How to Plant Ivy Plants
Planting ivy as a ground cover helps control soil erosion because the ivy plant's root system is dense and grows deeply into the ground, creating a network that actually knits the soil together. Ivy is easy to care for, grows prolifically all year long and won't leave behind unattractive bare branches and roots during the winter. Ivy will cover unattractive areas of the garden quickly and thoroughly and is very effective when used on a trellis. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Loam soil
- Peat moss or compost
- Pruning shears
- Fertilizer
- Screwdriver
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Cotton swab
- Insecticidal soap
Instructions
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Plant the ivy out of direct sunlight and in partial to full shade. Make certain shade will be provided in winter when foliage has dropped from surrounding trees. Bright, direct sunlight can burn the ivy.
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Plant the ivy in the spring by placing the plants 12 inches apart, at the same depth as they were planted in the pot, in a garden with good drainage and a loam soil enriched with peat moss or compost. If ivy is being planted next to a wall, plant it as close to the wall as possible.
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Use pruning shears to trim new plants to 6 inches high and don't fertilize them for the first three months. Prune the ivy plant three times per year to promote fuller growth.
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Feed the plant every two months with an all-purpose 15-5-15 fertilizer during the growing season.
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Water the ivy at the base of the plant without wetting the foliage. Wet foliage can lead to fungal disease like powdery mildew or blight. Apply water thoroughly to a depth of 6 inches at least once per week. Insert a long screwdriver into the ground. The screwdriver will penetrate easily as long as the soil is moist. Water until the screwdriver can be inserted to a depth of 6 inches.
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Control insect infestation by carefully inspecting the plants for signs of disease such as light green spots indicating bacterial leaf spot or stem canker. Pick off leaves infected by different types of fungi, which are also identifiable by leaf spots.
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Use an insecticidal soap, available from a garden center, to thoroughly spray the ivy if the leaves are covered with a very fine webbing signifying spider mites.
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Eradicate mealy bugs by dabbing each individual insect with a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol. Insecticides are not very effective against mealy bugs because of their waxy coat, which sheds liquids. A thick honeydew excretion will coat the leaves if mealy bugs are present. The appearance of ants and wasps, which feed on the honeydew, serves as a mealy bug alert.
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Tips & Warnings
Ivy will not do well if it is allowed to stand in water, especially in the winter.
Ivy can be trimmed whenever bare spots are present.
Be careful to control the ivy plant growth so it doesn't spread out and take over the garden.
References
- Photo Credit ivy image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.com
