Indoor ivy: can you keep it at home? Signs and beliefs. Indoor ivy - positive and negative signs

Plant ivy (lat. Hedera) genus of the Araliaceae family is a climbing evergreen shrub, reaching thirty meters in height in nature. About fifteen species of ivy are known, growing in the subtropics of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, mainly in shady, moist forests. The ivy flower has been known to mankind since time immemorial: among the ancient Greeks it was an emblem of fun and love, a plant of Bacchus himself - poets wore ivy wreaths at celebrations and feasts. Evergreen ivy was also popular as medicinal plant. Modern designers actively use ivy both in floristry and in the design of rooms and gardens. In indoor culture, climbing ivy is also popular, since even a novice gardener and even a child can handle caring for the plant.

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Planting and caring for ivy (in brief)

• Bloom: decorative foliage plant.
• Lighting: for forms with green leaves - partial shade or shade, for variegated leaves - bright diffused light or light partial shade.
• Temperature: during the growing season - 22-24 ˚C, in winter you need coolness, but not lower than 13 ˚C.
• Watering: regular, moderate.
• Air humidity: increased. The plant needs daily spraying, and when kept in a warm room in winter, the pot should be kept on a tray with wet pebbles.
• Feeding: from March to August twice a month with complex fertilizers for decorative deciduous plants.
• rest period: in winter.
• Transfer: young plants are replanted annually, adults - as needed, when the pot becomes too small for them.
• Reproduction: mainly vegetative: layering, shoots, apical cuttings.
• Pests: aphids, scale insects, false scale insects, cyclamen and spider mites, mealybugs, greenhouse thrips.
• Diseases: loss of decorative effect due to poor care and incorrect content.

Read more about growing ivy below.

Indoor ivy - description

The houseplant ivy is most often represented by the species common ivy (Hedera helix) with a climbing stem and dense brushes of aerial roots on the underside of the stem, with the help of which the hedera ivy is attached to its support. The leaves of this species are alternate, simple, shiny, leathery, lobed, dark green with lighter veins, but there are also variegated forms. An ivy leaf can have from three to seven lobes. Small, greenish-yellow flowers are collected in umbellate, corymbose or racemose inflorescences, but you will not be able to see them - ivy does not bloom at home, so you do not have to collect ivy seeds. The indoor ivy flower has more than a hundred forms, which differ in size, leaf shape and color.

Ivy - can I keep it at home?

Properties of ivy

Ivy has long been known to mankind for its healing properties, used in folk medicine. Ivy is also used as a raw material for the manufacture of medicinal preparations and cosmetics. Scientists have proven that substances contained in the wood of the plant successfully relieve spasms, therefore preparations from wood are used in the treatment of acute bronchitis. And ivy leaves have antifungal, antitumor, antibacterial and expectorant properties. Softening gels from ivy leaves and wood are used as an additional remedy in the treatment of purulent dermatoses, obesity and cellulite. However, be careful because poison ivy, or rather, its fruits, which children mistake for edible berries, cause poisoning.

Ivy - signs

The OBS agency (one grandmother said) claims that indoor flower ivy is a husband-hunter, an energy vampire, that it attracts loneliness and other misfortunes to the house, and if you don’t like this plant, you can convince yourself and others that you don’t want to keep ivy at home because you love your husband and take care of your family. But historical documents claim that in the ancient world - Greece and Rome - ivy symbolized fidelity and happiness in marriage, and in the east it is still considered a source of vital energy. Which signs to believe, choose for yourself. I would like to add that caring for home ivy is so simple, and its decorative qualities are so undeniably high, that it would be foolish to refuse to grow ivy in an apartment. In addition, ivy can be kept at home in a place where it will have no time to absorb your energy (if it does so at all) - for example, in the kitchen, where ivy will have to clean the air from carcinogens and other harmful impurities day and night.

Caring for ivy at home

Caring for home ivy

If you don't know how to care for ivy, listen to our recommendations. One of the main advantages of ivy is its shade tolerance, because this is a rather rare quality for plants. House ivy You can place it in the back of the room, and it will feel great there. This, unfortunately, does not apply to variegated forms, which just need good lighting, otherwise their leaves become uniformly green. Ivy is also undemanding when it comes to watering: it is easier for it to tolerate dry soil than excess moisture in the roots, so for those who love or have to leave home often, ivy is an ideal plant. However, the plant still needs moisture, and if your bouts of forgetfulness become too frequent, first a brown edge will appear on the edges of the plant's leaves, and then they will begin to dry out and fall off. Watering should be in summer so that the soil always remains slightly moist. in winter upper layer The soil should dry out slightly.

Ivy does not like dry and hot air, best temperature for the plant 22-24 ºC. IN winter time ivy can feel normal in a cool room with a temperature of at least 13 ºC, but in plants located near heating devices, the leaves on the stems grow at large intervals, which makes it unattractive, so caring for ivy in such conditions involves not only timely watering, but also daily spraying of leaves with soft, settled water. When overwintering a plant in a hot room, it is best to place the ivy in a pot on a tray with wet pebbles or expanded clay. If the room is too hot in the summer, spray the plant as often as possible, sometimes give it a shower, also for hygienic purposes.

From March to August, twice a month, ivy is fed with complex fertilizer for decorative foliage plants, but keep in mind that excess fertilizer can lead to the loss of ivy's decorative qualities, since its leaves become too large.

Planting and replanting ivy

Ivy is replanted when the roots of the plant begin to crawl out of the drain hole of the pot or you notice that the plant has stopped developing. You can, of course, not wait for these hints, just replant young plants annually, older ones once every two years, and for adult ivy, simply change the top layer of substrate in the pot to fresh one without replanting. The preferred soil for ivy is: humus, leaf soil, turf, peat soil and sand in equal proportions. The transplant is carried out after a dormant period, in March or April. A pot is chosen two to three centimeters larger in diameter than the previous one, and a thick layer of drainage material is placed in it. Before replanting, water the plant generously so that the entire earthen lump is wet, then carefully transfer the plant with the lump into a new pot, add required amount soil, flatten the surface of the soil, leaving a groove for water under the walls of the pot. After transplantation, the plant should be watered and sprayed, and then placed on permanent place, protected from drafts and direct sunlight.

Propagation of ivy at home

Ivy is propagated by vegetative methods: cuttings, shoots and layering.

Propagation of ivy by apical cuttings

The ends of shoots about ten centimeters long are cut off from the ivy, planted in a mixture of sand and deciduous soil, and covered with a transparent cap - plastic bag or glass jar– and kept at a temperature of 15-20 ºC, keeping the soil moist but not wet. Those cuttings that had aerial roots before planting take root best. The cuttings that have taken root are transplanted into pots with a soil mixture for adult ivy, several at a time. Ivy cuttings take root well in water.

Propagation of ivy by shoots

There is a way to grow several shoots from one. To do this, cut off an entire ivy shoot with eight to ten leaves, make a longitudinal cut along it, lay the shoot on the sand with the cut down and press it to a depth of 1.5-2 cm, leaving the leaves above the ground. During germination, you need to ensure that the soil is moist. Within two weeks, the shoot should form roots along its entire length, as evidenced by the growing tip of the shoot. The shoot is removed from the sand, cut into pieces with roots and at least one leaf and planted three in one pot with a diameter of 7-9 cm.

Reproduction of ivy by layering

How to grow ivy from cuttings? Exactly the same as from an escape, only in this case the escape is not separated from mother plant before starting the process and do not press it into the soil, but make a longitudinal cut on it and press it to the surface of the soil with staples. Separate the cuttings when roots appear throughout the shoot and transplant them into a separate pot.

Pests and diseases of ivy

Ivy is a fairly disease resistant plant. It only gets into trouble if you chronically neglect to comply with the conditions for growing the plant. So, with a lack of lighting, the variegated forms of ivy lose their variegation and become green, and chronically dry soil can cause leaf fall, as too dry indoor air can cause bald stems with sparse and small foliage.

We bring to your attention the most popular types and varieties of ivy in room culture.

Common ivy (Hedera helix)

Flexible, creeping evergreen liana with alternate simple three to five-lobed leathery leaves of dark green color with a network of light green veins. Has a huge number of forms. The most interesting varieties:

• Kholibra– dwarf ivy with tiny three-lobed leaves with a whitish pattern;
• Eva varieties And Mona Lisa– ivy with almost yellow leaves;
• grades Anniversary, Glacier– ivy with spotted leaves;
• variety Ivalace– ivy with corrugated leaves;
• variety Harald- ivy with oval, almost rounded leaves.

Colchis ivy (Hedera colchica)

Also an evergreen climbing plant with thin shoots, large shiny leathery leaves of dark green color up to 25 cm long and up to 17 cm wide, sometimes three-lobed, but more often whole, smelling of nutmeg. Popular varieties:

• Dentata Variegata– a variety with oval-shaped leaves and pale yellow edges;
• Sulfur Heart– the large leaves of this variety are light green in color, slightly curled with the edges down, and yellow-green stripes run along the veins;
• Arborescens– light green drooping shoots and oval leaves.

Canary ivy (Hedera canariensis)

Evergreen climbing plant with dark green leaves up to 15 cm wide and up to 12 cm long with light green triangular veins. Used for interior decoration, hanging, ground cover and vertical gardening. It does not have aerial roots, so it needs strong support and regular pruning. Varieties:

• Gloire de Marengo- a large climbing plant with reddish stems and large three-lobed shiny leaves with whitish-green streaks along the edges;
• Striata– a variety with light – green or yellow – spots in the middle of the leaves;
• golden leaf– two-color green leaves shimmer with gold in strong light;
• Brigid- a variety with small, dense star-shaped leaves on graceful shoots - looks best in hanging structures.

Pastukhov's ivy (Hedera pastuchowii)

It is also used for decorative landscaping, but is rarely found in culture, especially indoors, which is why it is listed in the Red Book of Dagestan and Russia. Its leaves are entire, thin and leathery, up to 10 cm long. The upper part of the leaf plate is brighter, the lower part is lighter. On the lower shoots the leaves are rounded, heart-shaped, on the upper ones they are different: broadly ovate, lanceolate, rhombic and ovate-rhombic.

In addition to the described species, Swedish ivy, English ivy and Devil's ivy also exist in cultivation.

Decorative, hardy and fast-growing evergreen steeplechain has won the hearts of flower growers. Ivy fits perfectly into the design of any room. It is used to create vertical gardening, flower arrangements, How hanging plant. From fast growing varieties create standard trees and green statues of the most bizarre shapes. But is it possible to keep a flower at home? Let's find out.

Indoor ivy is a vine with leathery three- and five-lobed leaves. Some of its species reach 20 m in length. Many have aerial roots, with the help of which they climb and are supported on vertical supports.

Flowers are usually inconspicuous, with a specific smell. Ivy berries are inedible and poisonous to humans, although some birds and animals eat them.

The leaves, depending on the type and variety, can have a wide variety of colors: shiny dark or light green, solid and pinnate, green with a white or yellow border and white with a green border. Breeders have even bred varieties with purple foliage.

Caring for indoor common ivy

In order for the acquired plant to acclimatize more easily to new conditions and delight with its vigorous growth, it is necessary to observe all the subtleties of care.

Lighting and temperature

House ivy is a shade-tolerant plant that can add greenery to dark corners of rooms where other plants will not survive. T However, for plant growth it is necessary good lighting , and the feathery forms of ivy in the shade lose the contrasting color of the leaves. Direct sunlight is also dangerous, as it can leave burns on the leaves.

In summer, plants feel comfortable at temperatures from 22 to 25°C; in winter, it is preferable to keep them in a cooler room - from 15 to 18°C.

Watering a flower

Ivy, a child of the tropics and subtropics, needs good watering. In summer, the soil in the pot should be slightly moist. Periodically, the vine is washed under a warm shower, covering the soil in the pot with waterproof material, or sprayed. It is advisable to place the ivy pot in a tray filled with pebbles. You should add water to it so that the pebbles are wet, but the pot does not stand in the water. This will increase air humidity, and at the same time the roots will not get wet.

Ivy does not like either waterlogging or drying out. With a lack of moisture, ivy leaves droop and become soft. To correct the situation, you need to water it well and give it a warm shower. After this procedure, the leaves will restore their previous appearance.

It’s also not worth flooding the plant. Stagnation of water and acidification of the soil due to excessive watering have more tragic consequences: the death of the plant due to rotting of the roots. In this case, ivy can only be propagated by cuttings.

The rest period of vines is weak, so watering is significantly reduced, but the earthen clod is not allowed to dry out completely. Water after the top layer of soil in the pot dries. Instead of showering and spraying, wipe the ivy leaves with a damp cloth.

Soil and transplant

Good growth and decorativeness of the plant depend on the fertility of the soil. The soil for ivy needs to be loose and permeable. Be sure to lay drainage made of fine expanded clay at the bottom of the pot in a layer of at least 3 cm.

To prepare the soil, mix in equal quantities:

• humus,
• leaf earth,
• peat,
• sand.

Fill the pot with soil mixture 2 cm below the rim. Small pebbles are placed on top of the ground, which will protect against excessive evaporation of moisture and serve a decorative function.

top dressing

Lianas are responsive to feeding. In the spring, they are fed with nitrogen fertilizers, in the summer months - with complex fertilizers, and closer to winter - with potassium fertilizers every 2 weeks.

In winter, during the dormant period, the plants are not fertilized.

Reproduction

Propagating vines is not difficult.

Cuttings and apical shoots

This is the most effective way to propagate ivy. You can cut a vine branch into cuttings 10 cm long or use for reproduction apical cuttings 10-20 cm long, cut off during pruning. They take root well in a vase of water. For better root formation, a growth stimulator is added.

After the roots appear, the cuttings are planted in pots.

By layering

A longitudinal cut is made on the branch of the vine, without separating it from the mother plant, pinned to the ground and covered with earth. Water regularly. After the roots appear, the branch is cut off and transplanted into a separate pot.

By dropping stem cuttings

A cutting with 8-10 leaves is cut from a young branch and buried horizontally in a container with sand. The stem should be buried, and the leaves should remain above the surface. Water regularly. In two weeks, roots should appear.

The stem is carefully dug up, cut into cuttings with leaves and roots and planted in pots.

seeds

The seeds are soaked for two days in a damp cloth moistened with water with the addition of a growth stimulant. After germination, they are planted in small pots with soil. Keep at a temperature of 23-28°C.

Popular types of home ivy

• Colchis is a liana with fairly large whole or three-lobed leaves, 15-18 cm wide, up to a quarter of a meter long. The leaves are oval or three-lobed with a characteristic musky aroma. The aerial roots of the vine give it the ability to stay on a support and climb to a height of up to 25-30 m. It blooms small flowers with a specific smell, collected in inflorescences in the form of an umbrella.
• Canary - it is also called Algerian. A fast-growing vine with large leaves in a variety of colors: from solid green to feathery yellow or white-green. It does not have aerial roots, so it needs support. The plant requires intense light and high humidity, but will tolerate light shading. Ivy needs pruning, otherwise it takes on a sloppy appearance.
• Ordinary - the colors of the 3-5-lobed leaves are varied: from solid dark and light green to pinnate with a white or yellow pattern, they may have an edge. It blooms with small greenish-yellow flowers collected in an umbrella. Berries up to 1 cm in size, poisonous.
• Pastukhova - the vine has aerial roots, with the help of which it entwines vertical supports. The leaves are leathery, bright green, 6 cm wide, 10 cm long, of various shapes: lanceolate, rhombic, ovate, mixed. It blooms with inflorescences in the form of sparse spherical umbrellas. The inflorescence contains from 5 to 20 flowers. In place of the inflorescences, fruits are formed - berries up to 1 cm in diameter, black with purple tint, very poisonous.

Among the huge variety of types and varieties of ivy, it is not difficult to choose a plant to suit your taste, which will decorate your home and will delight you for many years.

Many legends and rumors surround indoor ivy. Once settled in the house, it will decorate any corner. An unpretentious and beautiful indoor flower will grow where its other brethren lack light.

Ivy belongs to the Araliaceae family and represents a wide variety of species:

• Indoor
• Garden
• Compact
• Large
• With monochromatic leaves
• Variegated forms

The watering rule must also be observed during winter maintenance. At this time, watering is reduced to once every two weeks, and sometimes less often. To understand whether a flower needs watering, insert a wooden stick or just a finger. If the soil is dry at this depth, then watering is necessary.

Scattered light. Ivy gained fame as shade-loving plant. It can grow in the back of the room, but full shade will not do it any good. This flower feels best when there is good, but diffused sunlight. Direct sunlight sometimes causes leaf burns.

Ivy trees, whose leaf colors are heterogeneous, have a greater need for sunlight than their monochromatic counterparts. In the shade they lose their expressive coloring.

The soil. An abundance of succulent and shiny leaves is possible only when ivy is planted in fertile, breathable soil. It is advisable to prepare the soil mixture for planting yourself. In this case, the composition will be known to the grower.

Formula for filling a flower pot:

Drainage made of fine expanded clay is poured onto the bottom of the pot with a layer of at least 3 cm thick.

A loose soil mixture prepared from humus, leaf soil, sand and peat in a ratio of 2:2:1:1 is poured into the pot slightly below its edge by 2 cm.

After planting, small pebbles are laid out on the surface, which perform decorative and protective roles. Thanks to them, moisture from the surface evaporates much more slowly.

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Air humidity. Under natural growing conditions, ivy wraps around trees as a vine and climbs them to great heights. In such a tropical forest, air humidity reaches 100%.

In city apartments with central heating and, as a rule, with dry air, the humidity near the flower is increased by spraying or a humidifier.

In winter, this procedure is often not recommended. When kept in winter at low temperatures water treatments can be done with a wet cloth, wiping the leaves from dust and at the same time refreshing them.

It is advisable to place the pot with the plant on a tray filled with wet pebbles. There is one peculiarity in this content:

• The air humidity directly near the plant increases
• The roots do not get wet

Feeding. For lush greenery and healthy leaves, the plant definitely needs feeding during the growth period. After hibernation, the flower responds well to spraying with the addition of the biostimulator HB-101. This drug requires only 1 drop per liter of water. The procedure can be performed once a week. After such a dose of adrenaline, the flower begins to wake up almost before our eyes.

When watering, you need to add it to the water once a week. complex fertilizer for decorative deciduous plants such as Fertika or any other containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and minerals necessary for growth.

This procedure is not necessary for free and arbitrary growth. To give the plant a shape or a more compact appearance, pruning is done regularly.

To form a rounded, lush shape, at a young age the tops of the shoots are pinched several times. After the bush has formed, pruning is done as new shoots grow.

Ivy is known for its ability to twine around any shape of support. If you prepare a support for it in the shape of a heart or a ring, then over the course of the season it will turn into a green decoration for the room. This is an idea for gifts for leisurely people who think about them in advance and give gifts with love, and do not buy them on the way from work.

Variegated forms of ivy should be regularly inspected for the appearance of monochromatic leaves. If any are found, pruning must be done immediately.

An indispensable condition for the health of the plant is careful care and love. This activity in itself brings the body and soul into a state of harmony with nature, and even more so, flowers like it.

Ivy care

Houseplants, like all other living beings, always respond gratefully to good care. Ivy has established itself among man's green friends as a non-capricious plant.

Caring for this flower is simple:

• Regular watering. By following the main rule of watering ivy, you don’t have to worry about its condition.
• The flower itself will tell you that it needs water. At normal temperature watering schedule:
• In summer - twice a week. This could be Tuesday and Friday.
• In winter - once every two weeks. This day can be set for Sunday.

Maintaining temperature conditions. This parameter does not need to be followed very strictly. The main thing is that it does not go beyond the limit values. In winter - not lower than 15 °C, in summer - not higher than 25 °C. Otherwise, everything is more or less acceptable.

If it is not possible to keep the plant in special rooms in winter at such temperatures, then it should be placed on the windowsill. It will also be good to install a thermometer there so that the flower does not feel abandoned. Looking at the scale from time to time, the owner will know how to behave with this green pet.

Spraying. This procedure is simply necessary for the plant in summer or spring period, and you need to be careful when visiting it in winter. It is better to increase the humidity of the air near the plant during this period in other ways.

They are not vital. But ivy is a plant with a large green mass, and it requires feeding. Otherwise, it will stop in development and will not give the owner many pleasant minutes in the form of new leaves and many green shoots.

If financial difficulties arise, feeding with purchased devices can be replaced with folk remedies:

Nettle infusion. The smell of this “drug” is not pleasant, but it contains enough nutrients.

Eggshell. The shell is suitable for feeding fresh eggs. Only in it a large number of calcium and phosphorus. Shell boiled eggs can only serve as a leavening agent or as a component in preparing the soil mixture.

Very great feature A plant that is definitely worth paying attention to is intolerance to frequent changes of place.

If a gardener decides to have indoor ivy or several different varieties of this in his home beautiful plant, then he must decide on their location immediately and for a long time. Ivy does not like fuss.

Plant energy

Plants with lush and lush foliage, according to all the laws of Feng Shui, and not only according to them, emit more positive energy than plants with leaves covered with thorns.

Plants with cascading climbing shoots or long branches reaching upward have a positive gift and give pleasure in their graceful beauty.

Ivy leaves are so recognizable and cute that it is impossible to refuse this beauty, and there is no reason to.

A lot of myths accompany such a plant as ivy. In these tales he is assigned both positive and negative roles.

Everything you hear about this or that plant is just speculation. They are often wrong. Any plant is just a plant.

An animal raised with love and affection will never harm a person. The same can be said about plants.

While watching the video you will learn about indoor ivy.

A variety of varieties, unpretentiousness and graceful leaves are the distinctive features of indoor ivy. It is not easy to find the best artist for the shady indoor stage.

Among phytodesigners and flower growers, indoor ivy is very popular due to its special decorative properties and low maintenance requirements. A flower with creeping shoots and spectacular delta-shaped leaf plates looks harmonious in the interior of a room for any purpose.

Types, varieties and description

Curly in the wild evergreen shrub from the Araliaceae family it is represented by 15 species that have a wide growing area. As a rule, common ivy and its forms, of which there are more than 100, are grown as a potted crop.
An indoor flower with a climbing stem and aerial roots, with the help of which it clings to a support, does not bloom in an apartment. Flower growers are attracted by decorative leathery leaves with a waxy coating, which can be either plain or variegated.
Among the most popular varieties are “Eva” with yellow leaves, dwarf Kholibra and variegated 'Jubilee'.
Sometimes another species is used for vertical gardening - Colchis ivy. This is a climbing plant with graceful shoots that are covered with glossy solid, sometimes three-lobed, marsh-colored leaf plates.
Wax ivy in indoor floriculture it is represented by such varieties as Dentata Variegata with variegated oval-shaped foliage, Sulfur Heart with large curled leaf blades and Arborescens.

Plant propagation methods

Indoor types of ivy in apartment conditions reproduce by vegetative methods.

Cuttings

To carry out the procedure, apical cuttings 10 cm long with aerial roots are prepared. After cutting planting material is buried in a soil mixture of sand and leaf soil, where it is contained under a film in warm room. During the rooting process, constant soil moisture is maintained. When the cuttings take root, they are planted in separate flowerpots, several at a time.

By shoots

There is a way to get two or more plants from one shoot at once. For this:
1. A shoot with 8 leaf plates is cut off.
2. An incision is made along the entire length, with which the shoot is laid on the sand, after which it is pressed to a depth of 15 - 20 mm.
3. After rooting, the shoot is divided into parts with roots and one leaf, which are planted in several pieces in small containers with fertile soil mixture.

By layering

The procedure is similar to the previous one described. The main differences are that the cuttings are stapled to the ground and are not separated from the mother plant before rooting.

Growing and caring for ivy at home

Even an inexperienced gardener can grow an indoor ivy flower if he follows simple rules care that does not take much time.

Requirements for soil and pot

For exotic flower select a small pot with large drainage holes. The plant prefers loose and fertile soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. The optimal composition of the substrate includes leaf, turf, humus soil, peat and sand in equal parts.

Microclimate, proper lighting

A climbing plant from a subtropical climate loves moderate heat and moisture.
During the active growing season, comfortable temperature conditions considered 22 – 24°C. In winter, temperatures may drop, but not below the maximum permissible value of 13°C.
To create conditions close to natural, the flower should be sprayed with settled water throughout the year and bathed under warm shower.
Ivy, or hedera, is a shade-tolerant plant and can grow even in the back of a room. However, the more diffused light the plant receives, the more spectacular it will look. Therefore, when choosing a place that should be decided upon even before purchasing a flower that does not like to move, preference should be given to well-lit areas.

Important! Variegated forms will lose their color when placed in the shade.

How to properly water indoor ivy

A climbing flower with decorative foliage is an ideal plant for people who are often away from home. Ivy can withstand soil drought, but you should not use this quality of the plant too often. The optimal irrigation regime involves maintaining constantly moist soil in the summer without stagnating moisture in the root system. In winter, watering is reduced: before the next portion of water, the earthen lump should dry out slightly.

Top dressing and fertilizers

In the spring-summer period, which is when the potted crop grows intensively, ivy is fed every two weeks. Special fertilizers are used for feeding liquid fertilizers for decorative foliage plants.

Carefully! An excess of macro- and microelements in an earthen coma can damage the decorative qualities of the crop, making its leaves too large.

Replanting ivy

You can replant the plant according to the same rule as other indoor flowers: young specimens - every spring, adults - with an interval of 2 years. But you should know that an indicator of the need for the procedure is the appearance of ivy roots in the drainage holes. The transplant is carried out as follows:
1. Select a new pot 2 cm wider than the old one.
2. Expanded clay or gravel is placed at the bottom of the container to create a drainage layer.
3. The flower with a lump of earth is transferred to the drainage.
4. A new substrate is poured into the pot so that there is a small gap between the wall and the earthen lump for irrigation water.
5. The flower is watered, sprayed and returned to its permanent place.

Plant diseases and pests

The ivy houseplant has excellent immunity to diseases, the occurrence of which is mostly non-infectious in nature:
Due to prolonged soil drought, leaf fall is observed.
Due to too low humidity levels, baldness of shoots and shrinkage of foliage occurs.
Lack of lighting leads to variegated forms losing their characteristic color.
Failure to follow simple rules for keeping plants at home can also cause the appearance of pests such as aphids, scale insects, spider mite. To prevent the flower from colonizing, you should maintain high humidity in the room and periodically “bathe” the plant.
If insects have already attacked the crop, then you should immediately treat it with an insecticidal preparation according to the instructions indicated on the package. If there is no result, the treatment is repeated after 3 to 5 days.

Myths associated with ivy

Stories about ivy were told back in the days Ancient world, When:
among the Greeks, ivy was a symbol of fun;
among the ancient Romans, the plant symbolized fidelity, love and marriage;
the peoples of the East believed that the flower nourishes the owner life energy.
Nowadays, a superstition with a negative connotation has appeared, claiming that ivy is an energy vampire and a man-hunter that attracts loneliness.
Thus, indoor ivy is a spectacular ornamental plant, which is widely used for vertical gardening room interior and requires minimal maintenance.

Ivy, being one of the first plants domesticated by humans, is still very popular in the collections of gardeners. And it’s not surprising - lush cascades of green ivy bring the breath of nature into the house and delight the eye with its decorativeness.

It is also important that caring for ivy does not require excessive effort, and the plant itself can feel great even in the shade.

Magnificent ivy and its types

Ivy or hedera in Latin is called Hedera helix, which means “climbing ivy.” The homeland of 15 plant species belonging to the genus Hedera is considered to be the subtropics of Europe, Africa and Asia.

In nature, these evergreen vines are accustomed to growing in the shade of tree crowns, which explains their ability to tolerate a lack of light.

Interesting feature ivy can be called the fact that the plant is unable to support the weight of its own leaves. Therefore, it sticks with its roots to any nearby surface, for example, a wall. To avoid this, you need to provide the ivy with support in the form of special bamboo or plastic sticks.

Thanks to at good care ivy grows long shoots that can be used for interior decoration. Entwined with flexible branches with beautifully shaped leaves, columns, arches or partitions create special exquisite comfort in the home.

The following types of hedera are most often grown in indoor floriculture:

• Common ivy (climbing);
• Canarian ivy;
• Fatsheder's ivy to Lise.

Common ivy (climbing) or Hedera helix- This is an unusually plastic plant, capable of attaching itself to even the slightest irregularities and wrapping around any support in its path.

There are such popular varieties of this plant as:

• Annette with dark green leaves;
• Chicago with small bright green leaves;
• Chicago Variegata- a yellow-cream border frames bright green leaves;
• Little Diamond with leaves decorated with cream veins.

Canarian ivy, called in Latin Hedera canariensis, is a species with larger leaves, most often variegated in color, which is not able to cling to support on its own and needs to be tied up.

Its variety is very popular Gloire de Marengo with a combination of cream and green shades on the leaves

Fatsheder's ivy Lise, whose Latin name sounds like Fatshedera lizei, is a new hybrid, very popular among gardeners, requiring staking and growing up to 5 meters in height. A very beautiful variety called Variegata with white spots or a beige border.

Precautions when caring for ivy

It's important to remember that ivy leaves are poisonous, can cause skin diseases in people with sensitive skin or allergies. Besides, extremely dangerous eat any part of the plant.

Ivy should be placed in places inaccessible to children and animals, and the plant should be cared for using rubber gloves. At the age of 10 years, ivy can bloom. Flower growers recommend carefully removing flowers and ivy berries.

Ivy flowers have bad smell, A the berries are very poisonous.

Location and lighting

In the summer, ivy prefers air temperatures from 18 to 20 °C. The plant will be grateful if you expose it to fresh air. In winter, you should ensure that the temperature did not fall below 6 °C, but did not rise above 12°C.

Florists ivy is especially appreciated for its shade tolerance. The plant is able to grow in the shade, partial shade or in bright light. It is advisable to avoid direct sunlight.

It should be taken into account that varieties with variegated leaves need a little more light than their solid counterparts.

Humidity and watering

In summer ivy will not refuse from moderate watering so that the soil is moist all the time. It needs to be watered on average twice a week. In winter, watering should be minimal - once a week during a warm winter and even less often if the room temperature is the minimum permissible.

Ivy is very resistant to drafts and temperature changes, but may die due to stagnation of water in the soil or drought.

Ivy will not refuse spraying, because it needs high air humidity. Moisturize it need soft water room temperature. It won’t hurt to give the ivy a warm shower occasionally.

To improve appearance dusty ivy, you can wipe its leaves with a damp cloth, and also no more than once a month apply polish for plants.

Transplantation and feeding

For ivy, it is best to use loose and light soil. Experienced flower growers can make the following mixture:

• 2 parts of leaf land;
• 2 parts of sod land;
• 1 part sand.

The container for ivy should be wide, not deep. The plant must be replanted every spring, and young fast-growing ivy - twice a year.

For old plants, replacing the top layer of soil will be sufficient. And also, if the roots have grown through the drainage hole, time to repot the ivy.

A special role in the prosperity of ivy good drainage plays a role - at the bottom of the pot there should be a layer of expanded clay 2 - 3 cm high. It is important not to forget to make large drainage holes in the pot.

However, ivy can feel great when grown using hydroponics.

Ivy should be fertilized in spring and summer with a comprehensive mineral fertilizer once a month.

Reproduction

Ivy breeds:

• Stem cuttings, which must be rooted in the ground, strengthening them in the grooves. For successful rooting, a temperature of about 24 °C and high humidity will be required.
• By shoots, which also take root in the soil.
• By layering, for which the ivy shoot is only slightly cut and rooted in the ground.

Problems and pests

Ivy, like everyone else houseplants, suffers from improper care. It can also be attacked by insect pests.

Common ivy problems:

• The leaves are turning yellow- cold and excessive watering, excess fertilizer.
• Leaves variegated ivy faded- too little light.
• Brown leaf tips- dry air, heat or poor watering.

  As you can see, it is not so difficult to care for indoor ivy - a symbol of fidelity, immortality and eternal life . You just need to choose a good place for the plant, spray it occasionally and don’t forget to water it - and it will give you lush cascades of bright greenery that can enliven and decorate any room.