Gardening Ideas Houseplants Top Tips For Growing Ivy Indoors This trailing vine needs just a few things to thrive indoors. By Steve Bender Steve Bender Steve Bender, also known as The Grumpy Gardener, is an award-winning author, editor, columnist, and speaker with nearly 40 years experience as Garden Editor, Senior Writer, and Editor-at-Large for Southern Living. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on May 25, 2023 Fact checked by Jillian Dara Fact checked by Jillian Dara Jillian is a freelance writer, editor and fact-checker with 10 years of editorial experience in the lifestyle genre. In addition to fact-checking for Southern Living, Jillian works on multiple verticals across Dotdash-Meredith, including TripSavvy, The Spruce, and Travel + Leisure. brand's fact checking process In This Article View All In This Article Light Requirements Water and Soil Requirements Potting Ivy Ivy Propagation Frequently Asked Questions While we often think of ivy thriving outdoors—climbing up a brick wall, spilling over a fence, or winding its way across the ground—it's also a popular houseplant, and with the right care it can grow well indoors. Most species of ivy are easy-care plantings but there are some tricks to keep them growing at their best. Brendan Maher / Getty Images Light Requirements Ivy species are climbing vines and rambling ground covers, and they can both thrive in shade with moderate to regular water and tolerate some sun. When indoors, it's good to give your ivy bright, indirect light. With too much shade, the plant can grow leggy, and too much direct light can scorch its leaves. Humidity is generally good for ivy, and moderate temperatures are ideal. Water and Soil Requirements Ivy grows best when planted in well-drained soil. Most have moderate water requirements and don't like to be soggy, so be sure to let the soil dry out between watering. Once a week during the spring and summer, and less often in winter, is typical. Don't fertilize too often; feeding ivy once a month during the warmer months is usually a good bet. Image Source/Getty Images Potting Ivy According to The New Southern Living Garden Book, "Ivies are excellent in pots and hanging baskets, trained into intricate patterns on walls, or grown on wire frames to create topiaries. Arborescent forms make superb additions to foundation plantings and shade gardens." Hanging baskets allow ivy tendrils to spill over the sides and give them plenty of space to grow. They are also easy enough to hang near a window for the indirect light that ivy needs. All-purpose or potting mix for indoor plants is adequate to get an ivy planting started. Ivy Propagation When your ivy gets too long, you can clip off sections of the stem to keep it shaped. To propagate more plants, you can also take clippings and root them in water to start new ivy plantings. Start with an English Ivy (like 'Gold Dust' or 'Baltica') or an Algerian Ivy for pretty deep green or variegated green-and-cream leaves. If you like ivy but are worried about it taking off and taking over your yard, growing it indoors is a good way to keep it in check. What's your favorite easy-care houseplant? Do you have any pots of ivy in your home? Frequently Asked Questions Does indoor ivy like direct sunlight? Indoor ivy needs bright light to grow, but not direct sunlight. Without enough artificial light, the ivy will not appear as variegated, and growth will diminish. Ivies need room temperatures around 50°F to 70°F during the day. Does indoor ivy attract pests? While indoor ivy does not suffer from many plant diseases, houseplants are still susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, mites, aphids, whiteflies, and scales. Additionally, termites may use ivy as an access point to your home. What is the fastest-growing indoor ivy plant? Pothos, or Devil's Ivy (Epipremnum aureum), is a fast-growing indoor ivy that reaches over 40 inches of growth annually. This plant is relatively maintenance-free and easy to grow. Pothos prefers shadier areas, which makes it an excellent houseplant. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit Sources Southern Living is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources to support the facts in our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center. Growing English Ivy indoors.