Hi all,

I'm completely new to anything gardening-related (I'm a bloke) so I'm sure
this will be blindingly obvious to nearly all of you! I'd appreciate any
advice at all.
Anyway, I'd like to cover a wall with ivy because its very ugly, and I like
greenery in general.
Would you generally use a trellis to avoid damaging the wall, and to ensure
the ivy grows the right way (ie. up!)
There is very limited light in this corner - but ivy isnt fussy is that
right?
How would I get it started? Would I need a grow bag? Or would a pot do? Do
you buy "Ivy seed"?
Oh gawd perhaps i should just call my mum...!

Thanks,
Dan.

oops sorry posted twice...

On 27/10/04 11:04 pm, in article , "dg.dg"
wrote:

Hi all,

I'm completely new to anything gardening-related (I'm a bloke) so I'm sure
this will be blindingly obvious to nearly all of you! I'd appreciate any
advice at all.
Anyway, I'd like to cover a wall with ivy because its very ugly, and I like
greenery in general.
Would you generally use a trellis to avoid damaging the wall, and to ensure
the ivy grows the right way (ie. up!)
There is very limited light in this corner - but ivy isnt fussy is that
right?
How would I get it started? Would I need a grow bag? Or would a pot do? Do
you buy "Ivy seed"?
Oh gawd perhaps i should just call my mum...!

Hello and welcome. ;-)
Ivy doesn't like/need trellis. It won't stick to it because it doesn't use
tendrils to climb.
Ivy sticks itself to the wall and should be happy in considerable shade.
There are many to choose from, so you might like to look at the books -
large leaves, small leaved, splashed with colour, etc. etc?
Buy your chosen ivy from a nursery or garden centre, dig a hole a little
bigger than the pot, width wise. Don't bury the plant any deeper than the
soil mark it has on it in the pot. Be patient. It doesn't leap up the wall
immediately in all cases. We have a Paddy's Pride, which is a large leafed
ivy, on the north east wall of our house and it's been in two years. It's
only just beginning to stick itself to the wall and climb up it. There may
be other factors in this I won't bore you with but not all ivies zoom away
immediately.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

"dg.dg" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I'm completely new to anything gardening-related (I'm a bloke) so
I'm sure
this will be blindingly obvious to nearly all of you! I'd appreciate
any
advice at all.
Anyway, I'd like to cover a wall with ivy because its very ugly, and
I like
greenery in general.
Would you generally use a trellis to avoid damaging the wall,

By and large, the idea of ivy damaging walls is an old wives' tale.
Putting up a trellis would be a waste. The ivy would cling to the
wall, trellis or no trellis.

and to ensure
the ivy grows the right way (ie. up!)

The only way to limit any sideways growth is by regulas pruning of the
new growth.

There is very limited light in this corner - but ivy isnt fussy is
that
right?

True.

How would I get it started? Would I need a grow bag?

You make a hole in the ground and plant a young ivy plant in it.
If you have to go through concrete to get to the soil, get a friend
with a hammer drill to help.

Or would a pot do

If you insist on using a pot, I would recommend that it should be at
least 40 cm diameter.

Do
you buy "Ivy seed"?
Oh gawd perhaps i should just call my mum...!

Perhaps that might be a good idea, if she has ciltivated an ivy
previously.

Franz