Swedish Ivy Potting Question (grow, trees, spring, leaves)

[writerwife]

Hi all.. I have a beautiful, huge, lush, potted swedish ivy out back but winter's on it's way and it won't survive out there. I don't really have any spot in the house where a container plant that size will get enough light to bring it in for the winter.
I've taken several cuttings and rooted them in water (2 days and the things have roots!). I'm getting ready to pot them in small clay pots that I can find enough space with sun for indoors and then I'll reverse the process come spring. My question is, should I just put 1 rooted cutting in each pot or a couple? I know about the pinching them off as they grow to encourage bushiness but wasn't sure if one sprig per 4" pot should do or if I should use multiple. I probably will do one larger pot with several cuttings for sure but wasn't sure about the smaller pots.
Thanks for any help!

[jacqueg]

Depends on how soon you want it to look full. Several cuttings in the same pot will look full sooner.

But a single cutting can and will grow into a full plant.

If you have plenty of cuttings, I'd start with 2-3 per 4" pot. Just to save space.

Besides, I can't help but think that they like being in a group!

[marino760]

I had to look it up because I figured anything named Swedish should be cold tolerant. It turns out it's an Australian plant, LOL.

[Zoisite]

Originally Posted by writerwife

Hi all.. I have a beautiful, huge, lush, potted swedish ivy out back but winter's on it's way and it won't survive out there. I don't really have any spot in the house where a container plant that size will get enough light to bring it in for the winter.
I've taken several cuttings and rooted them in water (2 days and the things have roots!). I'm getting ready to pot them in small clay pots that I can find enough space with sun for indoors and then I'll reverse the process come spring. My question is, should I just put 1 rooted cutting in each pot or a couple? I know about the pinching them off as they grow to encourage bushiness but wasn't sure if one sprig per 4" pot should do or if I should use multiple. I probably will do one larger pot with several cuttings for sure but wasn't sure about the smaller pots.
Thanks for any help!

If I was going to put cuttings into small 4" pots I'd but them in groups of three or four cuttings per pot.

I'm curious, is it the plant itself that is too big to find space for indoors, or is it the container that is too big to find space for?

I had a large hanging basket container with Swedish Ivy (aka Creeping Charlie) that I wanted to save over winter but the pot and plant was too big. But if I left it outdoors it was going to die anyway so I took a chance on dividing it instead of taking cuttings, figuring divisions would do much better with already well established roots. I trimmed all the foliage back to 6" in length then un-potted it, divided the root ball into several sections and repotted each section into a separate, small pot.

I put each pot near a bright window indoors where it would get at least 4 hours of daylight and although they got a bit leggy without full light all day they still did okay over winter. It's not a matter of life and death that it gets hours and hours of bright daylight on it over the winter, it's most important that it doesn't freeze for days and days. As soon as there was no risk of ongoing freezing temperatures and temps were consistently over 55 F during the days the divisions were put outdoors.
.

[writerwife]

Originally Posted by jacqueg

Depends on how soon you want it to look full. Several cuttings in the same pot will look full sooner.

But a single cutting can and will grow into a full plant.

If you have plenty of cuttings, I'd start with 2-3 per 4" pot. Just to save space.

Besides, I can't help but think that they like being in a group!

Thanks! (everyone likes company now and then )

[writerwife]

Originally Posted by Zoisite

If I was going to put cuttings into small 4" pots I'd but them in groups of three or four cuttings per pot.

I'm curious, is it the plant itself that is too big to find space for indoors, or is it the container that is too big to find space for?

I had a large hanging basket container with Swedish Ivy (aka Creeping Charlie) that I wanted to save over winter but the pot and plant was too big. But if I left it outdoors it was going to die anyway so I took a chance on dividing it instead of taking cuttings, figuring divisions would do much better with already well established roots. I trimmed all the foliage back to 6" in length then un-potted it, divided the root ball into several sections and repotted each section into a separate, small pot.

I put each pot near a bright window indoors where it would get at least 4 hours of daylight and although they got a bit leggy without full light all day they still did okay over winter. It's not a matter of life and death that it gets hours and hours of bright daylight on it over the winter, it's most important that it doesn't freeze for days and days. As soon as there was no risk of ongoing freezing temperatures and temps were consistently over 55 F during the days the divisions were put outdoors.
.

I actually did consider doing this. I would still prob have to toss some of it but if any of it survived it would be great! May give it a shot anyway. Nothing to lose!



The entire plant is too big. It's busting out of an 18" container as it is. Too heavy to hang in front of a window and too big for any surface that gets enough light near a window. Only the front of the house gets any light and there are a few very large trees out there but without the leaves I will get enough light.


Oh.. and my Swedish Ivy is in shade outdoors (too hot in the sun where I am) and does wonderfully.
And now I'm curious. I have another plant named "creeping charlie" and it looks nothing like my Swedish ivy. It looks more like my creeping myrtle. hmmm.