How To Propagate Ivy Plants: A Step-by-Step Detailed Guide

Learning how to propagate ivy plants will help you grow your own rather than buying a new plant from the nursery each season – simply prepare your supplies, prepare the cuttings, clean the cuttings and place them in water.

Propagating an ivy or hedera helix is straightforward, even for new gardeners. We are here to help you learn this simple process! This article will give you a detailed step-by-step guide to help you grow your English ivy plant from the beginning to maturity.

How To Propagate Ivy Plants in 6 Easy Steps

To propagate ivy plants in six easy steps you should prepare the required supplies for the task, prepare the ivy cuttings, clean the cuttings, place them in water, place them in the right growing conditions. Finally, you can transplant the cuttings to a pot or move them outdoors.

1. Prepare the Required Supplies for the Task

Before attempting any task in your propagation journey, it’s best to ask yourself what you need to complete it. For this task, you will need a sharp, clean, and sterilized pair of scissors, shears, a sharp knife, a container to dip the cutting, clean water, and plants to propagate.

2. Prepare the Ivy Cuttings

This is the most critical step in propagating ivy. Always get cuttings from a healthy plant; never propagate from a sick, dying, or pest-infested plant. Choose new growth, meaning the most recent growth in your plant is the best. Look for brighter-colored leaves; these indicate new growth as opposed to the older, darker-colored ones.

Prepare several cuttings by cutting the length of the ivy vine from 4 to 6 inches long. Use a clean, sterilized pair of scissors or a sharp knife. Do not saw, tear, or break the vine; simply make a clean, sharp cut. Ensure each cutting has one or two leaves, and make a clean cut above the leaf.

It’s preferred to choose vines that have nodes. Cut longer vines and make them shorter later, or grow them longer than the usual 4 to 6 inches long.

3. Clean the Cuttings

Once you have cut the vine, it’s time you clean it out by stripping away the excess leaves. Pull away the leaves from the stem carefully to avoid any damage. Remove the leaves from the lower side that will be submerged in water.

You don’t want any leaves submerged in water as they will rot. However, as you strip down the leaves, leave the nodes in place, as this is where new leaves, stems, or roots will grow.

If your vine has nodes, it will be easy for you. However, you can create your nodes by clipping the bottom two inches of leaves if it has none. These parts where you remove the leaves will act as nodes and must be submerged in water.

You can also create a wound on the plant that it will use to grow new roots after it’s placed in water. Simply remove the leaves and use a sharp knife to peel back the outer part of the stem. It will create a wound that, when placed in water, will produce new roots.

4. Place the Cuttings in Water or Dip Them in Rooting Hormone Powder

You can use two methods to root these cuttings. The first is by first using water or by planting them directly in the soil.

Place the cuttings in a clean jar of water and wait for several weeks to start spotting new roots forming. Change the water every week without disturbing the plant. Top off the water regularly to keep the nodes completely submerged so the roots begin to grow.

To plant them in soil, dip the end of the stem in the rooting hormone powder and plant it in a planter filled with soil mix. You can poke holes in the soil before planting to make a hole for easy planting. Plant each powdered cutting in a separate hole and gently push the soil around it.

5. Place the Cuttings in the Right Growing Conditions

Once your cuttings are placed in a jar full of water, it’s best to leave them in bright indirect light, like next to a window. Ensure the temperatures remain at 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit for about four to six weeks. Grow it as an indoor ivy until it’s ready to transplant outdoors.

Water the soil regularly for those planted directly in the soil to retain moisture. The twigs will begin to sprout and root in at least six to eight weeks. Be sure not to overwater it as you will kill the cutting before it sprouts or roots.

6. Transplant the Cuttings or Move Them Outdoors

When the roots grow to about 2 inches or longer, it’s time to transplant your cuttings. Longer roots will help the plant establish itself faster and better. As long as you have 2 inches of roots, your cutting is hardy and easy to grow.

Transplanting is best done for cuttings in water as they cannot continue growing here for long. You must plant them in a garden or container where they will thrive. If you planted your cuttings in planters already, you could move them outdoors for some sunlight or keep them indoors.

Make sure your ivy is getting adequate light both indoors and outdoors. Too much sunlight can cause your plant to die, so move it out of direct sunlight or away from grow light. Again, too little sunlight causes the plant to grow pale and spindly, so you must learn the balance. If your plant is wilting after transplanting, provide enough water to keep topping it up regularly.

Frequently Asked Questions

– Is It Better To Propagate Ivy in Water or in Soil?

Whether it’s better to propagate ivy in water than in soil is debatable. There are many people that claim one or the other is better. Both have their advantages and disadvantages – but the major advantage of water over soil is that you get to see the roots grow!

– What Helps Ivy Cuttings Root Faster?

What helps ivy cutting root faster is a warm growing medium. Heat helps accelerate cell division which then speeds up the whole process. The best way to do this is through heat that comes from the bottom like a heating pad.

Conclusion

Learning how to propagate ivy plants is as easy as following the above six steps. However, sometimes propagation may fail if you do not do it correctly. That’s why we advise you to prepare more cuttings than you need in case some fail, and others grow – so before starting your new vines, here are a few things to remember:

• Ivy is hardy and resistant, making it a great choice to propagate, especially if you are a beginner.
• Do not put any leaves in water when placing the cutting; otherwise, they will begin to rot due to the growth of bacteria and start to smell bad.
• Get your cuttings from a healthy plant to ensure you propagate new vigorous plants.
• It is possible for your cutting to take a little longer or shorter to grow roots, depending on many conditions, which is still acceptable.
• You can allow the roots to grow a little longer than two inches, as it will be easier to establish the plant once you transplant it.

Bottom line, start growing English ivy, and don’t forget to share the journey with us; we will be thrilled!