You may have seen English Ivy lurking around gardens underneath shady spots. Many people may have told you that this type of plant is invasive and to “watch out” for your other plants if your garden contains English Ivy. Sometimes, English Ivy is just the plant you need in your landscaping if you are willing to do a little more maintenance than normal.
Plant English Ivy where you see bare spots.
The first place to look is under any trees in your yard. The ivy will flourish under the shade of the trees and will look like a painting on the bottom of the trees. If you are willing to take care of the ivy, it will not pose a threat to your trees or plants. Sometimes, you plant flowers or shrubs and hope they grow into beautiful flora. Occasionally, your plan falls through when you notice nothing is happening. This is a good place to plant English Ivy – it is more likely to grow in spots that other plants cannot. Generally, you want to plant herbs, flowers and bushes where the sun can easily reach them. If not, the soil will stay bare unless you let English ivy grow over top of it.
Maintain the English Ivy on your landscape.
This type of plant grows rapidly. It may only take two or less years to fully mature and cover the bare spots in your yard. As a rule of thumb, plant the ivy twelve inches apart so it has enough room to grow and will not overtake the space too much. Trimming the ivy is essential for keeping your other vegetation safe. Make sure it actually stays out of sunlight and it will mature faster. If your ivy creeps into the sun, it could burn and change color. Your English Ivy should be a deep green color when it is healthy and nurtured.
English Ivy Tips and Tricks
Remove the bottom leaves when you plant the foliage – this will signal the plant to grow. Once you plant a garden, generally the first step is to fertilize it. Do not do this to English Ivy! Wait about three months and then use a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen. Water the ivy graciously but not often, waiting until the soil is dry again. Also on that note, water the soil and take care not to dump water on the actual leaves.
Take care of pests.
English Ivy is usually pest-resistant. Since you will have the ivy outside of your home, naturally some spiders or insects will wander to the plant. If you use insecticidal soap spray, you will almost immediately take care of the problem. Caterpillars may be a different story. They love to munch on the ivy so find someone who enjoys picking up caterpillars and remove them by hand. Another option is to use a natural substance that kills the caterpillars when they eat the plant called Bacillus thuringiensis.
If you need English Ivy trimming or landscape maintenance, call Lehnhoff’s Landscaping today!
Our landscaping professionals have years of experience and access to the latest landscaping tools and styles. Lehnhoff’s Landscaping’s team of landscaping management professionals can manage all different elements of your property. Our maintenance plans and planting services will ensure that no matter what time of year it is, your property will be stunning.
If you have any more questions about landscaping with English Ivy, contact Lehnhoff’s Landscaping by Calling 443.921.5789 or visit LehnoffsLandscaping.com today!
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