.
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Mist the topiary's leaves two to four times per week with warm water to provide moisture and humidity, as well as to rinse away dust or dirt. Spray the ivy topiary thoroughly with a hose-end sprayer once each month.
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4
Snip off any wayward new growth from the topiary to maintain its shape. You can also wind or weave the new ivy growth into the topiary frame.
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Repot your ivy topiary once every one or two years into a container that's about 2 inches larger than the current pot. You can plant the ivy in an all-purpose potting soil.
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Tips & Warnings
You should set your ivy topiary outdoors in a shaded spot during the warmer summer months.
Watch out for spider mites on your ivy topiary by looking for yellow blotches on the leaves and fine, white webbing between the leaves and stems. Spray the leaves thoroughly with room-temperatures water, followed by an insecticidal soap after the water dries. Apply the soap to the undersides and top surfaces of the leaves, as well as the stems and vines, following the instructions on the label.
