Menu
An English plant that looks like a cup of tea on a cloudy day, ivy is loved for its looks. It generally grows on top of brickwork. Its long stems and pretty pointy leaves give it a romantic, slightly wild feel. The good news is that it’s fine living inside with us.
We can pick between two ivies. Ivy is a standard English type with leaves that are a medium shade of green. Effy, which is also called variegated ivy, has leaf tips that are a light cream color.
It does well almost anywhere, and it will look great hanging from your bookshelves or over them. Take care of it like this:
Even though ivy is usually grown outside, it does very well indoors. Plus, it’s easy to take care of, which makes it great for people who are new to gardening. It doesn’t mind cool places or dim light.
It’s used to the weather in Britain, so ivy only really cares about how wet it is. So long as you mist it and keep it wet, it will be healthy and happy.
Good news: ivy can survive in almost any light. The place where you put it doesn’t really matter, from bright windows to dirty corners. Place it near a window, but not in the sun, if you can, so it gets bright light from the side.
If you picked the variegated ivy Effy, the leaves might look duller if there is less light. That means you should put your plant somewhere bright if you want it to stay healthy.
Your ivy likes dirt that is damp but not soaked. So we suggest that you check the dirt often and water it when the top two inches feel dry. Also, it likes it damp, so mist it every other day with your spray bottle.
Ivies also like to take showers every once in a while to clean their leaves of dirt and other things. Not much is needed—a quick rinse in the bathroom should be enough.
When you’re outside, ivy can quickly climb up walls. Even though you keep it inside, it still grows quickly. But don’t worry—it won’t take over your living room overnight.
Ivy loves to climb, and if you let it, it might sneak up your walls. It sticks to surfaces with tiny flying roots that grow along its stems. Just keep in mind that the roots might leave marks.
It is perfectly fine to cut off the biggest stems of ivy if it is getting out of hand. The plant won’t get hurt at all. Read on to find out more about cutting.
After cutting back your plant, why not use the roots to make more plants? Take off about 4 to 5 inches, then put them in a jar of water on a sunny window sill. You can put them in small pots once their roots have grown. It’s that easy to get free new plants.
Prinzo says that too much water on the leaves or at the roots of ivy is the main cause of most of its problems. “If the entire leaf turns brown, it’s likely root rot, and either the watering should be reduced or the soil amended for better drainage (or both),” she adds.
Both bacterial and fungus leaf spot look like small spots on the leaves. They happen when water stays on the leaves’ surface for too long. “To remedy leaf spot, avoid watering from overhead by using drip irrigation, or water in the morning so any moisture on the leaves has more time to evaporate before evening,” says Prinzo. Good news: Cubian says that both of these problems are easy to fix with the right trimming and watering.
Weed lovers will be happy to know that ivy is easy to grow in water. “Cut off a 4- to 6-inch piece of ivy from a plant that is healthy.” “Take off the leaves from the bottom half of the stem and put it in water like you would a cut flower,” says Prinzo. “Keep the cutting in bright indirect light and replenish the water as needed.”
Around the third week, roots should start to appear. By the fourth to sixth week, there should be enough new roots to move the cutting to new soil.
If the dirt isn’t draining as well as it used to, or if you see roots coming out of the holes in the pot, it may be time to repot your ivy. You’ll need a pot that is just 1 inch bigger in diameter to do this.
Once you’re ready, carefully take your ivy out of its current pot and put it in the bigger one. Make sure to add fresh dirt below and around the plant.
Take better care of your ivy plant indoors than in the yard, where the vines can grow out of control. This vine could spread quickly, but you can enjoy it safely at home as a pretty houseplant.
Ivy that you keep inside needs bright light to grow, but not direct sunlight. If there isn’t enough artificial light, the ivy won’t look as colorful, and it will grow less quickly. Rooms for ivy need to be between 50°F and 70°F during the day.
Even though indoor ivy doesn’t get many plant diseases, mealybugs, mites, aphids, whiteflies, and scales can still get into seedlings. Termites may also use ivy as a way to get into your home.
Pothos, also known as Devil’s Ivy (Epipremnum aureum), is an indoor ivy that grows over 40 inches a year. This plant is easy to grow and doesn’t need much care. Pothos grows best in shady spots, which makes it a great houseplant.
