So I started to grow ivy indoors by cuttings. I read that English ivy is one of the top oxygen producing plants. I want as much clean oxygen inside my house so I'm trying to grow ivy indoors.


One problem I have had is once I get them to root I end up killing it once I plant it in soil. However if I keep it in water it continues to grow.

This leaves me to the question :

Can I just keep it in a vase full of water and it live healthy? Or do i need to eventually transfer it to a pot with soil?

Also another question I have is how come You can over water a plant yet you can leave a plant in a vase full of water and it live? Kinda seems odd that it works out that way.

Any answers would be great and any advice on growing ivy indoors would be welcome. If you have any advice for growing aloe indoors let me know as well.

Sometimes, it isnt the water that gets ivy. They need a lot less water in good soil, but the temperature of the pot and soil can cost you the plant. If you have enough light, warmth, and watch the plant, it should do fine as a cutting in water...

Ignore those lists of plants that are allegedly the best at cleaning the air. All plants produce oxygen and help clean the air. The ones that do the best are the plants with the most leaves and leaf surface and those that are healthy and growing vigorously. So it is best to select plants that you know how to take care of. In addition, it is the soil that does most of the filtering of pollutants, so growing your plants in water won't help clean the air. A better choice for you may be Pothos because they are less demanding than Hedera Ivies.

The cell structure of roots developed in water is different than cell structure of roots grown in soil. The roots can adapt from one to the other, but the transition is not easy.

The roots that develop in water are not the same as the roots that develop in soil. The water roots are very fragile and easily broken, making the transition to soil difficult without breaking the roots up.

Edited to add: If you read the studies about plants cleaning the air closely, you will discover the plants all had activated charcoal filters. It was the charcoal.

If you are adding plants to make oxygen, you will need a lot of fast growing plants in optimal photosynthesizing conditions. I don't think you could grow enough plants to change the oxygen level in your house.

agreed with Will and Daisy.
I find ivy to be difficult in a pot indoors.

I have rooted many cuttings of my Ivy, which is still doing great after many months and has got bigger. What I did, as I had the same questions you are asking, is to add slowly soil to my water. A little by each week. As it's starting to get like a soil "pulp", that is the time I plant my rooted cuttings to the ground. I don't water them afterwards immediately, I just pour into a hole my pulp, the cuttings and adding the new soil.
Good luck with your cuttings, hope you make new plants out of them!

Faridat said:I have rooted many cuttings of my Ivy, which is still doing great after many months and has got bigger. What I did, as I had the same questions you are asking, is to add slowly soil to my water. A little by each week. As it's starting to get like a soil "pulp", that is the time I plant my rooted cuttings to the ground. I don't water them afterwards immediately, I just pour into a hole my pulp, the cuttings and adding the new soil.
Good luck with your cuttings, hope you make new plants out of them!

Thanks everyone for all of your advice.

I believe I will do this method though. Adding a little soil at a time.

I just have one question. What is this pulp your talking about? Are you saying the roots will make a pulp or once I add enough soil jt will form a pulp?

The consistency of the water plus soil will start reminding you of a pulp and that's when I transfer the rooted ivy to their new home (pot). While I wait for the ivy to adjust to the soil pulp, I try to stir the "pulp" each day, and I add a bit of water every couple of days. That's all. It works for me. Do not put the cuttings you are trying to root in sun, keep them in a shady place.

I have an ivy that I cut long shoots into 6 parts. I used root hormone on the exposed cuts and planted them in regular potting soil and watered from a tray underneath. They are all doing great in Winter sun.