Ivy as a ground cover: location, planting and care

Ivy as a ground cover: location, planting and care
Ivy as a ground cover: location, planting and care
Anonim

Ivy is very popular as a ground cover because the plant grows very quickly and copes wonderfully with shade. Within two to three years it forms a dense, impenetrable area. Once properly established, ivy hardly needs any care. How to grow ivy as a ground cover in the garden.

Ivy carpet
Ivy carpet

How do you plant ivy as a ground cover in the garden?

Ivy as a ground cover prefers shady to semi-shady, moist locations without waterlogging. Before planting, loosen the soil well and remove root weeds. Plant ivy 25 cm apart and cut regularly for dense growth.

Suitable locations for ivy as a ground cover

Ivy as a ground cover tolerates almost all locations:

  • sunny
  • partly shaded
  • shady
  • moist
  • no waterlogging

Ivy grows easily even in completely shady locations. However, if you choose colorful-leaved varieties, choose a location where the plant receives at least a few hours of sunlight.

Prepare the soil well

Loosen the soil thoroughly and carefully remove all other plants. This is especially true for root weeds.

Ivy prefers moist soil, although it cannot tolerate waterlogging. You should dig up compacted soil well before planting and refine it with sand and gravel.

Planting ivy as a ground cover

The best time to plant is spring, before the new ivy sprouts, or autumn. It is important that the soil is well moist.

Place the plants in the ground 25 centimeters apart.

When planting in autumn (€3.00 on Amazon), protect the young plants from the first frost with fir branches or brushwood. This will no longer be necessary later.

How to care for ivy as a ground cover

In the first two years you will still have to remove weeds occasionally. Later the ground cover is so dense that other plants no longer have a chance.

So that the ivy becomes bushy and branches well, cut it shorter regularly. Ivy tolerates pruning very well.

Drought causes problems for ivy. In very hot summers, water the ground cover so that the soil never dries out completely. This also applies to winter. In very dry winters, you must provide ivy as a ground cover with water on frost-free days.

Tip

When caring for, cutting and removing ivy, keep in mind that the plant contains toxins. They trigger allergic skin reactions. Therefore, always work with gloves and, for safety reasons, wear a face mask for larger operations.