Efeutute is very frugal, but needs a little care from time to time. Everything you need to water, cut and fertilize the ivy can be found here.
Efeutute (Epipremnum) is one of the most popular indoor plants for the home or office. It is considered indestructible and extremely easy to care for. But she can't do without care. In our article we will tell you everything about proper ivy care.
Many people know the climbing, evergreen plant, but don't even know what it's actually called. We are talking about the ivy, which belongs to the aroid family (Araceae). Many other indoor plants such as the window leaves (Monstera) or the single leaves (Spathiphyllum) also belong to the arum family. Incidentally, the only thing that the ivy has in common with the ivy (Hedera helix) is the name and the property of the tendrils. The two plants are not related.
Watering Ivy
Since the ivy hardly requires any care, it is ideal for beginners and gardeners with little time. It easily withstands short periods of drought. If you water the ivy, the general rule is that you should dry the substrate between waterings, but not let it dry out completely. With the finger test you can test whether the upper substrate has dried enough. If the top two centimeters feel dry, you can water again. If lighter and half-dried leaves appear on the plant, it is high time to water again, as the plant is too dry. It is best to use lime-free irrigation water, with rainwater being ideal.
If the pot gives off a foul, putrid smell, the plant's roots are probably submerged and you have overwatered it. Even if drops form on the leaves, the plant tries to shed excess water by guttation. Therefore, the excess water should always be removed from the planter about 15 minutes after watering. In this way, the formation of waterlogging can be avoided. This is also possible with the EfeututeIrrigate over the coaster. To do this, pour water into the saucer - and not onto the substrate from above - and wait until the plant has absorbed everything. Repeat this until there is water in the coaster. You can then remove this.
Summary: watering of ivy
- Let the top layer of the substrate dry (finger test)
- Use lime-free water
- Remove excess water from coaster
- Alternatively pour over coasters
- Bright, dried up leaves indicate drought
Tip: Efeututes love high humidity. They are therefore very happy to be sprayed regularly with lukewarm, lime-free water.
Cutting Ivy
It is not necessary to cut off the shoots of the ivy, but the tropical plant is very tolerant of pruning. You can regularly remove dead and wilted leaves. If you want to curb the growth of the ivy, you always have the option of using scissors. Spring is the best time to trim ivy. After that, the plant can still sprout well. As a rule, the shoots can be shortened by two thirds. The separated shoots can also be used if you want to multiply the ivy.
Unfortunately, it's not that easy to branch out the Efeutute. A pruning directly at the leaf axils can lead to the plant growing bushier. However, the easiest way to achieve a bushy appearance is to simply plant several ivy plants in a pot.
Summary: Cut Ivy
- Remove wilted and dead leaves regularly
- Pruning back in spring
- Shorten the shoots by a maximum of two thirds
- Prune frequently on the leaf axils for bushy growth
- Use a sharp knife or secateurs
Tip: Since the ivy is poisonous, you should always wear gloves when caring for the ivy - especially when cutting and repotting.
Fertilize ivy
Between March and October, when the ivy is growing vigorously, you should fertilize the plant occasionally. ThereforeA liquid fertilizer is ideal, which you can simply add to the substrate together with the irrigation water. For example, our primarily organic Plantura organic indoor and green plant fertilizer is suitable for ornamental foliage plants such as ivy. The nutrients it contains support the development of strong roots and leaves. Fertilize about every two to three weeks during the summer months. In the winter months it is not necessary to fertilize the ivy, as it also grows less during this time.
Summary: Fertilize ivy
- Fertilize from March to October
- Add fertilizer with the irrigation water every two to three weeks
- Amount of fertilizer according to dosing instructions
Repot ivy
As easy to care for as the ivy may be, it also wants to be repotted occasionally. The time to repot is when the root system of the plant completely fills the flower pot. You should repot the ivy every two to three years at the latest.
First, prepare the new pot for the houseplant. The new home for the ivy should be slightly larger than the old pot and have a drainage hole and a saucer or planter. Then create a drainage layer in the pot with expanded clay or pottery shards. In this way, the water can always drain off well and there is no waterlogging. High-quality plant soil, such as our Plantura organic universal soil, is suitable as a substrate for the ivy. The peat-free soil contains all the nutrients for a successful start to growth and is made from sustainable raw materials.
Now take your ivy out of its pot and remove the old substrate from the roots. This can be done by shaking off or washing off. Now that you have a good look at the root network, you can cut off any rotten or dried up root parts. If the root ball is very large, you can also shorten the he althy roots a little. Then the root ball is placed in the middle of the new pot and covered with soil. Finally, water the plant well.
Summary: Transplanting Ivy
- New flower pot should be slightly larger than the old one
- Create drainage layer
- Fill the pot one third full with soil
- Remove ivy from old pot
- Gently shake off or rinse off the soil
- if necessary Pruning Roots
- Place the ivy in the middle of the pot
- With substraterefill
Yellow leaves of ivy: causes and countermeasures
If your ivy leaves turn yellow, there can be several reasons. Here we tell you possible causes and countermeasures.
Reasons for yellow leaves on ivy:
- Intense light exposure: One reason for yellow leaves can be excessive light exposure. The ivy comes from the partially shaded rain forests and does not like to stand in the blazing sun. The ivy should therefore be placed in a partially shaded location for a speedy recovery.
- Substrate too wet: A substrate that is too wet can also lead to yellowing. Remove excess water from the pot and aerate the root ball or transplant the ivy into fresh substrate and remove the rotten roots.
- Substrate too dry: If the plant dries up, its leaves will turn yellow. As a first-aid measure, the whole root ball is placed in a bucket with room-temperature rainwater.
- Air too dry: Especially in winter, when the heating is on, the air in the room quickly becomes very dry. The ivy doesn't like that at all and reacts with yellow leaves. Therefore, ensure higher humidity by spraying the ivy and use lukewarm rainwater for this. You can also put a bowl of water next to the houseplant.
- Nutritional deficiency: An acute nutrient deficiency can also lead to yellow leaves. The only thing that helps here is a quick supply of liquid fertilizer.
Is your ivy not growing? Many care mistakes can be the cause here. It can often help to repot the plant in such a case. It then has enough space, fresh nutrients and moist but not wet substrate. If the ivy gets brown spots on the leaves, the cause is usually too much or too little water or nutrients. Although the ivy rarely suffers from diseases, if the air is too dry, it can lead to pest infestation by spider mites.
Tip: Too high a lime content in the water can also lead to what is known as chlorosis - i.e. yellow leaves. It is therefore best to water with lime-free water.
Summary:Cultivate ivy
- Water only when the top layer of substrate has dried
- Remove wilted and dead leaves
- To cut back, shorten shoots by two thirds
- Prune to leaf axils for bushier growth
- Fertilize every two to three weeks between March and October
If you want to know everything about the location, propagation and overwintering of the ivy, then you can read on in our overview article on the popular climbing plant.