Hedera
Common name: Ivy
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Overview:
Hedera helix is an evergreen plant that is suitable for ground and wall covering.
It is a versatile climber that will climb up walls, trees, trellis and over the ground if needs be.
Some of the smaller leafed varieties are suitable for growing as house plants.
It can be quite a thug if allowed to get out of control so annual pruning / tidying up is recommended.
Indoor varieties are sometimes subject to infestations of Aphid, Scale insect, Vine weevils.
Outdoor varieties may suffer from leaf spot and scale insects.
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Cultivation:
Week 15:
Prune and trim back close to support.
Variegated varieties are liable to revert back to the normal green form therefore it is very important that all affected growth is pruned out completely to prevent it taking over.
Ivy prunings are unsuitable for composting, so bag them up for disposal.
Week 25:
Take 100mm (4") tip cuttings, and insert in equal parts (by volume) peat and sand and place in a humid propagator to root.
When rooted, pot on the cuttings into 75mm (3") pots and grow them on in a cold frame or greenhouse until planting out time.
Week 26:
Summer prune to remove excessively long runners or other unwanted growth.
Prevent top growth from rambling over roofs or gutters.
Don't allow the growth to get matted and heavy, or it may break away from its support.
Week 37:
Plant out in any soil and almost any situations, although, the variegated forms do best in a south or west-facing position.
Week 40:
An alternative to taking tip cuttings in July, take 150mm (6") hardwood cuttings from ripe shoots and remove the soft tips.
Insert them in a prepared nursery bed of sandy soil, or in a pot of equal parts (by volume) peat and sand, and place in a coldframe to root.