Miniature and Pittsburgh cultivars of ivy adapt well to life in pots, even making excellent houseplants and topiary. (Pittsburgh ivies have been selected to be more compact and less vigorous). They are often available as bedding plants during the winter months, which are well worth keeping once spring comes.
Put its container in a bright, sunny windowsill and trim off flower spikes after the bloom is finished. You can put it back outdoors after all danger of frost has passed, but bring it back inside before the first frost of the fall.
Use a drip irrigation to avoid getting the foliage wet. Thoroughly soak the soil in mid- to late fall, providing extra water for the ivy to use during the winter months when the ground is frozen making it hard for the roots to absorb enough moisture.
Ivies can be grown in hanging baskets, at the base of other houseplants and in pots of their own.
Dwarf foliage types are generally the best choices for use in containers. English ivy is tolerant of a range in moisture conditions from very dry to fairly moist. When grown in containers it does well in commercial potting media.
Some cultivars are used in northern landscapes where temperatures drop to -10°F for brief periods. Most cultivars used as potted foliage plants are not so hardy, but should withstand 10 to 20°F if acclimatized to some cold prior to exposure to sub-freezing temperatures the first time.
Types such as Boston ivy and English ivy survive winters that get as cold as minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden. Others, such as Swedish ivy, are only cold hardy to USDA plant hardiness zone 10. Poison ivy grows to USDA zone 4, where winters see readings as low as minus 30 F.
If you have a favorite ivy growing outdoors that you would like to take indoors, it can be dug and replanted in a container in spring or fall. Once it is indoors, however, it must be placed in a site with the correct light exposure, watered regularly and given houseplant fertilizer.
Although ivy is one of the best indoor plants, don't let that fool you: Many ivies are adaptable to overwintering outdoors. Four of the most common perennial species are English ivy (Hedera helix), Swedish ivy (Plectranthus australis), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) and Algerian ivy (Hedera canariensis).
Water English ivy deeply before the ground freezes in winter, especially if the fall months have been dry. Watering is important, as wet soil will act as an insulator. Don't water the ivy if there is already snow or ice on the ground.
These plants are evergreen and do not lose their leaves in the winter, although individual leaves die and drop off occasionally. Ivy grows best in partial shade and rich, moist soil. Under these conditions, the leaves remain glossy green or variegated throughout the year.
Tip. English ivy performs well grown outdoors in full sun to full shade. However, varieties with green leaves perform better in partial sun to shade, and those with variegated leaves tolerate sunnier conditions.
When indoors, it's good to give your ivy bright, indirect light. With too much shade, the plant can grow leggy, and too much direct light can scorch its leaves. Humidity is generally good for ivy, and moderate temperatures are ideal.
The reason for a dying Ivy is usually because of under watering, too much sun or the pot is too small and the soil dries too quickly which turns the leaves brown and dried out. Over watering and a lack of nutrients turn the Ivy's leaves yellow.
Temperature and Humidity
English Ivy plants grow best in temperatures between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Their leaves will stay dark green when grown in steady temperatures and medium to high humidity. It does not like cold winter wind or high summer heat.
What is likely to happen? A: It probably did freeze, but it will most likely come back if it has been that dependable in recent winters. Leave it alone for another month or so. If it sprouts out from the ground, but not from its old stems, use a wire brush to clean the wall of the old vines.
Ivy can make a wonderful, bright light houseplant. It can grow long and lush and bring a bit of the outdoors inside. Growing ivy indoors is easy as long as you know what makes an ivy plant happy.
So, here's a thing that will throw you: If you overwater your ivy, the leaves will turn brown and dry on the edges. This symptom seems like the plant needs more water. The reason the leaves turn brown is that the plant roots are too wet and are basically drowning.
English ivy can be grown indoors, and it's a hardy plant, making it easy to grow. However, it also tends to grow very quickly. For a smaller, easier to control plant, check out one of these varieties.
Many landscape ivy plants can be negatively affected by winter weather, and like fungal symptoms, the evidence may appear as tan to brown blotches occurring mainly but not limited to leaf margins. Entire plants are sometimes affected, and dead patches develop later in a planting bed.
Keep your plant out of areas with standing water or poor drainage. Amend the soil by adding peat moss or sand, if the soil is heavy with clay. Ivy requires well-aerated and well-drained soil to thrive, according to the University of Florida Extension. Keep your plant out of areas with standing water or poor drainage.
The vining plant acts as a moisture trap too, keeping bark damp and making infested trees more susceptible to a variety of ills, such as insect damage. Worse yet, English ivy endangers whole ecosystems. On the ground, it forms dense and extensive monocultures that displace native plants.
Your ivy thrives in a humid environment! Browning leaves can be a sign that the humidity is too low. Boost the humidity in your home by adding a humidifier nearby, creating a pebble tray, or misting the plant often. Brown crispy leaves can be a sign your ivy is getting too much light.
Drooping, wilting, or drying English Ivy leaves may result from unfavorable temperatures, insufficient light, or inadequate humidity levels. Overwatering or underwatering English ivy can also cause signs of ill health, as can overfertilizing. In rarer cases, disease and pest infestations may result in plant death.
One of the fundamental reasons your Ivy leaves turn brown and gradually dry up giving them a crispy texture, is that they don't get the right amount of water. In most cases, there is a likelihood that you're overwatering your plants which makes you wonder why the leaves are getting dry then?