How to Care for a Potted Ivy

Mist ivy on hot summer days.

Although many types of ivy become invasive when grown outdoors, ivy is an attractive and easygoing plant when grown as a houseplant. Indoor-grown ivy is happy planted in containers where the vines trail gracefully over the side, or trained to grow over a trellis or topiary form. Ivy is available in a variety of leaf sizes and shapes, as well as in solid or variegated colors that include green, chartreuse, cream, grayish-green, silver or gold.

Things You'll Need

• Container with drainage hole
• Potting mixture
• Fluorescent bulb (optional)
• Balanced, water-soluble fertilizer
• Pruning shears
• Tray
• Pebbles

Instructions

1. Plant ivy in a pot filled with good quality potting mixture. Use a pot with a drainage hole, as ivy is prone to root rot in soggy soil.

2. Place ivy in moderate light near a window with a western, eastern or northern exposure. Avoid direct, bright light, which will fade the foliage and may scorch the plant. Alternatively, place ivy under a fluorescent bulb for at least 10 hours per day. Normal daytime room temperatures are fine, but nighttime temperatures shouldn't be below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Water ivy deeply whenever the top of the soil feels dry. Water enough to allow water to trickle through the drainage hole. Allow the plant to drain, then pour off any water that remains in the drainage saucer. Never allow the pot to stand in water, and don't water again until the top of the soil feels dry, as ivy can rot in soil allowed to remain soggy.

4. Feed ivy plants every month, using a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer with a ratio such as 10-10-10 or 20-20-20. Apply the fertilizer according to the specifications on the label. Withhold fertilizer during the winter months, as well as during summer heat or any time growth slows.

5. Prune ivy as needed to keep the plant compact. Ivy tolerates pruning well and can be pruned drastically to maintain a small plant, or just enough to remove wayward growth and give the plant a neat appearance.

6. Raise the humidity around your ivy plant by placing the plant on a tray with a single layer of wet pebbles. Don't cover the pebbles with water, as the pot must sit on the wet pebbles but not in the water.

Tips & Warnings

• Never crowd ivy with other plants, as ivy needs plenty of air circulation to avoid fungal disease caused by humid conditions.

References

• Clemson University Extension; Indoor Ivy; Karen Russ; April 1999
• University of Florida IFAS Extension; English Ivies to Know and Grow; R.W. Henley, et al; April, 1997