How to care for variegated ivy
Today, let's introduce how to care for variegated ivy and some small experiences in green plant maintenance regarding the cultivation methods of ivy. Follow our editor to check out the specific content!
Ivy
SOME people say that when it comes to indoor green plants, they are tired of seeing epiphyllum and tradescantia, and want to grow some different species of green plants. Therefore, they turn their attention to ivy.
Indeed, the ease of growing and survival of ivy is no worse than that of epiphyllum, and this plant is truly a "master of the air." Whether placed in the living room, balcony, or hung in the study or bedroom, the stems and leaves of the ivy will naturally droop, exuding elegance and refined simplicity, making it a beautiful sight to behold.
Ivy Propagation Methods
Ivy is commonly propagated using cutting or layering methods, and can also be propagated by seeds.
Since the nodes of ivy can naturally take root in humid air and will naturally penetrate the soil upon contact with the ground, cutting propagation is often used.
How to Care for Variegated Ivy
Cuttings are best done in spring and autumn. The branches used for cutting are usually 1-2 year-old semi-woody young branches, while old branches can also be cut, but they root poorly. Generally, cut branches about 10 cm long, with some leaves at the top, and insert them into the soil of a seedbed with coarse sand or vermiculite as the base, about 5 cm deep, or directly into a pot with loose cultivation soil.
The stolons of the mother plant can also be cut and planted after they have rooted. Sometimes, the stolons of the mother plant are buried in sandy soil with leaves exposed, and each node can develop adventitious roots. When the internodes have rooted, they can be cut into sections for planting.
When transplanting, make sure the roots are covered with soil to ensure easy survival.
Techniques for Pot Plant Maintenance
1. Soil
Ivy is not particular about soil, is tolerant to poor soil, and prefers moist, loose, and fertile sandy soil, but dislikes saline-alkaline soil.
Usually, fertile and loose soil is used as the potting medium, such as a mixture of garden soil and decomposed leaf soil, or a mixture of decomposed leaf soil, peat soil, and fine sand with a small amount of base fertilizer, or a mixture of garden soil, about 1/4 of wood ash, and a small amount of base fertilizer. Wood ash can keep the potting soil loose and breathable and provide a lot of potassium fertilizer to meet the growth needs of ivy. It can also be cultivated separately with sphagnum moss.
2. Light
Ivy is a typical negative藤本 plant that is shade-tolerant and can also grow in full sunlight. It can be cultivated in a well-lit room for a long time. In a dim room, as long as it is supplemented with lighting, it can also grow well. It grows well in warm and humid climates and is not cold-resistant.
In spring, when a large number of branches and leaves sprout, whether the flowers or leaves are green, they should be placed in the sun to receive ample sunlight, so that the branches and leaves will grow lush and strong. Normally, they should be placed under diffused light to make the leaves dark green and glossy. In a shaded environment, the variegated leaf variety is even more beautiful. In summer, it is essential to place it in a cool and well-ventilated place.
3. Watering
The most important thing to watch out for during the plum rain season and high temperatures. During the plum rain season, if the ivy is placed outdoors and there is accumulated water in the pot, it should be drained in time to prevent the roots from being waterlogged and rotting. In high temperatures, the ambient temperature is not conducive to the growth of ivy, as it stops growing above 30℃, so it is best to use foliar watering. Insufficient water can cause the base of the plant to shed leaves, while excessive watering can cause root rot. It is advisable to water in the early morning or evening to prevent the soil and water temperature from differing too much, causing root damage and ultimately leading to plant wilt and death.
When placed in a greenhouse for wintering, the humidity of the air inside should be maintained, and it should not be too dry, but the potting soil should not be too wet.
4. Fertilizing
In the seedling stage, it is important to strengthen water and fertilizer management to speed up growth. During the growing period, especially in spring and autumn, liquid fertilizer can be applied once every two weeks or granular fertilizer once a month. The proportion of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the fertilizer should be 1:1:1, and the nitrogen content should not be too high to prevent the leaves from turning green. During the plant's growth process, pruning should be done to promote branching and make the plant lush. For columnar potted plants, regular pruning and pinching should be done.
Points to Consider for Maintenance
① Ventilation: Good ventilation is very important for the growth of ivy. Poor ventilation can easily lead to the危害 of mites. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the ventilation conditions of the breeding environment.
② Rational Fertilizing: When fertilizing ivy, attention should be paid to balanced nutrition. Excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer can easily cause excessive growth, and for variegated varieties, it can lead to fading of the patterns.
③ Maintain higher air humidity: Ivy requires higher air humidity, and low air humidity can cause leaf tip burn.
④ Timely potting: After cultivating ivy for one or two years, it should be repotted to ensure sufficient soil nutrients for normal plant growth.
⑤ In summer, care should be taken in a shaded greenhouse, and in winter, it should be placed in a greenhouse for overwintering. The humidity inside the room should be maintained and not too dry, but the potting soil should not be too wet.
⑥ For potted ivy, a支柱 should be set up. Due to the climbing nature of ivy, setting up a支柱 helps it climb and grow upward, adding more interest and beauty to the living space.
Techniques for Water Culture Maintenance
1. Original Pot Water Culture Method
Select strong branches or branches with aerial roots as the mother plants for water culture. If possible, it's best not to cut the branches first. Place a water pot next to a large pot of ivy and directly put the branches with aerial roots in the water, allowing them to grow naturally. This avoids the risk of failure in cultivation, and even if no new roots grow, the young shoots can still continue to grow. Wait until the roots are strong before cutting.
During the rooting process, do not expose to light and keep it in a shaded or low-light area with suitable temperature, avoiding too hot or too cold conditions, as large temperature differences are not conducive to plant growth. Gradually expose to light after the roots have grown.
After the roots have grown, do not rush to change from water culture to soil culture. It's best to continue caring for them until the roots are robust, otherwise the tender new roots may not be able to supply enough nutrients to the new shoots and may get injured, making it difficult to grow back.
2. Branch Water Cutting Method
Branch water cutting is suitable for spring and autumn. First, select semi-woody branches of ivy, cut them and remove the base leaves, then directly insert them into clear water. Since ivy has the characteristic of long aerial roots, they can quickly adapt to the water culture environment after being inserted into clear water.
In the early stage of water cutting, the water should be changed frequently, preferably every 1 to 2 days, to keep the water clean and prevent the lower part of the branches from rotting. After about 10 days, white and tender aerial roots grow, and after the new roots have grown, the water should also be changed frequently. After another 2 to 3 weeks, the lovely ivy will show a strong growth momentum. At this time, add water-soluble fertilizer to the water and place it in a well-lit area for care. Don't assume that you don't need to change the water after adding the nutrient solution; actually, the nutrient solution should still be changed every 2 to 3 weeks.
In the hot summer season, since ivy is in a dormant period, it should be cultivated with clear water. In winter, it can safely overwinter indoors in a sunny location. As for how to prune the branches according to your aesthetic needs, that is a matter of personal preference.
3. Whole Plant Water Culture Method
Remove the ivy from the pot and soak the root ball in water, carefully removing the soil from the roots. Be careful not to break too many roots, as severe root damage is not conducive to future water culture.
Water Culture Precautions
In general, the culture water in the pot for water-cultured ivy should be changed every 1-2 months, using tap water from daily life. However, if the water temperature is lower than the indoor temperature, the tap water should be left to stand for a while to keep the root temperature stable.
Water culture has relatively fewer nutrients than soil culture, so it is necessary to add nutrient solution regularly, otherwise growth will be slow; the amount of water in the pot should not be too much, leaving some roots in the air (about 70% of the root length in the water is suitable, usually with the planting basket not touching the water being appropriate); when planting water-cultured ivy, be careful to protect the roots, straighten them as much as possible, and allow most of the roots to be soaked in water.
The above content on how to care for variegated ivy and the cultivation methods of ivy provided by the Green Plant Enthusiast website are for your comprehensive understanding and reference!