English Ivy

English ivy can act as a ground cover, spreading horizontally. But it is also a climber, due to its aerial rootlets, which allows it to climb to 80 feet high.

The plant will eventually bear insignificant greenish flowers, but it is grown primarily for its evergreen leaves. In this regard, ivy can be classified as a foliage plant. The best time to plant English ivy is spring. It is a fast, aggressive grower that is considered invasive in many areas.

Let the top 25-50% of the soil dry out before watering. Allow the water to flow freely from the drainage holes on the bottom of the pot. Always empty the saucer of any water. English ivy does not like its roots constantly wet. Crispy brown leaves indicate over-watering, not under-watering.

English ivy plants prefer bright indirect light but no direct sun as the foliage will burn. In less light, the ivy will become leggy and sparse.

English ivy is mildly toxic to humans and pets. Typically, ingestion will cause mouth and stomach irritation and possible vomiting.

English ivy may become host to aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, and other pests, which can usually be sprayed off with water and can be controlled with neem oil or insecticidal soap. One homemade remedy for aphids is to spray the foliage with a mixture of dish soap and water.

Diseases that affect ivy include bacterial leaf spot and root rot. Leaf spot appears as black or dark brown spotting on the plant foliage. Unfortunately, the best remedy is to remove the affected plants. Help protect any remaining plants by spraying them with a 10-to-1 mixture of water to vinegar.

Root rot is typically caused by warm and humid weather and can be fatal to affected plants. Again, removal is the best remedy. Unaffected remaining plants can be treated with fungicide for protection.