How to Propagate and Transplant English Ivy Vines
Hedera helix




March 22, 1998
Steve Klett wrote:
Please tell me what I need to know about transplanting Ivy. The patch that
I want to transplant from is a thick tangle. Do I need to get a root ball
or will the plant survive if planted bare root?
English Ivy,
Hedera helix, is
generally very durable, and can take a lot of abuse.
It would be better for
the plant to include as much of a root ball as possible, but ivy is easy to
divide, layer, or propagate from softwood cuttings. If you are able to include
even a few roots with each segment, the new plant will rapidly get over the
shock and produce new growth.
Dividing Perennial Plants
As with most perennials, you can divide the
ivy clump by cutting through the mass using a sharp knife or your shovel or
just pull the root ball apart with your hands. Remove any dead or sickly portions
and then simply replant.
Softwood Cuttings
If time is not a consideration you can take softwood
cuttings about 6 to 8 inches in length, remove the lower 2-3 leaves and insert
the cutting into some damp sand or vermiculite. Keep it in a warm spot, and
the roots should develop fairly rapidly (anywhere from 10-20 days) giving
you a new small plant.
Tip Layering
If you intend to keep the plant in the same general
area, you might want to layer the stems by just pinning the stem to the soil.
The new roots will develop soon, and you can clip the stem between the old
and new plant, after which you can remove the parent plant.
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