The top of the ivy's root ball should be even with the soil surrounding the hole. SECURE TO FENCE. If you have an old, rusty chain-link fence or a drab wooden one, don't replace it -- cover it with ivy. While the ivy is still relatively young, you have to make sure that the soil remains moist at all times. Repeat the process of securing young shoots to latticework as needed, forcing the vine to grow vertical lateral shoots and weaving them horizontally into the lattice. The wire pegs keep the ivy from blowing out of the soil during windy conditions. Make the planting hole deep enough for the entire root ball of the ivy vine. Gardening Know How: How to plant a living fence. The hole needs to be deep enough and wide enough for the root ball to fit into. How fast does ivy grow on a fence? Untie stems that are attached to the support stake in the plants' pots. Step 3 – Watering the Plant Slowly turn the pot upside down until the root ball slides out. Tilt the plant's pot sideways. Provide water to the vine as needed, and monitor its growth. Place the root ball into the hole. Whether you are looking for a fast growing plant to cover a fence or something that provides year-round interest, you are sure to find a vine that suits your tastes and needs. We know of fences where the ivy is probably keeping them together. Once the plant is established and strong enough, it should continue to grow like this on its own. Keep the soil moist but do not saturate the ground. As the plants grow, keep tying the shoots to the fence to form an even and dense coverage. Too much sunlight will stunt the ivy's growth, and will even kill it. Measure your fence line. When all the vine tendrils are untangled, gently work the plant out of the nursery container. Free the vine from the stake it was trained onto in its nursery container. One vine generally covers a single, 6-foot fence section. Tap the pot with your palm several times to help loosen the soil. 3 A single ivy plant will easily cover a 1.8m (6ft) square fence panel, so plant it exactly in the middle. So what types of garden plants can grow and even thrive with the . The ivy will eventually force its way through the wood but it may take years if its new. Secure the young shoots horizontally along the bottom of the fence. Several ivy species work well. Ivy grows on vines that put out aerial roots to help support the plant. Plant the vines next to the fence. If you have an old, rusty chain-link fence or a drab wooden one, don't replace it -- cover it with ivy. Use a tiller to break up the soil at the base of the fence. You see, chain link fencing is an excellent support structure for growing vegetables and vines. Train shoots horizontally, by loosely tying them to the fence as necessary. Tap the pot with your palm several times to help loosen the soil. Master Garden Products: Cover Fence with Ivy, North Carolina State University: Training/Pruning Vines, The Times-Picayune, NOLA.com: Training Garden Vines Right the First Time, OnlinePlantGuide.com: Hedera Colchica "Arborescens" -- Persian Ivy, New Mexico State University: Pruning Grapes to the Four-Arm Kniffin System, How to Get a Trumpet Vine to Grow Up a Fence. Put the plant on the ground. Leaves are deep green and sometimes mottled with red, white or yellow, depending on the type of ivy. This is the plant that inspired the Ivy League colleges nickname. Tap the pot with your palm several times to help loosen the soil. Remove dead and damaged portions of the plant as you work, and carefully lay untangled vine tendrils to one side of the nursery container. Soil preparation around the fence ensures the ivy covers the fence quickly. One vine generally covers a single, 6-foot fence section. The ivy should lie directly on the ground so each stem touches the soil. Mix some systemic weedkiller in a plastic bag and put some of the plant's runners on your side of the fence into it and seal it with a bag closer. After three months, fertilize the ivy every two months. This underappreciated perennial can be found in a variety of colours and leaf shapes, and all are easy to grow. Place the vine in the planting hole, and fill the remainder of the hole with soil. Growing ivy is a simple way to cover or decorate an unsightly fence. Boston ivy grows extremely quickly, often adding 10 feet to its height in a single year, so you can expect Boston ivy to reach the top of a fence in a year. Ivy is a strong plant and can easily pull the fence down on top of you. What is ivy? A mature ivy plant stretches approximately 1.8 metres (6 feet), it will stretch 90 cm (3 feet) in either direction from the root ball. If you must have ivy, grow it on a pole, a stone wall, or a chain-link fence. I personally think the ivy makes climbing it easier as there is something to grip. Several ivy species work well. Drc726 . And by the way, English ivy can indeed harm your house if you let it grow on there for too long; the rootlets it uses to climb up will stain your walls. I recommend that you remove it, regardless of whether it will harm your fence or your house. Use a shovel or garden trowel to dig a hole 90 cm (3 feet) down the fence line for the root ball at the beginning of the fence line. Place a wire peg every 60 cm (2 feet) along the vine. Preparing A New English Ivy Plant To Enhance Growth Ivy is a vine and readily grows up and around virtually any vertical surface. Here is how to use artificial ivy in the garden. If the plants are larger, make the holes and spaces between the plants slightly larger. Fork over the bottom of the hole to break up the soil. 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