The well-known Irish Ivy is a lovely, deep-green, fast growing species of Ivy, ideal for training against fences and walls.
About Irish Ivy
The lush, dark-green foliage on Irish Ivy can create a deep, bold canvas in your garden- meaning it is ideal when wanting to hide certain features, or cover little gaps. You can even use Ivy as a ground cover.
Make sure you pin any new Ivy shoots down, as this will then help them to root securely and quickly.
Please note, the sap can irritate skin, so be sure to wear gloves and long sleeves when dealing with this plant- especially if your skin is particularly sensitive.
Key Features
Hedera Hibernica can grow in many situations- whether that is in full sun, partial shade, or even full shade, and can tolerate both exposed and sheltered sites. However, it will develop best when planted in normal/moist soil.
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Growth height: Fast (40-60cm per year)
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Ideal height: 8m+ Tall
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Soil type: Normal, moist
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Exposure: Sheltered, exposed
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Aspect: Full sun, semi-shade, full shade
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Evergreen foliage? Yes
Pruning & Care
We recommend giving Irish Ivy an annual trim just before new growth appears in Spring. As it has quite a spreading habit, this will keep the Ivy under control. You can easily remove large amounts of it, too, as the plant can easily and quickly recover with its fast growth rate.
How To Plant Irish Ivy
When should i plant Irish Ivy hedging?
You̴Ì?can plant Irish Ivy (pot grown) at any time of year, providing the temperature does not drop below freezing. The best time, however, is always around autumn or spring time when the weather is slightly cool and damp.
How far apart do you plant Irish Ivy plants?
To get a dense and bushy Irish Ivy hedge, you will need to plant around 4-5 plants per metre. In general, we would recommend planting a minimum of 30cm apart, but this does depend on the size of plant purchased and the pot size it is in.
How to plant Irish Ivy:
You will need to begin by ensuring the soil is completely weed free. Then dig a trench/individual holes, that's around 1.5-2 times bigger than the depth and width of the plant's root ball. Churn the soil a little at the bottom and sides of the hole, to ensure the soil is not compacted, and replace with a few inches of soil.
Then place some RootGrow or bone meal into the bottom of the hole, if using - we particularly recommend some sort of root feed for Hedera Hibernica.
Following this, place the plants into the trench/individual holes, ensuring they are nice and straight. Backfill with excess soil and press down gently but firmly at the base to secure the plant.
Ensure you give the plants plenty of water (watering regularly around 2/3 times per week), and continue to do so for the first year or so after being planted.
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