I just bought a hedera ivy hanging plant and the stems are getting too long. I was wondering if I can trim them, and if I can, how would I go about trimming it?
Yes, pruning can be done and is pretty easy. It is just a matter of using a clean, sharp pair of scissors or pruning shears to snip off any growth you do not want. These cuttings can be rooted in soil to make new plants if you would like.
I have a tree infested with ivy and it has almost taken over this mature tree. I have cut the ivy at the base of the tree. Would you recommend using any chemical to kill the rest of the vine or just letting die on its own? Winter is coming up and I am trying to keep any additional damage to the tree.
Cut the vine again and paint the cuts with Round-up right after you cut it. The ivy will suck the Round-up into its vascular system and it will help to kill it. Do not spray the vine, as this can harm the tree.
If you have not yet read it, this article may also help you: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/groundcover/english-ivy/kill-english-ivy.htm
My ivy is looking bad. What should I do? Kinda dry looking but the soil is moist.
This is normally a sign that the plant has been overwatered. The plant may have root rot. This article will help you check for that:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/disease/treating-root-rot-gardening-tips-for-housplants.htm
Only water when the top of the soil is dry to the touch. Even then, only water enough to make the soil damp.
Will fig ivy do well on a 1-inch by 2-inch wire mesh fence in southern Texas? What is the estimated growing time for a 5 foot height? What is the correct spacing when planting small starter plant (size is 18 to a flat)? Plants will get approximately 60% sun.
These are actually fairly quick growers, so it should take too long to cover the area once established. In fact, you'll probably find yourself having to prune at least a couple times each year to keep it under control. Here's an article that you may find useful when growing fig ivy: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/creeping-fig/creeping-fig-vine.htm
Why do indoor ivy leaves change to dark green and become wilted when left outside in the cold weather?
This is because the plant cells in the leaves become punctured by ice crystals and leak out water. Think of it like a piece of cloth, when it gets wet, the color of the cloth appears dark. This is exactly the same with the leaves.
After the plant cell walls are punctured, they cannot support themselves and start to collapse and die, which is the wilting and turning brown.
Plants that are able to survive outside in cold weather produce an anti-freeze in their cells that prevents the formation of ice crystals and therefore prevents their cell walls from being punctured.
I forgot to take the plant off the patio and frost came in. Now most of it turned brown. Can it be saved?
I am sorry to hear about your plant. If the stems are alive, however, it will have a chance of recovering. Do not prune it until spring comes. These articles will help:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/tips-for-saving-cold-damaged-plants.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/environmental/how-to-tell-if-a-plant-is-dead-and-how-to-recover-an-almost-dead-plant.htm
My containers of ivy sometimes don't make it through the winter.they must stay outdoors. Will watering in the dead of winter help?
When plants are in containers outside, they experience conditions that are 1 zone lower than yours due to the fact that they have no insulation around them. On top of this, when minor temp changes occur, they have nothing to help them maintain a constant temperature and they can start to come out of dormancy prematurely, which means they have no internal protection against the cold. The thing that most commonly kills container plants outdoors is temperature fluctuations.
In order to try to stop this, the best thing you can do is try to replace the insulation and constant temperatures they would normally get in the ground with something else. Placing the ivy containers near a foundation will help. Wrapping the pots in an insulator of some kind, like wire wrapped straw, bubble wrap or even housing insulation can also help. Mounding straw or leaves around the containers will also help.
Anything you can do to keep the container at a stable temperature will help keep them alive.