How to Propagate English Ivy

You will need clean scissors or a sharp knife, a glass jar or vase, and room-temperature water.

1. 1 Identify a healthy vine with several nodes — the points where leaves and aerial roots attach to the stem.
2. 2 Cut a 4–6 inch stem section about 1/4 inch below a node, using clean tools.
3. 3 Remove the lower leaves, leaving 2–4 at the top. Any leaves left below the water line will rot and foul the water.
4. 4 Place the cutting in a jar of room-temperature water, ensuring at least one node is submerged but no leaves touch the water.
5. 5 Position the jar in bright indirect light — an east-facing windowsill is ideal.
6. 6 Change the water every 5–7 days, rinsing the jar each time.
7. 7 Watch for white, thread-like roots emerging from the submerged nodes, typically beginning in 7–14 days. English Ivy roots very quickly compared to most houseplants.
8. 8 Once roots are 1–2 inches long (usually 2–3 weeks total), transplant into well-draining potting soil.
9. 9 Water the newly potted cutting thoroughly and keep the soil consistently moist for the first 2 weeks.
10. 10 After 2 weeks, allow the top inch of soil to dry between waterings.

This method eliminates the water-to-soil transition and produces sturdier root systems from the start. You will need clean scissors, a small pot with drainage holes, pre-moistened potting soil, rooting hormone powder (optional), and a clear plastic bag.

1. 1 Take a cutting as described above, with at least one node and 2–4 leaves.
2. 2 Dip the cut end in rooting hormone, tapping off excess — this is optional for English Ivy but can speed root formation.
3. 3 Make a small hole in the moist potting mix with a pencil.
4. 4 Insert the cutting so the node is buried about 1 inch deep, and gently firm the soil around the stem.
5. 5 Water lightly to settle the soil.
6. 6 Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag to maintain humidity.
7. 7 Place in bright indirect light and keep the soil consistently damp for the first 2–3 weeks.
8. 8 Remove the bag once new growth appears in 3–4 weeks, gradually acclimating the plant to ambient humidity over 3–4 days.
9. 9 Resume normal care.

This method roots stems while they are still attached to the parent plant, providing the highest success rate because the cutting continues to receive water and nutrients from the parent until it develops its own roots.

1. 1 Identify a long, flexible vine that can reach the soil surface.
2. 2 Find a node along the vine where roots can form.
3. 3 Pin the node down into moist soil using a bent paperclip or U-shaped wire, burying it about 1/2 inch deep. You can do this in the same pot as the parent plant, or place a small pot of soil next to the parent and pin the vine into that.
4. 4 Keep the soil consistently moist at the pinned point.
5. 5 After 2–3 weeks, give the vine a gentle tug — if you feel resistance, roots have formed.
6. 6 Cut the vine between the parent plant and the newly rooted section.
7. 7 Treat the new plant as independent, or leave it connected for a naturally fuller appearance.