How to plant and grow ivy for a hedge. Evergreen garden ivy: description, cultivation, reproduction
Content
Having country cottage or a summer cottage, many may face the following problem: how to improve their plot without much material investment or physical effort, make it beautiful and well-groomed, and give it a respectable appearance. Strange as it may sound, a house begins with a fence, a fence and an entrance to the site. This is the first thing the eye falls on, and by these components others judge the owner, his tastes and capabilities. Everyone wants something creative, individual, but at the same time functional. For example, so that the fence is not just a blank fence that separates the site from the outside world, but serves as its decoration and does not cause problems with constant repairs.
The most effective, inexpensive and easily accessible way can be a hedge. It will become not just a fence separating the garden from the site, but a green barrier between your garden and the dusty street. To achieve the desired result as quickly as possible, it is best to plant ivy.
Ivy in the garden
Garden ivy is a perennial climbing plant. Flowering occurs from September to October. 
Depending on how old the plant is, its appearance may change and the ability to flower may appear. Nowadays there are a huge number of different different types plants that differ in shape, size of leaves (up to 20 centimeters), flowers (they can be different color, yellow, green, cream) and color. Ivy of any kind is unpretentious. It grows both in illuminated areas and in the shade. Absolutely any soil is suitable, even poor, but if you fertilize it, it will significantly affect appearance your plant. It is like a professional climber, it can climb up the supports and get quite high. Their strong root system helps fight soil erosion. Hedge can serve not only as a fence. On the site itself you can beautifully decorate it with a gazebo or a swimming pool. Flowering bushes look good against her background.
Planting and care
There are many options for what to do with ivy. It can be used as a ground cover. Ivy grows quickly and luxuriantly in a short time, the earth will be reliably covered with a green carpet. For organizing a flower bed, it can become a wonderful backdrop and decorate the base of trees and shrubs. You can plant ivy to improve ugly walls or the facade of a building.
In order to plant a plant you will need:
- Seedlings
- Shovel
- Support
When choosing seedlings, pay attention first of all to seedlings that have a compact size, healthy root system, fresh and shiny leaves. 
It is better to discard plants with thin and weak sprouts, drooping and yellowed leaves. In addition, you need to keep in mind that there are a great many varieties of ivy, they have different frost resistance, and some varieties can only grow at home.
The best time to plant ivy is, of course, in the spring; the most suitable period is mid or late May. For planting, you need to dig small holes along the supports, at a distance of about 50 cm from each other. Pre-fertilize the soil with humus or compost and loosen it. The depth of each hole should be such that the roots fit completely. After planting, watering is required. At this point the work is completed, this plant will do the rest itself. The plant propagates by layering and cuttings. The growing shoots are directed to the support that you want to plant. During the summer, it will spread over the supports into a dense wall and will serve well as protection from wind and dust. It can be supported by both wooden fence, and metal or plastic mesh. There will even be enough poles with wire stretched across them.
How to care for a hedge
To protect plants from diseases and various pests, you can use pesticides, within reasonable limits, of course. Since ivy grows very quickly, excess shoots are trimmed to the right size, and dry ones are removed. It is necessary to ensure that the plant has enough moisture and the soil does not dry out. To get new shoots, you need to take cuttings from the plant. To protect garden ivy in winter period, you need to make sure that the ground does not freeze. Hedges, with the help of simple garden tools, you can give it any look, and it looks very impressive. Ivy can grow long years, and provide the area with fresh greenery, creating coziness and comfort.
Creating a hedge is not only a labor-intensive, but also an exciting process. This element is very actively used in landscape design for many decades and still remains popular.
To get a good result, you need: first, choose the right plants; secondly, carry out the landing correctly; thirdly, carry out the formation in a timely and skillful manner.
Not all plants can be used to form a fast-growing perennial hedge, which is important both for external fencing and for internal landscaping.
If you plan to create something capital, not for one season, then you should take a responsible approach to the choice of plants and selection of varieties. For hedges, it is better to plant frost-resistant, drought-resistant and undemanding species. The possibility of disease and pest damage should also be taken into account. How less attention will demand planting for itself, so much the better. Frozen twigs, fallen dried specimens, chlorotic leaves and leaves eaten away by caterpillars greatly reduce the decorative effect. Fixing such problems will take time and a lot of skill.
However, even if the most unpretentious and adapted species and varieties are selected, for quick results you will need to ensure optimal conditions growth. Planting material for hedges it is taken at the age of 2-3 years (the exception is conifers, which grow slowly in the first years of life). Older plants have a voluminous root system and are sensitive to transplantation, and with annual seedlings, obtaining a full-fledged hedge will require more time. The most realistic period for which a green hedge can be formed, provided that high-quality planting material is used, is 2 years. And this applies only to fast-growing species that give good growth.
Plants need reserves to grow quickly nutrients in the soil and a sufficient amount of water, so planting is carried out in fertilized soil and in the first years provides regular watering, especially during dry periods. If the cottage is located in an area close to groundwater, then for most plants you will need good drainage in the form of a layer of crushed stone or broken brick at the bottom of a planting hole or trench.
To eliminate the risk of freezing of young seedlings, in the first 2-3 years they must be covered for the winter with non-woven material or a mulch layer of dry leaves, pine needles or spruce branches. For fencing fruit trees, it is undesirable to use rowan, since it has common diseases and pests with apple trees, and such plantings can turn into a nursery.
Plants for fast and long-lasting results
To quickly create an eco-fence, you can use low-growing (about 1 meter in height) and medium-growing (2-3 meters in height) shrubs, evergreen conifers, climbing vines and even trees. At the same time, you need to understand that if you use conifers, then in any case there will not be such a quick result as with shrubs.
Green fence made of thuja
These species are ideal both for uniform plantings and for multi-tiered compositions as a background for low-growing shrubs. Planting material coniferous plants taken at the age of 5 years, it is preferable to purchase seedlings with a closed root system.
Below are best options for a fast-growing hedge with basic characteristics.
Ornamental shrubs
Bladderwort viburnum
Forms a lush crown with spreading branches. It reaches a height of 3 meters. The leaves are large and carved, depending on the variety, and may have a lemon or purple color, a brownish or purple tint.
It reacts negatively to lime content in the soil and does not tolerate waterlogging (heavy soils require drainage). It is photophilous, frost-resistant, but in severe winters the tips of young shoots may freeze, and it is resistant to gas contamination and dust.
The natural appearance of the plant is a spreading, fountain-shaped bush. Immediately after planting, trim the top, in the first years side shoots shorten by a few centimeters to obtain a powerful fluffy bush.
Derain white
Has a spreading crown. The height exceeds 2.5 meters. In addition to decorative leaves with a light border, it is attractive in spring with fluffy inflorescences of white or cream color.
Grows on any soil. Growing in Siberia, it perfectly withstands the vagaries of nature, but does not tolerate drought well and is shade-tolerant. Pruning begins the next year after planting and is carried out twice per season to maintain the correct shape. Without pruning, the bushes become bare below and look sloppy.
Forsythia ovate
Spreading shrub with early flowering: yellow flowers bloom before the leaves and thickly cover the shoots.
Prefers light, breathable and calcareous soils. It has good winter hardiness and drought resistance, and is photophilous. Adult plants are pruned after flowering to developed buds.
Hydrangea
An upright growing shrub up to 2 meters high with large spherical inflorescences. Demanding on soil fertility and moisture. Light- and heat-loving; shelter is required in the northern regions. Does not require formative pruning.
Fruiting bushes
Barberry
Very decorative all year round, has long spines, is represented by dwarf and tall forms. Unpretentious. You can choose varieties for different conditions growing. Easily adapts to any shape. Pruning is carried out after flowering and at the end of summer.
Turn
It has compact bush up to 2 meters high with thorny shoots. In the spring it is beautiful with numerous white flowers, in the summer with dark green, purple or bright red leaves, and in late autumn with blue “ball” berries. Grows on any soil. Frost-resistant, tolerates shade well. The bush turns out dense and neat without frequent pruning.
Rose hip
A medium-sized thorny bush, very attractive during the flowering period. Does not tolerate stagnation of water and close groundwater. Grows well in different climate zones. Formative pruning is carried out annually in the fall after leaf fall.
Hawthorn
Tall thorny shrub with abundant flowering. Any soil is suitable, including poor and heavy clay soils. Frost-resistant and shade-tolerant. Without pruning, it does not lose its decorative effect. The planting can be formed to any height. In practice, an impenetrable solid wall is created by merging the side branches of neighboring bushes.
climbing vines
Maiden grapes
Liana with large beautiful leaves. It is undemanding to soil types, but in the first years it responds well to fertilizing and fertilizers. Frost-resistant, rarely affected by diseases and pests, shade-tolerant.
Shaping involves tying and guiding the vines. Rapid growth requires mandatory pruning in the first year after planting to remove protruding and overgrown shoots. You should also periodically sprinkle compost on exposed growing roots.
Garden ivy
Evergreen liana. Prefers fertilized and moisture-absorbing soils. It does not like the sun; young plants must be covered for the winter. Autumn pruning of “loose” and dry elements is required, as well as shortening of shoots to obtain a lush hedge.
Clematis
A climbing plant with long and bright flowering, suitable for creating a hedge with a height of 1 to 2 - 3 meters (depending on the variety). Prefers well-drained loams. Light- and moisture-loving, in the middle zone they require shelter.
Pruning depends on the varietal group. In some cases, pruning of faded shoots under the first developed bud is used, in others - autumn pruning young growth at a distance of about 30 cm from old wood.
Common hop
A powerful vine with bright green leaves, attractive in its own way during the flowering and fruit formation period. Unpretentious and very aggressive, light-loving. Requires strong support and regular pruning to control the spread.
Trees
Purple willow
A low (up to 1.5 meters) bush with a rounded crown and silvery leaves. Undemanding to fertility, tolerates waterlogging well. Light-loving, drought-resistant, has good winter hardiness. With the help of formative spring pruning You can create low hedges of any shape.
Holly willow
Reaches a height of about 8 meters. Even poor soils are suitable for it. Adapts well to growing conditions. Mature plants are trimmed at the beginning and end of the season.
White acacia
It is valued for its graceful leaves and snow-white inflorescences with a pleasant aroma. Grows on poor and saline soils. Drought-resistant, heat- and light-loving, does not tolerate harsh winters. Pruning is carried out to limit growth and activate branching; without regular care, it turns into thickets and produces numerous shoots.
What to choose from all the variety? A matter of taste. Ornamental shrubs will become not only a barrier or a means of zoning, but also an effective decoration of the garden.
Fruit-bearing, fast-growing shrubs for hedges will not only decorate, but also bring benefits in the form of healing berries. However, with such cultivation with frequent haircuts, you should not expect large yields. If you want to make jam from hawthorn or barberry for the whole family, then it is better to plant a separate bush and care for it accordingly.
The most fast growing hedge will be obtained from vines (grapes, hops), while short term you can form a high and dense eco-fence. But for vertical growth, vines require support, which must be quite strong in order to withstand the growing weight of powerful shoots over the years. Rapid growth requires regular and proper pruning to prevent the plant from becoming all over the place.
Trees are also suitable for long-lasting plantings. Willow and white acacia give very good annual growth and quickly reach the desired height. A hedge made of them does not have to be high - with the help of pruning you can easily change the natural appearance of the plant.
Landing rules
In order for the hedge to be sufficiently dense and the plants do not oppress each other, it is necessary to maintain the recommended planting scheme. It is more convenient to plant in a trench 0.5 m deep and 0.6 m wide. The seedlings are aligned with twine - this is important for creating flat wall. Climbing plants are spaced every 0.25 m; for low-growing shrubs, an interval of 0.5 and 1 m is acceptable; for tall shrubs, the distance is increased to 1.5 m.
For most species it is more favorable spring planting, but autumn is also allowed, provided that the seedlings take root before frost. Many representatives will need a garter to the support, so stakes with twine should be prepared in advance.
Fill the trench with a fertile mixture of compost, sand and peat. Shrubs require stimulating pruning after planting, which allows you to get a highly branched, lush bush. Lianas (with the exception of maiden grapes) are not pruned in the first year, allowing them to develop a root system and grow green mass. In the first year, plants need good watering and mulching with humus or compost.
When planting fast-growing plants, you need to take into account two of their disadvantages: the need for frequent cutting and the strong development of shoots. Over the years, such a hedge can behave like an invader summer cottage. Tall, powerful fences can shade small areas, which must be taken into account when choosing plants.
For those who are prone to extravagance, great solution for decorating a dacha or country house There will be combined hedges from different species or from several contrasting varieties of the same species.
For residents middle zone hedera, an unpretentious evergreen ivy, is better known as a popular hanging plant for home. But in the southern regions of the country it is garden ivy.
Huge thickets of this culture can be found in the Crimea and the Caucasus. As the ivy grows, it climbs inaccessible slopes and the walls of houses, covers the slopes with a dense carpet, and its shoots hang from the trees. Plants belonging to perennial evergreen vines are not capricious, not demanding in terms of growing conditions and care. They grow quickly and readily delight with decorative foliage. different forms and colors.
It is not surprising that the plant has been noticed by gardeners for a very long time. Evergreen in Europe garden ivy, which remains attractive throughout the year, is used for decoration and landscaping of urban and rural buildings, parks and gazebos.
Description of garden ivy and cultivated species
In nature, there are one and a half dozen species of ivy. All of them are perennial climbing shrubs with long shoots that cling to soil, stones, other vegetation and walls with the help of numerous adventitious roots formed on the adult part of the stem.
Depending on the type of garden ivy, the leaves can be either cut, three- or five-fingered, or whole. The leaf blades of most garden ivy are dense, leathery with a smooth surface and radiating veins. In addition to plants with monochromatic, green foliage, even in wildlife variegated specimens can be seen.
While the long shoots and decorative foliage of garden ivy, reaching 30 meters in length, immediately catch the eye, the flowering of representatives of this genus sometimes goes unnoticed. The greenish flowers collected in capitate or umbellate inflorescences are very small and have no decorative value.
The small round fruits of a dark, almost black color that form after pollination look much more interesting.
Only a few of the most cold-resistant species are grown in cultivation in Russia:
- Common garden ivy is the most common plant, also used as indoor plant. This species is distinguished by a slow growth rate, relatively medium-sized three- or five-fingered leaf blades and an abundance of varieties.
- Colchian or Caucasian ivy also grows in gardens. A strong, fast-growing vine with shoots up to 30 meters long and leaves sometimes reaching 20 cm in diameter, it is found in nature in the foothills of the Caucasus, as well as in a number of Asian regions. The shape of green or variegated leaves changes as they grow.
- Crimean ivy is another Russian species that looks similar to the Maltese variety grown in Europe. Heat-loving plants, getting into favorable conditions, become powerful. Their trunks become woody at the base, sometimes merging with the trees that this garden ivy readily climbs.
Planting and caring for garden ivy
Ivy is rightfully considered a shade-tolerant crop that easily adapts to life as a ground cover plant. Settled under the crowns of large trees in the southern regions, it winters well. But the further north you go, the higher the risk of freezing, not only due to low temperatures, but also because high humidity, insufficient shelter.
To protect the plant and make it easier to care for garden ivy, planting is done in elevated places protected from the wind. The first few years the crop does not grow too quickly, so young ivy is planted in the spring so that the seedlings ripen during the warm season and overwinter better. To propagate ivy, choose healthy shoots no older than 2–3 years. In this case, they will take root well and will not have to be seriously injured when transferred to a new place.
Ivy plants suitable for the garden are not too fussy and adapt well. To make this happen faster, a moisture-intensive, breathable substrate with a high organic content is prepared for planting. The main part of ivy roots is located at a depth of up to 20 cm, so landing hole cook a little deeper. A drainage layer must be provided at the bottom.
After planting garden ivy, care consists of watering, fertilizing and simple soil cultivation. Very careful loosening will help to increase the permeability of the soil to air and moisture, and mulching will help conserve moisture and protect plants from the first frosts by winter.
The soil is loosened to avoid the formation of a dense crust after rain, trying not to harm the shoots and their adventitious roots, which form closer to the nodes and quickly penetrate the substrate as they grow.
Mulching leaf humus, or other porous organic matter prevents the soil from drying out, and in wet years, from rotting. The mulch is added gradually, in a thin layer in several stages, so as not to affect the foliage located near the ground. By autumn, the layer is increased in order to carry out full-scale insulation and shelter of plants with the arrival of cold weather.
The further north you go, the more likely it is that plants used for vertical gardening will freeze. This fully applies to ivy for hedges, decoration of arches and walls of houses. Ground cover specimens, especially those additionally covered with snow, winter better.
After the snow melts in the spring, you should not rush to trim shoots damaged by frost or for other reasons. It is better to remove them at the beginning of summer, when it ends active movement juices Cuts on large stems are treated with garden varnish.
Garden ivy should be watered regularly throughout the season, but in moderation, keeping an eye on the soil moisture under the plants.
Propagation of evergreen ivy
Most species suitable for growing in the garden form adventitious or aerial roots. This makes it quite easy to root cuttings taken in the spring and summer months.
Semi-lignified shoots with visible rudiments or already real adventitious roots are suitable for ivy propagation. If you cut off very young, green growth, the rooting process takes much longer. And under unfavorable conditions, for example in cool weather, the cuttings may even rot.
For propagation of evergreen ivy it is better to use apical cuttings, but if this is not possible or you need to get a lot of young plants, the shoot is cut into 10 cm fragments, with at least one healthy node.
You can root the cuttings in an outdoor greenhouse, planting several of them in loose, light soil, or in plain water. When a sufficient number of roots appear on the stems, the plants are transferred to their future location. Taking into account the growth of ground cover shrubs and the peculiarities of caring for garden ivy, planting is carried out at a distance of at least half a meter from each other.
Decorating the walls of the house with ivy - video
An evergreen hedge made of ivy will become worthy garden decoration. Growing this crop will not cause any trouble: it requires minimal care. Most varieties can be planted in open ground. Having decided to acquire ivy, it is important to know how to plant it correctly, organize watering, and what are the subtleties of the propagation methods of this plant.
Description of varieties and varieties of evergreen ivy
Biologists know many varieties of this perennial plant, carpeting mountains and plains. Ivy has a large number of long roots with which it clings to everything that comes in its way. Its leaves are a rich dark green color, and there are variegated varieties. You can determine which ivy is best to get for your site by looking at the photo.
Gardeners plant evergreen ivy on their plots, near houses and gazebos. The following cold-resistant plant varieties are more common.
Proper planting and care of young crops
Ivy is not demanding and not capricious. It tolerates shade perfectly, loves sunlight, and is afraid of low temperatures and high humidity. If you leave it without shelter in the cold during the winter, the crop may die.
To young plant successfully overwintered in open ground, it is planted on an elevated area where there is no wind and no drafts. Until the ivy gets stronger, it grows slowly. Landing should be done in early spring so that the culture is behind summer period She has grown enough and gained strength for the winter.
Ivy is planted as follows:
- prepare a well-moistened substrate, airtight, rich in organic fertilizers;
- dig a hole that is slightly deeper than the main ivy root;
- add drainage to the bottom;
- plant the crop, fill the hole with substrate, and water it.
After planting ivy in open ground, the condition of the top layer of soil should be monitored for the first time. It is important that air enters the soil and moisture penetrates. For this you need proper care and periodic careful loosening of the soil, you can mulch with any organic matter of a porous nature.
Attention! During cultivation, it is imperative to loosen the soil after rains to prevent the formation of a dense area of soil that prevents the penetration of moisture and air to the root system.
Ivy growing in open ground should not be watered too often. If it rains - no common occurrence in a particular region, watering should be done 1-2 times a week in the summer; in the fall, the supply of additional moisture to the soil is reduced.
For the winter, evergreen ivy planted outside should be covered. For this, gardeners advise using plastic film, burlap. In the spring, when the snow has melted, there is no need to immediately take up fertilizer and start cutting off frostbitten and weak shoots. It is recommended to prune in June, when the sap has finished running.
Plant propagation methods, necessary fertilizers
Growing ivy is very easy. Gardeners recommend doing this in the spring or early summer. For propagation, select apical branches that have begun to become lignified. If you take a young shoot, its rooting and subsequent growth will take longer, and the plant does not always take root.
Planting ivy
When cutting cuttings for propagation (approximately 10 cm long), it is necessary that there are healthy nodes on each shoot. First, they are planted in greenhouses using very loose, moist soil, or dipped in water for a while until the root grows. Afterwards you can transplant to permanent place dislocations in open ground. After propagation, each cutting is planted at a distance of a meter from the neighboring plant.
You can propagate ivy using a whole shoot. To do this, you need to perform several steps:
- take an ivy shoot that has at least eight leaves growing on it and place it, pressing it slightly, on the sand so that all the leaves remain on the surface;
- during cultivation, water moderately, do not allow the sand to dry out;
- after 7-10 days, the aerial roots located in the sand will turn into underground ones;
- carefully remove the ivy and cut the shoot so that each cutting has its own leaf;
- plant the sprout in open ground or in a pot, don’t forget about fertilizers.
In order for garden ivy to please its owner, the plant must be fed every two weeks in the spring and several times during the summer. It is better to do this after watering. For feeding, gardeners advise using mullein combined with water, or mineral fertilizers For ornamental plants, which can be purchased at a specialty store.
How to recognize diseases and notice pests. Combination with other plants
Ivy is considered unpretentious plant, but he can get sick or be captured by pests at any moment. It is important to promptly recognize that the plant needs help and take all measures to cure it.
Advice. If the ivy is attacked by pests or disease, it is necessary to inspect all nearby crops.
- If the leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off, the cause must be sought in dry soil. Having received sufficient watering, very soon the ivy will acquire new foliage.
- If the stems lose their green leaves and quickly become bald, the ivy does not like the air. Typically, this phenomenon can occur in hot summer or autumn. Therefore, the gardener is recommended to give his plant water treatments every day.
- It’s a bad sign if the variegated and bright green leaves suddenly fade. The root cause is that the plant receives little light. The problem can only be solved by planting in a new, more illuminated place.
Ivy will perfectly decorate hedges
This plant is often planted near the fence, near the house, around gazebos. Photos of buildings overgrown with ivy can be seen in magazines. Ivy, if you guide its branches along supports as it grows, will become worthy decoration personal plot. It is not afraid of any neighbors growing nearby, but not all plants are compatible with ivy and can coexist with it in the same area.
Coniferous trees will be comfortable next to ivy, deciduous trees, ornamental shrubs. Landscape designers, give the idea of a combination and recommend planting this creeping plant in a garden with roses. Dark or variegated ivy greens will beautifully highlight the base of the queen of flowers.
Garden ivy, when it grows and gains strength, becomes very beautiful. When starting such a plant, you should be prepared that in order to give it a neat, aesthetic shape, the plant needs to be pruned regularly. Especially if it stretches up the supports, walls of the house, fences. Otherwise, caring for the plant is easy. By choosing the right place on the site, organizing watering, timely fertilizing and testing the propagation of the plant in practice, within a season you can become the owner of incredibly beautiful garden ivy.
Growing garden ivy: video
https://youtu.be/VU8fccw7KlI
Garden ivy: photo
Plants are the simplest and cheap way decorations. Even from childhood, we have a clear image of this: any gray administrative building, like a school or hospital, with very shabby walls, is instantly transformed by flowers in pots. Why is this happening? At a minimum, because the bright green foliage is greatly pushed forward due to the colors. Covering a hedge with ivy applies the same principle. Living decor is easy to implement, therefore it is very popular in landscape design.
Living liana is valued because of:
- Ecological factor and pleasant relaxing properties;
Aesthetics;
Versatility (you can always adjust the shape);
Opportunities to hide the courtyard and windows of the house from constant prying eyes;
Its relatively low price.
Ivy (Hedera) is a woody vine belonging to evergreens. Family - Araliaceae. This wonderful vine can sometimes climb more than 30 meters into the air, covering everything with abundant dark foliage. The plant feels best in temperate climates. This genus includes more than 15 species, however, only five grow in our conditions. The most common subspecies in decorative art is garden. This plant has been used as a medicinal plant since ancient times. This vine is very versatile and treats a lot, from respiratory diseases to epidermal problems.
Types, their distinctive features and features
In total, there are two main subspecies: ordinary and Colchis. The first option does not grow very quickly, but has nice shiny leaves various shapes. The number of varieties can please even the most demanding gardener. The second living fence will have very large leaves, good speed growth and long shoots covering everything and everyone.
Both subspecies have flowers, which, alas, do not represent any decorative value. But the flowers produce very interesting berries, dark, cold tones. In truth, you shouldn’t eat them, but they give the hedge a certain charm and comfort.
It is important to know: almost all types of ivy are poisonous, so working with it should be done in complete isolation: gloves, a jacket with long sleeves, also covering the neck, long trousers. Poison from the vine can get on the skin through an object, clothing or anything else that comes into contact with any part of it. Very important: the poison does not affect everyone! If you do become poisoned, an itchy rash or swelling will appear on the skin at the site of contact.
Planting process
Planting ivy is needed not only to hide unsightly walls and fences, but also this vine can perfectly cover the ground, creating a dense and unobtrusive surface. Against this background, flower beds with bright flowers In addition, the vine covers tree roots well.
Before planting, you need to choose and buy garden ivy. It reproduces by cuttings, layering of shoots (if it is necessary to plant nearby) and shoots. We choose the third type of propagation and buy our seedlings, looking at them very carefully and carefully: the shoot must have both roots and healthy leaves. If there are no roots, there is no point in escaping either. If there is something wrong with the leaves, they have the wrong color or damaged areas, then the plant is unlikely to take root with you at all.
When choosing a landing site, you have a huge scope, however, you should avoid strong sunshine. Even if you live in the cold northern regions, most likely the ivy will be able to survive in your place, showing off on the fence even through the snow. In terms of soil, it is unpretentious, but since the species comes from rainy, humus-rich places, any fertilizer will make the vine much more lush and shiny.
Choose a place for a hedge before mid-spring. You should start planting in May. Initially, we dig small holes at a distance of a meter (minimum 50 cm), loosen the soil and saturate it with humus. The vine should be in close proximity to the fence. The depth and width of the planting hole should be just such that the roots fit, but the plant does not fall through and is on the surface. Next, carefully water our seedlings, and the job is finished!
By the way: this plant goes almost perfectly with girl’s grapes. They require the same conditions and equally adapt to the new “place of residence.” Since the times of Ancient Rome and Greece, this union has been considered a symbol of prosperity. They are a traditional “pair” for hedges.
Care
There are many photos on the Internet that show the difference between a well-groomed plant and one growing without human intervention at all. A beautiful hedge requires just a few steps on your part:
- At first life cycle guide the shoots along the fence, cut off shoots that are too long and try to water them regularly;
Fertilize the plant three times during the warm period: twice in May, once in August or early September (an optional rule, however, if you follow it, you will get your results faster);
For a hedge it is necessary regular pruning, passing at the end of the warm period;
Not all garden ivy is frost-resistant, so you need to take care of the sprouts by covering them with a warm feather bed of dry leaves (focus on the root collar).