22 Jan Ivy Care
Ivy care and feeding
Ivy has its unique cultural and environmental needs. Providing proper water, light, temperature, and fertilizer will help keep your plant healthy.
Watering
Your goal is to keep the soil moisten. Allow the top inch of soil to dry between watering. If the container that the ivy is in has a saucer let the water stand no longer than an hour after watering. Pour all the excess water out.
Given too little water, the ivy’s leaves yellow, then brown; then the leaves and stems fall off. Unfortunately the symptoms are exactly the same given too much water: leaves yellow then brown then the stems and leaves fall off.
You can tell which is happing by the feel of the soil. If it is too wet the soil will be very dry and will clump together. If it is to dry the soil will be a light color and very loose.
Light and temperatures
Keep the plant away from hot or cold draft and away from doors or heater vents
You can misted the plant during the winter month daily to keep is moist when the air in your home is warm and dry due to the heater use. Regular misting all year long may also combat spider mites and keeps the plant clean adding less chance of pest problems
Give the ivy plenty of light but avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight this can scorch the leaves
Pruning and fertilizing
Pruning straggly stems will encourage full growth this will generate new vines.
You can fertilize the plant in the spring with a houseplant fertilizer at half strength