IVY CARE:

Ivy is a fast growing, climbing, spreading and clinging vine that can now be found, sometimes in abundance, in almost every part of the world.  Because of it's ability to grow without much human interaction, Hedera helix (Ivy) is classified as invasive in many areas.  As a houseplant, Ivy is found in a number of colors, variegations and pot sizes.  Able to climb, trail or hang, Ivy makes a great addition to any home or office space.

Ivy prefers the shade, but some can adapt and acclimate to higher light levels.  If you wanted to grow your ivy in more direct sun, go slow and allow it to gradually acclimate.  Too much sun, too quickly, and you will see the leaves burn right off.  Ivy is great for lower light rooms, hallways and basement areas.  It can be grown in planters, as an edge around other plants, in hanging baskets, or up and around poles and trellises.  Keep a watchful eye on your Ivy if it gets too close to your other plants, as the aerial roots will cling on and can choke out other plants.

Ivy like to remain evenly moist at all times.  If they dry out, even once, they can wilt and fall apart.  Bringing an ivy back from the edge of death is very difficult.

While it is not completely necessary, you can use a general purpose, high quality fertilizer from Spring through Fall.  We recommend diluting the fertilizer to about 50% strength.  Fish Head Farms soil conditioner is a great option to use year round to provide essential nutrients and promote strong, healthy growth.

Ivy can happily survive in almost any potting mix.  A general purpose, all natural, commercial mix is just fine. 

Ivy are fast growers, but that does not mean that they need to be repotted very often.  As a vine, they will grow, sprawl and cascade to great lengths, up to 100 feet, and still be ok in what may look like, a small planter. We recommend repotting your Ivy every 2-3 years, and even then, you only want to move up 2" or so in pot sizes to reduce stress.  This should be done in the Spring or early Summer months.  If you have just recently purchased your plant, do not repot it for at least 6 months.

The most common pest issue for Ivy is Red Spider Mites, however, even Scale Bugs can cause issues.  It is always best practice to isolate any new plants you bring in to your home for a few weeks to watch for little pests.  For help and tips on prevention and treatment of pests, see our At Home Pest Recipes  here!

If you have any more questions, or need further assistance, please feel free to give us a call or shoot us an email!