Ivy is one of the plants that can be planted well in hydroponics. Due to the low maintenance requirements, this form of culture is ideal for plant lovers with little time as well as for those who are not blessed with the proverbial green thumb.
How to care for ivy in hydroponics?
Ivy (hedera helix) in hydroponics isabsolutely uncomplicatedto care for, as it needs to be watered a lotless often and fertilized. Repotting is only necessary every few years because the climbing plant grows slower in hydroponics than in soil.
What are the advantages of cultivating ivy hydroponically?
The biggestadvantageof hydroponics is theminimal maintenance effort,since you only have to water the ivy every now and then:
- Once provided with sufficient water, you can safely leave the plant to its own devices for two to three weeks.
- You also have to repot the climbing plant much less often.
- Soil pests and mold cannot spread in the substrate. That's why this method is ideal for allergy sufferers.
- If cared for properly, ivy will live longer than a plant grown in soil.
What are the disadvantages if I plant the ivy hydroponically?
The flower pots, granules and watering system required forhydroculturearemore expensive than potting soil andaconventional planter. However, these costs are amortized because you no longer have to repot houseplants without soil as often.
If you buy an ivy that is already grown hydroponically, you will pay around ten percent more for it than for conventionally grown house plants. But the same applies in this case: the maintenance effort is reduced to a minimum and a new pot is only necessary after some time.
How to plant ivy hydroponically?
Therelocationof an ivy that has previously been standing in the ground in hydroculture requiressome effort, as theroots initially need to be cleaned:
- Pot out the ivy.
- Carefully wash the root ball. There should be hardly any remnants of the substrate between the roots.
- Orient the plant in the inner pot of the system, attach the water level gauge and fill everything with expanded clay.
- To spread the balls, burp a few times.
- Place in the planter.
How to water and fertilize ivy in hydroponics?
Thewater level indicator tells youwhenyou need towater the ivyand fertilize it:
- Do not water the ivy until the level is below the minimum.
- Pour until it settles in the middle.
- You should only fill up to the maximum if you are away for a long time.
- The climbing plant is fertilized every two to four weeks with a special hydroponic fertilizer (€9.00 on Amazon). For the ivy, use about three quarters of the amount stated on the packaging.
Do you have to repot ivy hydroponically?
You only need totransplant the hydroponic ivy when it has become too bigfor theplanter. Since the plants develop a little slower in clay granules than in soil; this only happens every few years.
However, you should replace the top three to four centimeters of the expanded clay balls once or twice a year. These accumulate with lime and nutrient s alts, which appear as an unsightly, white coating.
Tip
Always use the appropriate pots for hydroponics
Hydroponic pots are expensive, but you should still only use these containers if you want to cultivate plants in expanded clay. Only these special containers are provided with the openings necessary for root he alth so that the ivy can absorb enough water and nutrients.
