How Fast Does English Ivy Grow and How to Grow Them Fast

Last Updated on May 28, 2022 by Gary Stephen

The English ivy is one of today’s hot-selling indoor houseplant variety. It has garnered popularity as being one of the best air purifying plants according to the NASA clean air study. Aside from that, you cannot dismiss its incredibly versatile beauty too. This evergreen vine is the right on spot choice for a hanging plant or as a wall climber. Because of the way it is commonly presented, gardeners are curious to know how fast does the English ivy grow?

How long can it drape?

Or how much time does it take to fill a wall?

Better yet, is there any way to make it grow faster?

All these questions and more will be tackled in this article. Even more, we would also include links on some of our best pick products to use when growing an English ivy plant.

The Average Growth Rate of English Ivy

So, how long can you expect the English ivy to grow?

English ivy is generally a fast-growing plant. But in its first year, growth can still be quite slow. Pace will pick up though as it enters its 2nd up to 3rd year of maturity. 

By this time, its length can reach up to 9 feet per year when being grown in an indoor setting. You can expect it to grow even longer and faster if it is cultivated in the wild or outdoors.

The Ideal Growing Conditions for English Ivy

Elements such as light, water, soil, temperature, and humidity make up the fundamental core of your plant’s health. Crops are likely to thrive best if it is given the appropriate environmental conditions. Here is a brief rundown of its essential growth elements:

  • Lighting

The English ivy requires bright yet indirect lighting. It can tolerate moderate to full shade. But, you should know that low lighting conditions can slow down its growth rate. 

How Fast Does English Ivy Grow

Hence, when presented with the dilemma of low lighting, you can instead resort to using grow lamps. This artificial lighting system is your best alternative to Mr. Sun. It targets to supplement the lack of usable lighting within your grow space.

Our best picks for grow lamps:

Ankace Tri-Head Gooseneck Full Spectrum Grow Lamp

Mosthink Sunlike Full Spectrum Grow Light Strips

VeRosky Sunlike Full Spectrum LED Tri-Chip Grow Light with Hanging Kit

Yuhan Tri-Head Sunlike Full Spectrum LED Grow Light with Tripod Stand

  • Watering

Initially, the young English ivy prefers its soil to be slightly moist. However, as it matures it is best to give it some time to dry between watering sessions. 

Hackerdom Three-Way Soil Test Meter

You can try to touch the soil to feel for moisture. When the top inch is already dry, this is usually a good indication to water your plant. If it is still moist, check again after a day or two.

Alternatively, you can also opt to use a soil moisture meter. This device will measure out the moisture level within the soil. Thus, you no longer have to dig your fingers into the dirt.

Our top picks for soil moisture meter:

Hackerdom Three-Way Soil Test Meter

Dr. Meter Soil Moisture Sensor

Ecowitt Soil Moisture Sensor Meter with Digital LCD Display

  • Potting Soil

Soil gives your plant the physical structure it needs to hold it in place. It should provide the right condition to allow some moisture retention. But at the same time, it also drains the excess water to prevent waterlogging. 

The Next Gardener Professional Grower Mix Soil How Fast Does English Ivy Grow

Furthermore, it should also promote good aeration to enable air to freely circulate within the pot. Aside from that, some potting mixes are readily blended with fertilizers to keep the soil rich and fertile.

A loose well-draining all-purpose potting soil mix fits the criteria for English ivy. This is more than just your regular garden soil. It is already blended with varying ratios of soil substrates like perlite, coco coir, and vermiculite to name a few. 

Our top picks for all-purpose potting soil mixes:

SunGro Black Gold Natural & Organic All-Purpose Potting Soil with Fertilizer

Espoma Organic Potting Mix For All Potted Plants

The Next Gardener Professional Grower Mix Soil

  • Temperature & Humidity

Just like us humans, plants also have a preferred level of warmth and moisture in the air. For English ivy, it thrives in an environment with a temperature range of 65°F to 85°F. A  room that is too hot might just scorch your ivy. Meanwhile, exposing it to extreme coldness can also halt its growth and development.

Smartro Professional Digital Indoor Thermometer & Hygrometer

On the other hand, English ivy loves some moisture in the atmosphere. It can sit well under moderate to high humidity levels. To promote relative humidity, you can simply mist your ivy with plant water every now and then. Alternatively, you can also place them on top of a tray with pebbles and water. Just make sure the water does not touch the bottom of the pot to prevent it from soaking the soil.

In both elements, it is ideal to keep a thermometer and a hygrometer on hand. This device will give you actual readings. Moreso, it will also help you keep track of the changes should there be any. That way, you will know exactly when and how to adjust the temperature or humidity

Our top picks for thermometer & hygrometers:

Boeespat Mini Thermometer & Hygrometer

AcuRite Indoor Thermometer & Hygrometer

Smartro Professional Digital Indoor Thermometer & Hygrometer

Other ways to promote faster growth of English ivy?

  • Fertilizer

If you wish to hasten the growth of your English ivy, it is most beneficial to use the appropriate type of plant food. A balanced all-purpose fertilizer should be good enough to provide nutrient support.

JR Peters Jack’s Classic All-Purpose Water Soluble Plant Food How Fast Does English Ivy Grow

Most growers prefer the liquid type of fertilizer for their ease of application. Nevertheless, you can also use a water-soluble granular type of plant food. Regardless of form, always make sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommended usage.

Feeding should be done when your English ivy is in its active growth phase. This should take place sometime in early spring to summer. As the wintertime comes, feeding should be kept to a minimum as the plant’s growth tends to slow down as well.

Our top picks for all-purpose plant foods:

Schultz All-Purpose Water Soluble Plant Food

JR Peters Jack’s Classic All-Purpose Water Soluble Plant Food

Jobe’s Organics All Purpose Granular Plant Food

  • Pruning

There are several reasons why you should prune your English ivy. The first is to cut away the unhealthy or dead parts of the vine. By doing so, you are helping the plant to focus its energy only on its healthy parts.

Fiskars Steel Bypass Pruning Shears

Second, pruning allows you to control the direction of your vines. By trimming away the vines, you are redirecting its flow of growth to your desired position.

Third, and the most important thing, pruning helps to promote growth. Trimming the tips of the vines stimulates it to produce new growth. Thus, encouraging it to grow faster and longer.

When pruning, make sure to use sharp and sterilize pruning shears. This will give you cleaner cuts and prevents cross-contamination of plant diseases too.

Our top picks for pruning shears:

Gonic Professional Premium Titanium Bypass Pruning Shears

Vivosun Gardening Hand Pruner

Fiskars Steel Bypass Pruning Shears

  • Repotting

Re-potting your English ivy once in a while encourages its roots to expand and grow further. Transferring it to a slightly larger pot will provide it the space it needs for growth. You can do this every 2 years or so when its roots start to pretty much fill the bottom of the pot.

Terracotta Totem Design Planter How Fast Does English Ivy Grow

An increase of 1-inch in pot diameter will be enough to give it more room. Make sure not to get carried away with the pot size. A container that is way too big can also increase the incidences of overwatering.

Our top picks for plant pots:

Foraineam Hanging Basket Planters

Growneer Ceramic Hanging Planter

Terracotta Totem Design Planter

  • Indoor vs Outdoor

English ivy can be both grown indoors or outdoors. Nevertheless, each contributes its own pros and cons. In the end, it just depends on how you intend to make use of this plant. 

An indoor setting is favorable for English ivy because it can offer it an all-year-round growing environment. You don’t have to worry about getting frosts since your home can keep it warm and sheltered. 

Aside from that, it also protects your ivy plant from pests. Bugs like spider mites, thrips, and mealybugs are more likely to be prevalent outdoors. Infestation with such pests can compromise your plant’s health. Thus, can lead to growth stunting and even death if not addressed accordingly.

On the other end, growing them outdoors also has great advantages too. Natural sunlight and air breeze are abundant. Hence, beneficial for the vigorous growth of your English ivy. 

However, the outdoors may not be the best place for your ivy during the wintertime. Although they are cold-hardy plants, the potted ones tend to have a lower tolerance to extreme cold. That is because they lack the same level of soil protection as compared to those directly planted on the ground.

How fast can an English ivy grow on walls or fences?

Again, the length of time basically depends on the environmental conditions provided. Generally, it can take about 3 months for the English ivy to get established. Once it does, the succeeding growth pace tends to increase.

You can expect it to grow as long as 9 feet per year. Its leaves can grow as big as 3 feet as well. So, considering its size and length, it can pretty much fill in your wall or fence in no time. Of course, that also would depend on how big the structure is too.

Wrapping Up about How Fast Does English Ivy Grow?

To sum it all up, English ivy can grow pretty fast up to 9 feet long annually. It may initially take a little bit more time to gain momentum and breakthrough its growth spurt. Nevertheless, significant progress will follow as long as it is provided with the right care conditions. And when it does, it will surely fill your shelves or walls with its luscious evergreen leaves sooner than expected.

Gary Stephen
Gary Stephen

Hi, I am Gary Stephen. I have been gardening for a long time. Gardening gives us much benefits and pleasure. Many of us desire to have a garden, but it cannot fulfill the desire for the proper guide or instruction of gardening. So, I am eager to help them. For this purpose, I have developed the MyGardenPlant.com website to make a garden with the proper guide. So, you will get me beside you if you want to know anything about gardening.