As a climbing plant, ivy climbs up anything that offers it support. This is ensured by the adhesive roots that form on the young shoots. However, sometimes it seems as if the planted ivy grows without anchoring roots and therefore has to be tied by hand. The adhesive roots form only after some time.
Ivy always forms adhesive roots
Ivy grows slowly at first
In the first two, sometimes five years, ivy grows very slowly. The tendrils only seem to get a little longer and they also have no adhesive roots with which they can climb up the trellis.
This is quite normal, because ivy simply needs some time to settle into the site. But then he catches up and grows so fast that you can watch.
Why does ivy grow without clinging roots?
The adhesive roots only form where the shoot rests directly on the ground or a climbing aid such as a wall or wall. If the shoot has no adhesion to the substrate, there will be no adhesive roots.
This can occur, for example, on wire mesh fences because the meshes here are too large and do not encourage the ivy shoots to form clinging roots.
Even on light-colored walls and walls, ivy initially remains without adhesive roots. A light background reflects the light too much and the shoots lean away from the wall. Due to the lack of support, no adhesive roots form.
Tendrils need a climbing aid
If you have freshly planted ivy, it not only needs a climbing aid. In the first few years you have to support it with the tendrils until sufficient adhesive roots have formed.
Tie it to very smooth walls. You can use simple, long bamboo poles or wooden slats as a base. When installing a chicken wire ivy fence ($14.99), start by threading the vines through the mesh. Later, the shoots find sufficient support in the woody branches and then also form adhesive roots.
tips
There is a type of ivy whose adhesive roots are not quite as pronounced. Hedera hibernica, Irish ivy, is therefore particularly suitable for greening walls. This variety is easier to remove from house walls later.